Interactive PDF

24| Apprenticeships from Reactive
RETAINING APPRENTICES WILL
HELP THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
FLOURISH AGAIN By Max Mackin,
Managing Director of Reactive Recruitment
It’s no secret the
construction sector has
faced major challenges
in recent years. The
opportunity to train to
be a plumber, a joiner
or a bricklayer has
reduced significantly.
What is surprising
is that even though
the older generation
would see this as an
excellent and well
paid career choice, an
apprenticeship seems
like too much hard
work for some school
leavers.
An apprenticeship can take
as long as three to four years
to complete and even though
the chance of learning a trade
is very rewarding in the long
term, they are generally not
that well paid during this initial
period. Sadly, most people
coming into the employment
market straight from school
who don’t wish to attend
higher education, decide to
focus on short term careers,
taking jobs as shelf stackers,
warehouse workers, or call
centre operators.
Those are lucky enough to gain
apprenticeships quickly find
themselves exposed to early
starts and harsh, cold and wet
weather conditions. As a 17
year old earning £70 a week,
knowing it will take three to
four years to be fully trained,
apprenticeships can seem like a
hardship with the prospect of
still not having a full time job at
aged 21 daunting. What most
young people forget is the
opportunities it presents. It’s
often forgotten that a number
of our leading construction
companies are run by people
who started out at the
bottom of the career ladder as
apprentices.
Having the chance to travel
whilst earning a living and
gaining qualifications is a
prospect most 17 year olds
simple don’t get. A lot of
Northern Irish based firms
now work exclusively on the
mainland, giving apprentices
the chance to travel and work
on major projects across
England, Scotland and
Wales. On the mainland
there are more business
opportunities and given
its size and population,
this can restrict the
opportunities for local
apprentices who don’t
want to leave Northern
Ireland.
Those who do travel
are given a sense of
independence, managing
their own finances and
not relying on a parent to
look after them. It is vital
to retain and bring these
people home so they can
share their experiences
and encourage the next
crop of apprentices. Our
construction sector is
hopefully facing an upturn.
Major contracts are being
secured at home and
abroad and the industry
is in need of fresh, young
talent.
The introduction of the
Apprenticeship Levy next
year will have a big impact on
our construction businesses. All
employers operating in the UK,
with a pay bill over £3 million
each year, will be required
to make an investment in
apprenticeships. This Levy is
one way our local companies
are being encouraged to invest
in our young people and will
surely offer them greater
opportunities to learn a trade.
Too often we are losing our
skilled apprentices as far afield
as Australia. With limited
opportunities our young
people feel they have no choice
but to leave Northern Ireland.
We need to be doing more to
create further apprenticeships
and keep our talented pool of
young people in the country.
I have had groups of friends
who initially moved abroad to
find work and at the same time
created a support network for
themselves. We need to be
able to tap into these networks
and utilise the experience they
have gained away from home.
The only way our construction
sector will flourish again is to
retain our apprentices and build
again for the future.