BEST SECURE MORE M&E APPRENTICESHIPS FOLLOWING INCREASE IN GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO EXPAND APPRENTICESHIPS

Building Engineering Services Training (BEST) has been selected as one of only two national training providers to share in £11m of new funding to create new apprenticeship places. This was announced on 14 May by Skills Secretary John Denham and Schools Secretary Ed Balls as part of a new approach to help employers train the skilled workers of the future.

Under the Apprenticeship Expansion Programme BEST are able to provide additional funding to support employers through the first year of an apprentice placement, that otherwise might face affordability constraints.

The scheme will result in a further 200 apprenticeships over and above those already placed for M&E disciplines delivered through BEST benefiting smaller companies in the supply chain.

Funding has been allocated to those businesses that already have a track record of offering high quality apprenticeships which have met the Governments stringent criteria to ensure the additional apprenticeship places created are of an excellent standard. BEST are one of 16 successful companies alongside household names such as Ford Motor Company, BMW, Unilever and Jaguar Land Rover

 Dr Mark Brenner, CEO for BEST said:

“This is a fantastic endorsement and recognition of the opportunities within our sector and its importance to the growing skills landscape. We are receiving a very positive response to this scheme from employers and I would urge all employers to seriously consider the benefits of taking on an apprentice.  

“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 whilst providing the skills for future growth and in preparation for the upturn in the current economy.

“Under the ‘Skills Pay’ campaign BEST are able to demonstrate real commercial returns on even short term investment in training within the M&E sector. This additional funding makes the argument even more compelling.

The move will help deliver on the Government’s recent commitment to fund an extra 35,000 apprenticeship places across the public and private sectors, backed by an additional £140 million of funding.

Skills Secretary John Denham said:

“In these tough times we are determined to do all we can to support business to prepare for the upturn and continue to invest in improving the skills of the nation’s workforce.

“Today’s announcement shows our commitment to strengthening the workforce and making more apprenticeship places available to young people and adults. The businesses we have signed agreements with will be able to train more apprentices, thanks to the £11 million of funding, and will have a skilled workforce improving the strength of the sector as a whole.” 

Children’s Secretary Ed Balls said:

“We will not sit back during the current downturn or cut our investment when the priority is to build a talented, skilled and motivated workforce for the future.

“That’s why we are running a major campaign, fronted by Sir Alan Sugar, to increase the number of employers with apprentice places and are legislating to give a statutory entitlement to an apprenticeship to suitably qualified young people and adults.

“It is fantastic that these employers are working with us in planning for the long-term, investing in their wider supply chains and supporting their local economy.”

In April the National Apprenticeship Service was launched to deliver and fund apprenticeship places across England and its main aim will be to make it as easy as possible for employers to take on apprentices, and provide support and help to both the employer and learner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building Engineering Services Training (BEST) has been selected as one of only two national training providers to share in £11m of new funding to create new apprenticeship places. This was announced on 14 May by Skills Secretary John Denham and Schools Secretary Ed Balls as part of a new approach to help employers train the skilled workers of the future.

Under the Apprenticeship Expansion Programme BEST are able to provide additional funding to support employers through the first year of an apprentice placement, that otherwise might face affordability constraints.

The scheme will result in a further 200 apprenticeships over and above those already placed for M&E disciplines delivered through BEST benefiting smaller companies in the supply chain.

Funding has been allocated to those businesses that already have a track record of offering high quality apprenticeships which have met the Governments stringent criteria to ensure the additional apprenticeship places created are of an excellent standard. BEST are one of 16 successful companies alongside household names such as Ford Motor Company, BMW, Unilever and Jaguar Land Rover

 Dr Mark Brenner, CEO for BEST said:

“This is a fantastic endorsement and recognition of the opportunities within our sector and its importance to the growing skills landscape. We are receiving a very positive response to this scheme from employers and I would urge all employers to seriously consider the benefits of taking on an apprentice.  

“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 whilst providing the skills for future growth and in preparation for the upturn in the current economy.

“Under the ‘Skills Pay’ campaign BEST are able to demonstrate real commercial returns on even short term investment in training within the M&E sector. This additional funding makes the argument even more compelling.

The move will help deliver on the Government’s recent commitment to fund an extra 35,000 apprenticeship places across the public and private sectors, backed by an additional £140 million of funding.

Skills Secretary John Denham said:

“In these tough times we are determined to do all we can to support business to prepare for the upturn and continue to invest in improving the skills of the nation’s workforce.

“Today’s announcement shows our commitment to strengthening the workforce and making more apprenticeship places available to young people and adults. The businesses we have signed agreements with will be able to train more apprentices, thanks to the £11 million of funding, and will have a skilled workforce improving the strength of the sector as a whole.” 

Children’s Secretary Ed Balls said:

“We will not sit back during the current downturn or cut our investment when the priority is to build a talented, skilled and motivated workforce for the future.

“That’s why we are running a major campaign, fronted by Sir Alan Sugar, to increase the number of employers with apprentice places and are legislating to give a statutory entitlement to an apprenticeship to suitably qualified young people and adults.

“It is fantastic that these employers are working with us in planning for the long-term, investing in their wider supply chains and supporting their local economy.”

In April the National Apprenticeship Service was launched to deliver and fund apprenticeship places across England and its main aim will be to make it as easy as possible for employers to take on apprentices, and provide support and help to both the employer and learner.