Member Article

Call for construction apprentices In the North West

Barratt Developments is this week urging young people in the North West to consider a career in construction, to mark National Apprenticeship Week (14-18 March).

The housebuilder is set to build around 1400 new homes in the North West region during 2016, but says that a shortage of specialist trades people, presents an on-going challenge.

Barratt, which includes David Wilson Homes North West and Barratt Manchester, says it’s on the lookout for future talent, with new applications welcome for apprentices starting in September 2016.

Unlike many other vocational or university courses, places are government-funded, and are available at locations across the North West. Sites currently under construction include The Vistas, Heywood, Highgate Park, Preston, Stapeley Gardens, Nantwich and Claremont Gardens, Kirkdale.

The shortage of housing has driven up rents and house prices in recent years, and according to the latest report from The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICs), housebuilding is running at around half the level needed to meet demand.

Barratt’s apprentices undertake a two year NVQ course combining on the job training with college work, offering opportunities to gain industry qualifications in carpentry, bricklaying and joinery.

For those who choose a career in construction, the rewards are often much higher than people think, says Barratt Homes Construction Director, John McNulty, who himself started as a Trainee Assistant Site Manager with Barratt in 1978:

“As well as receiving outstanding training and recognised qualifications at no expense to themselves, our apprentices are paid a wage from day one, which rises as you progress through the course. In an age where most students leave college with tens of thousands of pounds worth of tuition fee debts, and often go on to encounter a shortage of jobs in the marketplace, we think our Apprenticeship programme offers a very exciting opportunity.”

According to the Adzuna jobs website. construction workers are among those experiencing the biggest growth in earnings, with an average salary of £38,159. Some bricklayers are thought to be commanding more than £200 a day.

In 2016, Barratt plans to recruit a further 180 into its ‘Future Talent’ Programmes, of which 100 will be apprentices. By September 2016, the housebuilder will have around 450 apprentices and trainees on a programme, which represents 7.5% of the direct workforce.

Nationally, the housebuilder has recruited a total of 780 graduates, undergraduates, apprentices and trainees in the past three years, of which 480 were apprentices – more than any other housebuilder in Britain.

Mr McNulty added: “Our focus moving forward is to ensure our apprentices enter the industry as highly qualified tradespeople or trainee site managers in order to address the current skills shortage.

“We have plans to roll out a toolkit for teachers,which includes activities linked to the curriculum to run over the course of a term, to encourage young people into the industry. This is an exciting time for new talent to enter the industry, offering excellent long term career prospects and higher than average salaries.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Corey Kitchener .