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Former-apprentice turned entrepreneur, Mullins, managing director of Pimlico Plumbers, has pledged to take on 20 new apprentices tomorrow if support in the form of an incentive scheme were introduced for businesses.
David Willetts MP, Shadow Minister for Universities and Skills, recently paid a visit to the firm's depot in Lambeth, where he attacked the Government’s ‘gimmicky’ approach to apprenticeships, while getting some hands-on experience with apprentices at the UK’s largest independent plumbing firm.
Mr Willetts rolled up his sleeves to work alongside five male and one female apprentice, before hearing from the budding plumbers about their experiences of apprenticeships and expectations for the future.
Latest official figures show the number of new apprenticeship starts is now 36% lower than in the same quarter last year and opportunities for young people in the UK remain bleak.
The number of young people currently not in education, employment or training has passed one million and young people aged under 25 who are long-term unemployed has grown by 66% over the last year, with predictions this may triple by 2011.
A Government campaign on apprenticeships, launched in January and fronted by Sir Alan Sugar, was reported to have cost £2.8 million. However, it was shown to have helped just 25 young people each week, with apprenticeship vacancies taking up to four months to be filled and failing to prevent the number of new apprenticeships falling by more than 20,000 in the last year.
Mr Willetts said: “Our young people now face a dire future and rather than wasting time on gimmicks, ministers must make it easier for businesses to run apprenticeship schemes. We want to focus on those young people who are losing out and ensure new opportunities are there for all those aged under 25 who need support.
“We propose refocusing much of the Train to Gain budget on apprenticeships and our ‘Get Britain Working’ programme, includes 300,000 new apprenticeship, training and FE colleges places over the next two years.”
Managing director of Pimlico Plumbers, Charlie Mullins: “Earlier this year we challenged the Government to prove its commitment to apprentices by spending time in the real world with real apprentices. But they refused. In contrast, David Willetts was quick to respond and has been more than keen to get involved.
“The Government needs to act. Apprenticeships are the lifeblood of industry and we currently face a skills shortage time bomb. We would employ more apprentices tomorrow, even in the current economic climate, if the Government supported our business by backing a scaled incentive scheme for businesses.
“We need real action and we need it now. This is not a political issue, it is vital for the future of our economy and our workforce.
Mullins himself completed a four year apprenticeship before going on to launch Pimlico Plumbers in 1979. The firm now employs over 150 professional plumbers and a support team of over 40 staff from its base in Lambeth, South London.
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