INDUSTRY NEWS
GFTS shares knowledge of apprenticeships with Building Our Skills
Addressing the industry ’ s skills gap has always been one of the core objectives of Building Our Skills - Making Fenestration , Glass and Glazing a Career of Choice . The campaign acknowledges the role of apprenticeships in helping to realise this objective , and a partnership forged with Glass & Fenestration Training Solutions ( GFTS ) is having a positive impact in this area . GFTS forms part of BOS ’ s national network of practical training centres and is one of its academy sites .
Nevertheless , Building Our Skills and GFTS recognise that there are many employers who may not feel confident about whether to or how to take on apprentices . To shed some light on the matter and to garner more support for apprenticeship uptake , BOS has undertaken an interview with Samantha Tinker , GFTS ’ s director of business & quality .
BOS : Why are apprenticeships important ?
GFTS : For many employers , taking on apprentices is their only way of bringing new blood into the industry . Many employers recognise that they have an ageing workforce and would like to future-proof their business by bringing in young people . Good succession-planning means recruiting and training up employees . It ’ s a sensible long-term strategy . For apprentices themselves , the benefits are manifold : they get to earn while they learn ; they work to a formalised standard ; they work with experienced mentors , drawing on their vocational knowledge and experience ; and they achieve a recognised qualification . This approach is great for those people who do not wish to go down the academic route . It ’ s a win-win for both employers and staff alike .
BOS : What about funding ?
GFTS : The Education & Skills Funding Agency subsidises training costs for apprenticeships through training providers such as GFTS by up to 100 % of the cost for 16-18yr olds and 95 % for 19 + age group candidates . There are two routes to payment . Companies with a wage bill in excess of £ 3m pay into the Apprenticeship Levy to cover the costs of training their apprentices , while smaller employers , not paying the Levy , pay a maximum of 5 % contribution , and the rest is covered by the government . In some instances , and depending on eligibility , there may also be grants available to employers who take on apprentices in the 16-18yr old age bracket . Many small companies are not aware of this financial support , and they might like to talk to us about it . We also provide support in many other ways to employers who are new to taking apprentices on in their business . For example , we arrange for our Employer Engagement Officer to work with employers directly and make sure everything runs smoothly as we guide companies through the various procedures , explaining and helping to gain access to funding . We deal with a lot of very small companies as well as larger ones , and we find that many businesses are unaware of the government assistance they can call on , the funding they can secure , along with support and options there may be for their existing staff too . It ’ s our role to help them navigate the various processes easily . They really don ’ t have to try to tackle everything themselves .
BOS : What does the future hold for apprenticeships in this industry ?
GFTS : Currently , there are too few apprenticeship standards available in the fenestration industry . Employers can only choose from Level 2 Fenestration Installation , Level 2 Fenestration Fabrication and Level 3 Curtain Wall Installation . It ’ s our view , here at GFTS , that we need more apprenticeship standards specific to the different skills sets in this industry . For example , a surveying apprenticeship tailored to the fenestration industry would be a good addition , as would one for glazing and glass processing . There are so many roles that learners can
move into . Fabricating and installing are only two aspects of an industry which offers a huge breadth of career paths , and the range of apprenticeship standards should reflect that . The existing apprenticeship standards are currently under review too , and hopefully they will be adapted to encourage more uptake . The industry as a whole and employers in the glass processing and glazing sectors , are urgently needed to support the trailblazer groups , designing a broader range of standards that are more suitable for a greater number of employers and learners .
BOS : What is your final message for employers ?
GFTS : Be confident . Don ’ t feel that taking on an apprentice is an onerous task . We ’ re here to guide employers all the way . They can lean on us for support and thereby do their bit to help tackle the skills gap whilst at the same time future-proofing their business . In addition , if employers or employees would like to talk to us about practical training in order to gain other valuable fenestration-specific qualifications they are of course welcome to do so . We are very strong supporters of qualifications as a means of helping to drive up standards in the industry and ensuring that businesses can offer defined career paths . All practical training content is formally GQA accredited , giving learners a skills card to carry with them to show their achievements and , where needed , CSCS cards too for commercial sites .
More information on Building Our Skills - Making Fenestration , Glass and Glazing a Career of Choice - is available at buildingourskills . co . uk
Find out more about GFTS at gftsltd . co . uk
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM JANUARY 2023
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