Construction industry faces pressure from apprenticeship dropout rate
The high dropout rate of apprentices in the built environment came under the microscope at an Edinburgh roundtable event bringing together key industry figures in Scotland.
The event was held at the National Museum of Scotland, where 13 industry professionals gathered to debate Scotland's construction skills crisis.
The event was chaired by Rachel Colgan, of PR agency Building Relations, and laid bare the impact of the number of construction-related apprentices leaving before completing their learning, as well as those who quit within 24 months of qualifying.
Recent figures from the British Association of Construction Heads (BACH) highlighted a 47% drop out rate for construction apprentices in the UK.
This means that only 8,620 construction apprentices reached End Point Assessment (EPA) in 2022/23. To put this into perspective, according to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), there were approximately 33,600 apprenticeship starts in construction in 2022/23.
The data also shows that significantly more construction apprentices drop out after 24 months compared to other apprenticeships (17% compared to just 6% in other sectors).
Responding to the question: 'Are existing qualifications and apprenticeships still fit for purpose' speakers shared their personal experiences around the issues of training and retaining apprentices, including an example of a young worker who left their trade-based apprenticeship in favour of a better-paying role in the hospitality sector.
Some of the reasons for a high drop out rate include:
Low pay
Demanding job with long hours
Young workers wanting the 'big job' before putting in the hard graft
Perceptions of working in construction being a job rather than a career
Lack of promotion of opportunities in school career advice
Post-covid generation seeking a better work/life balance
Recruitment drives not inspiring the next generation
Research by Skills Development Scotland, 2024, shows that just 8% of young people aged 16–18 in Scotland said they would seriously consider a construction career.
At the event some solutions to the crisis proposed included:
Outreach to schools, especially targeting underrepresented groups including girls and care-experienced youngsters
Provide real progression maps, from entry-level to higher technical or management roles – which many successful apprentices go on to
Shorter, focused, and hands-on learning wins over traditional full-time courses
Tie learning to real community projects to show purpose and local impact
Mike Pratt, Co-founder and Director of InverTay Homes and Timber Engineering UK, listed a number of reasons why he thought apprentices struggled in the construction industry, including: lower wages during training, apprentice courses taking too long to qualify, a growing desire from young people to work reduced hours in pursuit of a better work/life balance, as well as unrealistic wage growth expectations and a gap between industry need and college curriculum.
He said: 'Our industry is in desperate need of upskilling an aging workforce as well as a steady intake of young apprentices. We need radical change in the industry to reverse the downward trajectory of apprenticeships and the 'brain drain' from the construction industry.
'There are going to be massive labour shortages for the foreseeable future so we cannot afford to be training people up, just to see them leave the industry straight away. We need a targeted and progressive approach to plug the gaps and ensure the next generation of school leavers want to enter an industry that values them.'
The wider purpose of the roundtable was to examine the skills crisis Scotland's construction sector is currently facing amidst growing housing demand and net zero targets.
According to Skills Development Scotland, the construction industry must recruit over 48,000 people by 2034 to meet future demand.
Other topics discussed included how to prepare the workforce for net zero, new ways to attract people into construction trades and what is needed from Scottish Government, CITB, SDS, or others to unlock progress.
The general consensus of roundtable guest was that despite many challenges, the construction industry in Scotland offered a rewarding career path with strong job prospects, diverse opportunities, and the chance to contribute to the country's growing infrastructure and sustainable development.
Following the event Rachel Colgan said: 'The roundtable conversation highlighted a stark reality: Scotland's construction sector is grappling with a critical skills shortage, made worse by the high dropout rate among young apprentices. But it also made one thing clear, if we want lasting change, we need to create an environment where young people feel supported and valued. This way young people will be able to understand the amazing career opportunities available to them in this industry.'
Jocelyne Fleming, senior policy and public affairs officer for CIOB in Scotland said: 'Scotland's construction sector offers rewarding careers that make a positive difference to the country.
'Our recent survey revealed nearly 75 per cent of young people in Scotland view the construction industry positively, but nearly half were never introduced to it as a potential career path during education.
