HPM
NEWS
DESK Altecnic’s managing director, Alan Sherwin (left), is
retiring after 18 years with the plumbing and heating
products and systems specialist and handing over the
role to Gary Perry.
LEVY NOT TO BLAME FOR FALLING
APPRENTICESHIPS NUMBERS ADEY COMPLETES
TEETHING PROBLEMS WITH
THE APPRENTICESHIP LEVY
are not the main reason for
disappointing apprenticeship
numbers, according to the
Building Engineering Services
Association (BESA).
A 25% fall in apprenticeship
starts this year is a bitter blow
to the government’s plans
for creating three million
new apprentices by 2020 and
led to heavy criticism of the
Apprenticeship Levy.
The Department for Education
(DfE) revealed that new
apprenticeships had dropped
to 194,100 in the fi rst half of the
current academic year, but said
the success of its strategy could
not be properly judged until the
full year’s fi gures are released
in November.
Business leaders were
scathing and the Confederation
of British Industry called for
the Apprenticeship Levy to
be scrapped. Many small and
medium enterprises (SMEs) said
they were struggling to access
the funding and that much of the
training on offer by the 2,500
recognised providers was not fi t
for purpose.
BESA, however, believes the
government is, more or less, on
the right track.
“The fi gures are
disappointing, but
apprenticeships
are going
through a time of
unprecedented
change,” said
president, Tim
Hopkinson.
“It is not just
the Levy itself
that is at fault.
Employers
are fi nding
the changes
challenging
and too many
training
providers
still deliver courses that
are simply not relevant to the
modern workplace.
“SMEs, in particular, are
just starting to get their heads
around how the funding from
the Levy works – and the
impact of larger employers
passing on a share of their
funds to supply chain partners
has not kicked in yet. That could
be a game-changer.”
Director of BESA Training,
Tony Howard, appealed to
the DfE to make the system
more fl exible by increasing
funding to those training
providers able to deliver
specifi c courses for the
industries in most need.
“Currently, employers
are restricted to a relatively
The Apprenticeship Levy needs time,
but it will work, according to BESA
small number of large
organisations able to provide
non-levy funded apprentice
training on programmes that
employers evidently don’t want
– and many of those do not
cater for specialised industries
like building engineering
services,” he said.
“Employers are frustrated by
this, but we are still dealing with
a record number of enquiries
from companies of all sizes
wanting apprentices.
“Numbers are still too low,
but that’s because of the lack of
funding for SMEs.
“Employers can see the
potential in the new training
approach so, given time, the
situation will improve.”
HAT
TRICK OF
QUEEN’S AWARDS
ADEY HAS BEEN AWARDED
a third Queen’s Award for its
pioneering work in maintaining
and protecting central heating
systems in the UK and around
the world.
The latest, the Queen’s
Award for Enterprise in
International Trade, celebrates
ADEY’s outstanding growth in
overseas markets.
Since pioneering magnetic
fi ltration technology in the UK
more than a decade ago, ADEY
has built upon its home-grown
success over the past four
years and now trades in 19
European countries, as well
as in China, the United States,
Australia and New Zealand.
Edward Davies, chief
operating offi cer, said: “We’re
incredibly proud as this is
the UK’s highest accolade for
business success and the third
of its kind for ADEY.
“Damage caused by
corrosion in heating systems
isn’t unique to the UK.
“This Queen’s Award is
testament to ADEY’s efforts
in spreading the message and
providing a solution for an
issue that’s causing a headache
for heating installers all around
the world.”
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