Hundreds of thousands of GCSE students will receive their exam results this Thursday before deciding whether to pursue A-Levels and higher education or pursue a vocational course such as a T-Level or apprenticeship.
Data from Gov.uk reveals that 87% of pupils who finished their GCSEs in July 2017 went into education immediately after, with only 4% going on to take apprenticeships and 3% going straight into employment. There is a growing need for more young people to take apprenticeships in the UK, with data from the Department of Education revealing that only 1% of young people are studying for a T-Level.
The lack of encouragement onto the worksite poses another issue as young people aren’t being incentivised into a career in the trades as research from Fix Radio – the UK’s only national radio station for builders – finds that 65% of Brits say they did not receive enough encouragement to pursue a career in the trades during their academic years. Endemic labour shortages have been laid bare as the skills deficit cripples the construction sector, with 225,000 extra workers needed to fulfil existing construction demand. Broadcaster on Fix Radio, Clive Holland, discusses how national apathy towards apprenticeships has exacerbated the skills deficit and, by extension, the housing crisis.
In light of GCSE results day, the newly launched National Construction Audit from Fix Radio has unveiled that 18% of British parents would not want their children to work in the construction industry because they don’t believe they will earn enough money. As the national average salary for a construction apprentice stands at £23,828 according to Glassdoor, apprentices will be able to not only earn on the job but also be debt-free. This also coincides with many tradespeople’s jobs earning sizeable amounts more than university graduates. According to research carried out by the Federation of Master Builders, brickies, plumbers, and other skilled professionals were taking home earnings that dwarfed those of graduates by thousands of pounds.
- Site manager – £51,266
- Plumbers – £48,675
- Supervisors – £48,407
- Electricians – £47,265
- Roofers – £42,303
- Bricklayers – £42,034
- Carpenters and joiners – £41,413
- Plasterers – £41,045
- Scaffolders – £40,942
- Painters and decorators – £34,587
With a further 67% of Brits (29.7 million) agreeing that their most valuable professional development came from learning on the job from skilled professionals, it is more imperative than ever for the UK to support apprenticeships. Research from the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) indicates that the average graduate salary in the UK sits at £33,229. As the number of people starting apprenticeships fell from 500,000 in 2015 to 337,000 last year, more must be done to encourage young people to opt for apprenticeships over traditional university degrees. According to Clive Holland, failure to address the lack of builders in the UK will affect any measures introduced to tackle the housing crisis after the election, which could potentially be alleviated by encouraging more young people into apprenticeships. The CIPD states the number of apprenticeships starts has significantly decreased since the introduction of the current apprenticeship levy system in 2017, creating a bigger issue around labour shortages. Analysis of Department for Education figures shows a 41% decline (almost 54,000) in starts for those under 19 and a 36% decline (55,000) for those aged 19-24 between 2015 and 2023.
Clive Holland, host of The Clive Holland Show on Fix Radio, comments, “Apprenticeships are on the decline, and the Department of Education, by their own admission, shows that only one per cent of all young people are studying for a T-Level.
“Since Brexit, record numbers of tradespeople have left the country, and the stresses of an overstretched workforce are prompting thousands of colleagues to either retrain or leave the industry entirely. As Fix’s research has shown, the nation is starting to feel this pinch – with increasing numbers finding themselves waiting more than a year for a tradesperson to see them – imagine what this means for the housing crisis in the long term.
“Years of continually missed homebuilding targets are now pricing millions of people out of the property market, and it will only get worse. We simply need more builders. If political parties, irrespective of their stripe or colour, honestly believe they can address the housing crisis without having the serious conversation of addressing the skills deficit, we’re heading into a very dangerous position.”