'We urgently need to strengthen the existing workforce and build a robust talent pipeline. That requires a government-led, strategic, and long-term plan, one that identifies the future demands of our built environment, defines the skills and expertise needed to meet them, and ensures we have the resources to attract, train, and retain the people who will deliver it.'
Guests at the roundtable included, Lauren Pennycook, Senior Policy and Government Relations Advisor, CITB, Mike Pratt, Co-founder & Director InverTay Homes, Timber Engineering UK, Steven Kiakowski, Director, The Verdancy Group, Colin Jack, Managing Director of Scotland, Places for People, Gordon Nelson, Director, Federation of Master Builders Scotland, Jim Baxter, Financial Director, Allanwater Homes, Laura McGuigan, Business Development Manager, Kier Construction, Chair of Women in Property, Matt Colgan, Founder, Sustainabuild, Frazer Walker, Head of School, School of Engineering, Construction & Technical Skills, Fife College, Mairi Murray, Head of Sustainability, BakerHicks, Jocelyne Fleming, Senior Policy & Public Affairs Officer for Scotland, Chartered Institute of Building, and Professor Robert Hairstans, Head, Centre for Offsite Construction and Innovative Structures at Edinburgh Napier University, Director, Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) at the New Model Institute of Technology and Engineering (NMITE), Skills and EDI Lead, Centre for Net Zero Carbon High Density Buildings.
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Edinburgh Reporter
2 days ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Construction industry faces pressure from apprenticeship dropout rate
The high dropout rate of apprentices in the built environment came under the microscope at an Edinburgh roundtable event bringing together key industry figures in Scotland. The event was held at the National Museum of Scotland, where 13 industry professionals gathered to debate Scotland's construction skills crisis. The event was chaired by Rachel Colgan, of PR agency Building Relations, and laid bare the impact of the number of construction-related apprentices leaving before completing their learning, as well as those who quit within 24 months of qualifying. Recent figures from the British Association of Construction Heads (BACH) highlighted a 47% drop out rate for construction apprentices in the UK. This means that only 8,620 construction apprentices reached End Point Assessment (EPA) in 2022/23. To put this into perspective, according to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), there were approximately 33,600 apprenticeship starts in construction in 2022/23. The data also shows that significantly more construction apprentices drop out after 24 months compared to other apprenticeships (17% compared to just 6% in other sectors). Responding to the question: 'Are existing qualifications and apprenticeships still fit for purpose' speakers shared their personal experiences around the issues of training and retaining apprentices, including an example of a young worker who left their trade-based apprenticeship in favour of a better-paying role in the hospitality sector. Some of the reasons for a high drop out rate include: Low pay Demanding job with long hours Young workers wanting the 'big job' before putting in the hard graft Perceptions of working in construction being a job rather than a career Lack of promotion of opportunities in school career advice Post-covid generation seeking a better work/life balance Recruitment drives not inspiring the next generation Research by Skills Development Scotland, 2024, shows that just 8% of young people aged 16–18 in Scotland said they would seriously consider a construction career. At the event some solutions to the crisis proposed included: Outreach to schools, especially targeting underrepresented groups including girls and care-experienced youngsters Provide real progression maps, from entry-level to higher technical or management roles – which many successful apprentices go on to Shorter, focused, and hands-on learning wins over traditional full-time courses Tie learning to real community projects to show purpose and local impact Mike Pratt, Co-founder and Director of InverTay Homes and Timber Engineering UK, listed a number of reasons why he thought apprentices struggled in the construction industry, including: lower wages during training, apprentice courses taking too long to qualify, a growing desire from young people to work reduced hours in pursuit of a better work/life balance, as well as unrealistic wage growth expectations and a gap between industry need and college curriculum. He said: 'Our industry is in desperate need of upskilling an aging workforce as well as a steady intake of young apprentices. We need radical change in the industry to reverse the downward trajectory of apprenticeships and the 'brain drain' from the construction industry. 