AUDIO NEWS: CITB committee member quits over cuts and plumbers say apprentice paperwork is too much

Mike Wharton quits CITB funding committee over recent cuts, nearly four out of ten plumbers complain apprentice system is burdensome and tradesman steps up to clean remembrance day mural

A committee member from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has quit over its most recent round of training cuts.

Mike Wharton, CEO of Complete Roofing Systems said he “in all good conscience” could no longer remain on the CITB’s funding committee, after the latest round of cuts would “undoubtedly…increase the skills gap, rather than decrease it.”

The CITB said the changes were necessary due to a 36% increase in demand for its services over the last four years, while levy income has remained flat.

---

Nearly four out of ten small trade businesses claim the paperwork involved with finding and hiring an apprentice is too “burdensome”— that’s according to a report from Trustmark.

Nearly a third of firms also complained about inadequate support from training providers.

Commenting on the research, John Hancock chief operating officer at Wolseley Group said that “the real barriers” to hiring an apprentice were time, paperwork and an overly complex system.

---

A Telford tradesman has cleaned up a remembrance day mural after it was vandalised for a second time.

The mural created by local artist Neil Wallis at a bus stop in Leegomery had already been defaced and repaired in November.

After vandals struck again last weekend, professional cleaner Luke Harris, stepped up to restore the mural.

---
To listen to the construction news please click below.