The Construction Industry Training Board is encouraging more young people to take up apprenticeships within the construction sector, highlighting the many different career opportunities that the sector can offer.
In 2010, the CITB revealed that the number of construction apprentices had decreased from 14,000 to 8,000 over the course of the last four years, however this is now on the rise.
In the Yorkshire and Humber region last year, the organisation placed 623 apprentices with employers, and is planning to place more over the course of this year, as employers and young people alike realise the value in apprenticeships.
Tracy Bodle, apprenticeship officer at The Construction Industry Training Board, (CITB) - which offers construction training - told The Star: “Construction offers so many different career opportunities for young people, whether that be craft-based or technical, with many pathways offering opportunities to eventually become supervisors or managers.
“An apprenticeship is an excellent route to developing life-long skills, and gives the opportunity to earn money while you’re training. This is why CITB is urging more youngsters in Sheffield to enrol with them and potentially undertake one of our successful training programmes,” Ms Bodle went on to say.
One young apprentice, Aaron Ellis-Wiljon, who is currently studying at Sheffield City College as part of his apprenticeship told the newspaper: “The Level 2 apprenticeship programme has given me lots of skills which I hope to take forward into my future career.”
Apprenticeships within the construction sector can range from plastering, bricklaying and carpentry to learning skills in the plumbing and electrical sectors.