Building Engineering Services Training (BEST) is one of two m&e training providers to share in £11m of government funding to create more apprenticeship places.
Announced by skills secretary John Denham and schools secretary Ed Balls, BEST will place an extra 200 apprentices in the next two years and building services trainer JTL will place an extra 400 apprentices.

The scheme will result in 600 apprenticeships pver the next two years in the building services sector alone, specifically benefiting smaller companies in the supply chain.

This will help deliver the government's recent commitment to fund an extra 35,000 apprenticeship places across the public and private sectors, backed by an additional £140M of funding.

Under the Apprenticeship Expansion Programme (AEP), BEST will use additional funding to help employers who might face financial difficulties when it comes to supporting apprentices through the first year of an apprentice placement.

'This is a fantastic endorsement and recognition of the opportunities within our sector and its importance to the growing skills landscape,' said Dr Mark Brenner, CEO for BEST'.

'The use of apprenticeships as part of a developing workforce has been shown to create overall labour savings of 10-15% on a typical m&e contract while providing the skills for future growth and in preparation for the upturn in the current economy.

BEST's CEO added: 'We are receiving a very positive response to this scheme from employers and I would urge all employers seriously to consider the benefits of taking on an apprentice'.

Funding has been given o businesses that already have a track record of offering high quality apprenticeships. BEST is one of 16 successful organisations, alongside big names including Ford Motor Company, BMW, Unilever and Jaguar Land Rover.