'There are going to be massive labour shortages for the foreseeable future so we cannot afford to be training people up, just to see them leave the industry straight away. We need a targeted and progressive approach to plug the gaps and ensure the next generation of school leavers want to enter an industry that values them.' The wider purpose of the roundtable was to examine the skills crisis Scotland's construction sector is currently facing amidst growing housing demand and net zero targets. According to Skills Development Scotland, the construction industry must recruit over 48,000 people by 2034 to meet future demand. Other topics discussed included how to prepare the workforce for net zero, new ways to attract people into construction trades and what is needed from Scottish Government, CITB, SDS, or others to unlock progress. The general consensus of roundtable guest was that despite many challenges, the construction industry in Scotland offered a rewarding career path with strong job prospects, diverse opportunities, and the chance to contribute to the country's growing infrastructure and sustainable development. Following the event Rachel Colgan said: 'The roundtable conversation highlighted a stark reality: Scotland's construction sector is grappling with a critical skills shortage, made worse by the high dropout rate among young apprentices. But it also made one thing clear, if we want lasting change, we need to create an environment where young people feel supported and valued. This way young people will be able to understand the amazing career opportunities available to them in this industry.' Jocelyne Fleming, senior policy and public affairs officer for CIOB in Scotland said: 'Scotland's construction sector offers rewarding careers that make a positive difference to the country. 'Our recent survey revealed nearly 75 per cent of young people in Scotland view the construction industry positively, but nearly half were never introduced to it as a potential career path during education. 'We urgently need to strengthen the existing workforce and build a robust talent pipeline. That requires a government-led, strategic, and long-term plan, one that identifies the future demands of our built environment, defines the skills and expertise needed to meet them, and ensures we have the resources to attract, train, and retain the people who will deliver it.' Guests at the roundtable included, Lauren Pennycook, Senior Policy and Government Relations Advisor, CITB, Mike Pratt, Co-founder & Director InverTay Homes, Timber Engineering UK, Steven Kiakowski, Director, The Verdancy Group, Colin Jack, Managing Director of Scotland, Places for People, Gordon Nelson, Director, Federation of Master Builders Scotland, Jim Baxter, Financial Director, Allanwater Homes, Laura McGuigan, Business Development Manager, Kier Construction, Chair of Women in Property, Matt Colgan, Founder, Sustainabuild, Frazer Walker, Head of School, School of Engineering, Construction & Technical Skills, Fife College, Mairi Murray, Head of Sustainability, BakerHicks, Jocelyne Fleming, Senior Policy & Public Affairs Officer for Scotland, Chartered Institute of Building, and Professor Robert Hairstans, Head, Centre for Offsite Construction and Innovative Structures at Edinburgh Napier University, Director, Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) at the New Model Institute of Technology and Engineering (NMITE), Skills and EDI Lead, Centre for Net Zero Carbon High Density Buildings. 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Rich McCormick, who also signed the letter, claimed the grants were given to organizations with 'questionable ties.' 'I'm deeply concerned that the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund has prioritized speed and political favoritism over competitive merit and fiscal responsibility,' he wrote. 'This $27 billion program has bypassed critical oversight safeguards, awarding massive grants to organizations with limited experience and questionable ties.' Most of the cash went to eight main grant recipients that were then responsible for giving out smaller loans to other nonprofits, according to the letter to Zeldin about the GGRF. PFC reported just $100 in revenue in its first four months of operation before receiving the billions, according to nonprofit tracker Influence Watch. A spokesperson for PFC told the Daily Mail the 'group formed in 2023 to apply for the Inflation Reduction Act's clean energy funding.' 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EXCLUSIVE Joe Biden accused of dishing out $27 billion on green projects run by cronies in one of his final acts
Republicans in Congress are investigating ties between a Biden-era $27 billion green fund at the Environmental Protection Agency and former Democratic staffers. The EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), created in 2023 after Joe Biden 's Inflation Reduction Act passed, was responsible for doling out the billions to nonprofit organizations to help them champion climate causes. From start to finish the application process for the $27 billion in taxpayer-backed fund only lasted months. Many of the nonprofits that received billions in funding had been established after the application process was announced, according to Republican lawmakers. Reports indicate that up to $20 billion of the GGRF was obligated after Donald Trump won the 2024 election but before he was sworn in on January 20. A former Biden EPA official likened the fund to 'tossing gold bars off the Titanic' - a mad dash to hand out federal dollars to anyone that would accept them. President Donald Trump's EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has ordered an internal investigation into the matter, and the Justice Department is also probing the GGRF. Republican lawmakers claim firms that were incorporated after the GGRF application process opened - and which employed staff with ties to Democrats - were granted billions without proper oversight. 