The BiKBBI yesterday announced the launch of The KBB Fitted Interiors Apprenticeship programme. The programme is billed to provide hundreds of youngsters with career opportunities within the KBB installation sector, tackling immediate worker shortages and longer-term skills gap challenges.
With demand for installation higher than ever, the new BiKBBI support package offers installation businesses a fast track to the workers they need for their businesses to continue to deliver and grow.
Damian Walters, Chief Executive of BiKBBI, said: “This is a real game changer for our industry and it’s going to make a real difference for hundreds of installation businesses. In the last couple of years we’ve had over 700 of our members get in touch to express an interest in taking on an apprentice, but until now many have found it difficult to deal with the cost and bureaucracy of doing so.
That’s why we’ve worked so hard to put this package of support together. It means that for the first time, installers of all sizes can afford to take on an apprentice and grow their businesses, without the complication sometimes associated with apprenticeships.”
The apprenticeship support package is backed by a nationwide network of colleges and training providers that BIKBBI has audited. These training providers have been awarded BiKBBI Centre of Excellence status in recognition of the high standards they deliver.
The launch of the apprenticeship package follows stark evidence of the dire need to bring new recruits into the KBB industry, with a recent BiKBBI survey revealing that a third of sole trader installers plan on retiring from the industry within the next ten years and less than 10% of employers believe there is a good supply of qualified installers.
BIKBBI is now set to begin a nationwide programme of outreach in schools and communities across the UK to promote the apprenticeship and the opportunities that a career in KBB installation offers young people.
Backed by a three-year funding pledge from Quooker, BIKBBI expects this to lead to over 500 new apprentices per year entering our industry.
BIKBBI is also in discussions with a number of charities and community groups to develop recruitment campaigns within underrepresented communities, helping to ensure that the people from all backgrounds take up the opportunities of a KBB installation apprenticeship.
Damian Walters added: “All of the pieces are in place to provide youngsters a route into our industry, our job now is to help them recognise the opportunity that’s on offer. We’re going to spread the word of how a career in KBB installation offers young people from all backgrounds a way to quickly make a very good living in a trade that’s constantly in demand.”
Installation businesses that would like to take up the offer of a BIKBBI backed apprentice can register at: https://www.bikbbi.org.uk/apprenticeships/
