Householders are more likely to hire builders who employ apprentices

According to new research from the Federation of Master Builders, consumers prefer to hire firms that train apprentices.

The research demonstrates that on the first day of National Apprenticeship Week in England, based on responses from 2,000 home owners across the UK, almost two thirds of home owners would have a more favourable image of a building firm knowing they train apprentices.

Half of home owners would be more likely to actually hire a building firm knowing they train apprentices, and half of home owners would be more likely to actually hire a building firm to a friend or family member based on the fact they train apprentices.

In addition, more than two in five would be more likely to recommend a building firm to a friend or family member based on the fact they train apprentices. Almost two thirds of home owners think that building firms should highlight the fact that they are training the next generation of tradespeople in their marketing material.

Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, Brian Berry, said the new research confirms that apprentices are good for your business, as training an apprentice helps firms to stand out from the crowd. Home owners aren’t just concerned about the craftsmanship of their builder, they want to know they are hiring a firm with strong values, he added.

Therefore, it makes sense that a business that invests in young people is seen in a better light. If the burgeoning skills crisis in the construction industry wasn’t enough to motivate those firms not already training to start doing so, hopefully this evidence will do the trick.

It is helpful to know that apprenticeship training can not only provide rewarding career opportunities for young people, but it can also help a firm’s bottom line.

With the introduction of the Government’s new Apprenticeship Levy on large firms, this year could see a big shift in terms of who is directly involved in apprenticeship training.

Two thirds of all apprentices in construction, are trained by SMEs and Berry hopes that the new levy will encourage the larger firms to also engage more readily in training the future workforce.

The research demonstrates the positive image that a real focus on quality training can bring to a company from a commercial perspective – no doubt this applies across the business community and not just in the construction sector.