'The Biden Administration's EPA rushed through $27 billion in grants with little transparency, minimal vetting, and troubling political ties,' Chairman Brian Babin of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee claims in a letter to Zeldin about the GGRF exclusively obtained by the Daily Mail. 'The American people deserve fairness and accountability in how their money is spent — especially at this scale,' he wrote in the letter sent to Zeldin on Tuesday. 'We're demanding answers and pushing for real reforms to ensure this never happens again.' Georgia Republican Rep. Rich McCormick, who also signed the letter, claimed the grants were given to organizations with 'questionable ties.' 'I'm deeply concerned that the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund has prioritized speed and political favoritism over competitive merit and fiscal responsibility,' he wrote. 'This $27 billion program has bypassed critical oversight safeguards, awarding massive grants to organizations with limited experience and questionable ties.' Most of the cash went to eight main grant recipients that were then responsible for giving out smaller loans to other nonprofits, according to the letter to Zeldin about the GGRF. The EPA does not accuse the recipients of wrongdoing, but the agency has called foul about the process in which the awards were doled out. However, the original legislation did not call for much oversight of the funds, and many of the awards were won by firms with ties to former Presidents Barack Obama or Joe Biden, the Republican lawmakers claimed. They cited the example of Power Forward Communities, a group that received $2 billion dollars, which was founded by Ari Matusiak, who worked in the Obama administration from 2011 to 2014. PFC reported just $100 in revenue in its first four months of operation before receiving the billions, according to nonprofit tracker Influence Watch. A spokesperson for PFC told the Daily Mail the 'group formed in 2023 to apply for the Inflation Reduction Act's clean energy funding.' Stacey Abrams, a former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate, was later brought on to nonprofit Rewiring America, a firm that was allocated $490 million under the Biden-era GGRF program. 'Abrams, an attorney, joined Rewiring America, one of the coalition's members, in March 2023 as a senior counsel,' a spokesperson said. 'Abrams did not have a role at Power Forward Communities beyond her position at Rewiring America.' She left Rewiring America at the end of 2024. 'Hope Enterprise Corp., awarded approximately $94 million, is led by CEO William Bynum, who served on the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition Team and was later appointed to the Department of the Treasury's Racial Equity Advisory Committee,' the Republicans wrote in their letter to Zeldin. In a statement to the Daily Mail, HOPE President Ed Sivak responded: 'The $94 million award will be used to support increased access to solar power in Arkansas. In Arkansas, HOPE was one of two applicants and the only statewide applicant.' The effort is projected to save money for Arkansans, Sivak claimed, though it is not yet up and running. 'Groundswell, Inc., recipient of $156 million, is led by CEO Michelle Moore, who served as President Obama's Chief Sustainability Officer and a Biden-appointed board member for the Tennessee Valley Authority,' the lawmakers wrote. The Republican lawmakers' letter went on: 'These improper relationships between federal agencies and grant recipients reinforce concerns that considerations other than merit influenced the selection process.' The EPA is now working to claw back cash given out in the last days of the Democrat administration, but since the officials sent billions out of federal coffers to a Citibank account, it is already out the door. Zeldin and his team are currently litigating the matter. The case is before a federal appeals court after a judge ruled that EPA must allow the obligated funds to flow to the grant recipients. 'Groundswell, Inc., recipient of $156 million, is led by CEO Michelle Moore (pictured above), who served as President Obama's Chief Sustainability Officer,' the lawmakers write to Zeldin. Groundswell has not returned the Daily Mail's request for comment 'The agency's inability to ensure regulatory compliance further underscores the structural problems surrounding the GGRF,' the letter continues. 'The EPA's accelerated $27 billion grant process appears to have bypassed many of these critical safeguards.' The Republican lawmakers requested a meeting to discuss with Zeldin how to prevent grants being awarded in such a manner again. Earlier this year, the EPA administrator shared he is prepared to take the case to the Supreme Court. 'The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, so if a district court judge makes a decision, we are not going to assume that the United States Supreme Court is going to agree with that district court,' he testified before the Senate.
