Concerns have been raised over thousands of people undertaking 'dead-end' construction training courses.

A freedom of information request by union Unite revealed a 14% rise in the number of classroom-based construction courses last year, totalling 192,500 people. However, during the same period just 21,560 people began a construction apprenticeship.

Unite described these courses as 'dead-end' due to trainees not having access to on-site training, and only gaining a technical qualification.

The only qualification recognised in construction, the NVQ, can only be achieved with substantial site experience.

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Unite's acting general secretary, Gail Cartmail, said the organisation is calling for a refocus of how funding is invested in construction courses to ensure trainees gain all the qualification they need to enter the industry.

"These figures are truly shocking. For whatever reason we find ourselves in the terrible situation of increasingly offering young people a classroom construction course but also in effect denying them the chance to acquire the qualifications needed to enter the industry in a skilled role.

"Classroom based construction teaching has a vital role to play in the training of construction apprentices. What is urgently needed is a refocussing of resources to ensure that money is more effectively invested in boosting the number of genuine apprenticeships, so that a far higher number of young people can acquire the skills and qualifications to enter the industry.

"We need to build an effective alliance including: Unite, employers, FE colleges, apprentice providers and the government to boost apprenticeships and ensure young people are able to access meaningful courses."

(LM/MH)