Apprenticeships numbers soar in construction

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Number of people signing up to apprenticeships soars as many chose to earn a wage while training, official statistics show many  now value on the job training.

According to the latest figures, more than 872,000 are enrolled on Government-funded apprenticeships – the highest amount ever to be seen.

There are also unprecedented numbers of people taking part in higher apprenticeships, with some 30,000 trainees working towards gaining top-level skills in a range of sectors, including construction.

In addition, it has been revealed that 2.38 million apprenticeships were created during the course of the last Parliament.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has also revealed that unemployment has fallen to a seven-year low, while the number of people in work has shot up.

It is thought the boost to on-the-job training programmes has been achieved through reforms such as the move to ensure large-value Government contracts commit firms to taking on apprentices.

Ministers are now aiming to provide a further three million apprenticeships by 2020.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said that steps are being taken to make sure apprenticeships deliver the best results for individuals, businesses and the economy.

“Our apprenticeship reforms are helping to build the modern, highly skilled workforce British businesses need,” he said.

“We are committed to delivering three million apprenticeships by 2020 because that means more opportunities for our young people, more growth for our businesses.”

CITB estimates there will be over 22,000 construction apprenticeships starts across the UK in 2015, which is an increase of approximately 11% when compared to 2014.

Traineeships are also proving popular, after some 19,200 people signed up to such schemes in the last academic year.

The ONS statistics show that the number of people out of work dropped by 79,000 to 1.7 million in the quarter to August, a figure not matched since the summer of 2008.

Over the same period, employment jumped by 140,000 to hit 31 million, which represents the highest total since records began in 1971.

Joblessness among young people has also sunk, with the amount of unemployed youngsters who are not full-time students at just 6.2% of the population – the lowest level in a decade.