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Skills FIND OUTMORE For more information about apprenticeships, visit the FIS Skills Hub at www.thefis.org/skills-hub i www.thefis.org 29 Construction Talent Retention Scheme The new Construction Talent Retention scheme, designed to match job opportunities to individuals seeking employment and run by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), is now off to a promising start. Soon after launching at the end of July, 482 employers had signed up and more than 240 vacancies had been posted, with more being added every day. A Covid-19 Displaced Apprentice Project team has been established by CITB. This team will reach out to apprentices impacted by the pandemic, working with apprentices to find alternative employment where possible, or signpost them to other support services, including the Talent Retention Scheme. Apprentices will also be supported by CITB with more practical elements, such as developing CVs and interview preparation, to provide the best possible chance at securing further employment. If you are an employer willing to take on an apprentice that has been made redundant, register with the Talent Retention Scheme using the designated portal (www.trs-system.co.uk/ construction) or contact CITB. enable many firms to continue to take on trainees and apprentices, supporting them to develop their skills and career prospects,” he said. “Apprentices add real value to businesses and, when carefully trained and mentored, produce skilled, loyal team members for life.” The scheme opened for applications in August, with the first jobs expected to start in the autumn, and run until December 2021 – with the option of being extended. FIS Skills and Training Lead George Swann said the way to ensure succession within any organisation is by investing in young people, and the 2020 plan clearly encourages this. However, to make it work within the fit-out sector, collaboration will be key. “In the past initiatives have been too fragmented, objectives and funding not always aligned and qualifications and training looked at in isolation - our collective efforts have been spread too thinly,” he said. “It is now vital that we use and get behind this Plan for Jobs, pulling together as a supply chain and focus our efforts on a more consistent approach to developing competency and managing careers within our sector.” FIS is already working with suppliers to link potential employees with employers through programmes like BuildBack. It has a growing network of Approved Training Providers and is developing a competency framework (based on the Skills, Attitudes, Knowledge and Experience required) that is now being developed into career and qualification paths for each occupation in the finishes and interiors footprint. “This Plan for Jobs focuses on rewarding those businesses that invest in home grown talent and FIS is right behind them,” said George. Bradley Pearl, who formerly attended British Gypsum’s Site Ready Skimming Course, believes the new scheme will help to reassure young people about their future prospects. “When I heard about the Government’s ‘Plan For Jobs’ I felt really relieved and a little more positive about my future than I had been doing during lockdown,” he said. “There has been so much on the news about the economy shrinking, redundancies and unemployment that, being newly qualified, I felt I would really struggle to find work if made redundant. Hopefully, thanks to the government’s support, this will no longer be the case and I can continue to earn a living whilst developing my skills and progressing my career.” Greater flexibility on transfers now means individual employers have control over where apprenticeship funds are spent to meet their current and future skills needs. Combined authorities, sector bodies and Local Enterprise Partnerships can work with large employers to encourage more effective use of their uncommitted levy funds. Levy-paying employers can transfer up to 25% of the annual value funds in their apprenticeship service accounts to other employers, including Apprenticeship Training Agencies. This is done through the apprenticeship service and does not detract from the number of reservations provided to smaller employers through the service.