During the delivery of the summer statement, the Chancellor provided further detail on the government’s Plan for Jobs to tackle unemployment post COVID-19. The statement included a number of new initiatives, offering funding incentives and schemes aimed at helping young people. JTL believes that the funding now accessible to employers will have a hugely positive impact on businesses being able to make the most of the resources and skilled labour available to them, and in turn further support the country’s economic recovery.

Data from the Department of Education reveals that employer vacancies for apprentices in April and May 2020 were 2,020 and 1,850, which compares to 10,400 and 12,580 in the same months of 2019, respectively. With this in mind and taking into account that the industry was already facing a skills shortage, JTL wants to encourage and support employers to utilise the funding now available to them and to take on the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

Caroline Turner, director of policy & external relations at JTL, commented: “Data reveals that there has been a significant 85% drop in apprenticeship vacancies. Although this is an exceptionally dismal statistic, it is reassuring that the government is now willing to support apprenticeships and invest sizably to encourage employers to take on more apprentices. We believe the new government initiatives are an important landmark for both traineeships and apprenticeships and will play an important role in the UK’s recovery effort.

“This is the optimum time for employers to harness the new funding and take on apprentices to further support their individual business, as well as helping the wider COVID-19 economic recovery plan. As part of JTL’s support offering and to ensure the pipeline of skilled tradespeople continues, we are on-hand to speak to employers who are keen to invest in the training and development of an apprentice and to help employers make the most of the government financial assistance available to them.'