The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) has welcomed the Government pledge to invest in new apprenticeships and training routes for trades.
CEO of the BiKBBI Damian Walters praised the move: “It feels like momentum is building and that the much-needed focus and investment in construction careers for young people is closer than it has been for some time”.
He added: “We have worked tirelessly over many years to raise awareness of the skills shortage and to promote apprenticeships as a solution to the ever-growing problem.
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“We fully support this move – it is very much a step in the right direction and, if executed alongside changes to support micro-SME’s to take on an apprentice, it will make a tangible difference to the fitted interiors sector, which offers many opportunities for young people to learn a trade and earn a wage”.
Under the new plans for “backing the next generation”, will be a budget of more than £3bn in this financial year and an extra 30,000 apprenticeships in the next four years.
“For a long time there has been a lot of talk about the problem and little action to create a solution” continued Walters, “but it does feel like there is now a real shift in focus, and there is still time to fix the problem but we must act now to build a sustainable future of our industry and thousands of young people across the UK.”