Saying it has been a tough year is becoming a bit of cliché these days, but it shouldn’t distract us from the fact that these last 12 months have been very hard for the labour market. Young people aged 16 to 24 who are seeking to build better lives for themselves though work have been hit particularly hard.
While unemployment has risen across all age groups since the beginning of the pandemic, youth unemployment rose faster between spring and autumn 2020 than at any point since the financial crisis. 16-24-year-olds represent 57 per cent of the fall in employment that has occurred over the past year, and this was reflected with 12 of our own apprentices who were displaced during that time.
However, there is opportunity and hope out there in the employability sector and EN:Able Futures has had great success in helping young people attain their dreams of successful careers over the past eight years.
As lockdown eases, so too will some of the pressures faced by businesses who have had to make cutbacks and we are hopeful that more companies will recognise the benefits of supporting apprenticeships in construction, housing and civil engineering, and we are here to support those businesses!
The main purpose of EN:Able Futures is to take the pressure off companies who want to take on apprentices. By taking on all the responsibility of recruiting, training, paying, and supporting apprentices, we make it easy for businesses to begin building their future workforce.
What makes our Shared Apprenticeship Service so successful is our expertise around employment support that goes far beyond simply finding people a job or filling a vacancy, we pride ourselves on also facilitating the conditions that allow individuals to thrive in their new roles.
Our Development Coaches work with each individual apprentice on a one-to-one basis to make sure any issues they may face are tackled effectively, whether it is encouragement in the work-place, help to understand their academic requirements or support around a more personal need.
Julie Deeley, Director of Operations at EN:Able Futures – “Our distinctive model supports all businesses but can offer those who cannot see a pipeline of work to fully support the duration of an apprenticeship, a chance to build back their business with an apprentice for shorter periods of time as their workload dictates.
“It’s our high-quality employment support and a strong desire for each apprentice’s success, that has driven us for the past eight years, and is the reason why 98% of our apprentices who complete their training go onto full-time employment or other higher education.”
Minister for Employment Mims Davies MP - “As we progress along the roadmap to recovery and key sectors of the economy reopen, the employability sector is playing a vital role in matching those looking for work with the increasing number of vacancies out there and helping people to progress.
“This Employability Day, I’d encourage everyone to explore the plethora of opportunities available in the sector itself, and help us level up opportunity across the country as we push to build back better.”
As the nature of the future employment market evolves in the post-pandemic world it’s important to recognise the positive impact that employability support provides in creating employees who have the confidence, experience and qualifications that our UK construction sector needs now more than ever.
