Next month will see the introduction of the Government’s new Apprenticeship Levy on large firms and it could lead to a big shift in terms of who is directly involved in apprenticeship training according to the Federation of Master Builders.

The suggestion came from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) on the first day of National Apprenticeship Week when the FMB published new research that shows consumers prefer to hire firms that train apprentices

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), said: “Next month will see the introduction of the Government’s new Apprenticeship Levy on large firms, so this year could see a big shift in terms of who is directly involved in apprenticeship training. In construction, two-thirds of all apprentices are trained by SMEs and it is our hope that the new Levy will encourage the larger firms to also engage more readily in training the future workforce.”

The new research about what employers of construction businesses think about contractors who employ apprentices is based on responses from 2,000 home owners across the UK, and revealed that almost two thirds of home owners would have a more favourable image of a building firm knowing they train apprentices.

Commenting about the research Mr Berry said: “This new research confirms what many of us already knew – apprentices are good for your business. The building industry is extremely competitive and these results suggest that training an apprentice will help a firm stand out from the crowd.

“Home owners aren’t just concerned about the craftsmanship of their builder, they want to know they are hiring a firm with strong values. It therefore makes sense that a business that invests in young people is seen in a better light. If the burgeoning skills crisis in the construction industry wasn’t enough to motivate those firms not already training to start doing so, hopefully this evidence will do the trick. It’s helpful to know that apprenticeship training can not only provide rewarding career opportunities for young people, but it can also help a firm’s bottom line.”