The UK Government has approved new higher quality bricklayer and plasterer apprenticeships, which were developed by a group of employers led by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said the new training initiative "have the potential to help solve the construction skills crisis".

"The bricklayer and plasterer apprenticeships were designed by employers which will ensure they produce the tradespeople they need," he said.

"The apprenticeships are longer in duration and cover a broader range of knowledge and hand-skills. This not only benefits the employers but also the apprentices who will be arming themselves with a wider range of skills for their future careers."

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Continuing, Mr Berry said over 70% of SMEs state they would be more likely to train an apprentice if the quality of apprenticeships improved.

"The construction industry is not meeting its apprenticeship targets currently and this uplift in quality will help encourage students, teachers and parents alike to properly consider a career in construction," he said.

"We're expecting up to 4,000 apprentices to enrol on the bricklayer apprenticeship every year and up to 1,500 apprentices to undertake plastering each year. These numbers are significant and as the reputation of these new standards grows, we hope to see the numbers increase. We are urging colleges across England to offer these new bricklayer and plasterer apprenticeships from September this year."

Skills Minister Anne Milton said: "I am delighted the new high quality apprenticeship standards have been approved. Designed by employers, the standards will give apprentices the skills that the construction sector needs. Construction is a growing and important sector and I have met young people as well as people changing careers going into this industry. I am delighted that the quality these apprenticeship standards bring will be embedded in our construction sector."

(LM/MH)