The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week by recognising the vital role apprentices play in building and maintaining a high‑quality construction workforce. With small, local builders training most apprentices, the FMB is urging the Government to deliver a skills and training system that genuinely works for SME employers and supports a competent, modern workforce equipped for core construction, green skills, and retrofit.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, commented:
“National Apprenticeship Week is a chance to celebrate the apprentices beginning rewarding careers in construction, and the small builders who invest time and money to train them. But while our members remain committed to developing talent, the wider skills system continues to fall short. Small builders need a long‑term plan they can trust, not a patchwork of short‑term schemes that change year after year.”
Berry continued:
“The UK is currently experiencing a skills crisis, and we need to do more to get young people into the building industry. But this is not just about filling vacancies. It’s about quality, safety, and supporting good local jobs right across the UK. If we want a skilled and competent workforce capable of delivering safe, high‑quality homes now and in the future, we must fix the construction skills system. That means clear competence standards for modern and green construction, properly funded apprenticeships that reflect real SME work, and targeted support for the small firms who take on apprentices.”