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More than 20 representatives of construction industry organisations have signed an open letter to the prime minister Keir Starmer calling on him to rethink the government plans to reform apprenticeships.

The letter warns that a recent announcement from Skills England that apprenticeship reforms are set to reduce the apprenticeship requirements it will result in “severely weakening the pathway to required training”.

It says: “These proposed government led changes, we believe, will spell disaster for the construction industry and undermine the government’s ambition to generate economic growth.”

The coalition – led by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) – argues that proposals from Skills England, including reducing apprenticeship duration to just eight months and introducing “sampling” assessments rather than full competency checks, will create a fast-track system that prioritises cost-saving over capability.

With an estimated 250,000 additional workers required to meet the government’s house-building targets, the signatories warn that construction employers will no longer trust apprenticeships under the proposed system, putting both workforce growth and building safety at risk.

Helen Hewitt, chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation, who is lead signatory to the letter, said: “The government’s proposed apprenticeship reforms risk dismantling the foundations of competence and safety in our industry. By shortening the duration of apprenticeships and replacing rigorous, impartial assessments with lighter-touch alternatives, these changes threaten to dilute skills, undermine confidence and create dangerous inconsistencies across the construction sector.

“At a time when the country urgently needs more skilled workers to meet housing and infrastructure demands, cutting corners on training is a short-sighted and dangerous path. We strongly urge Skills England and the Government to listen to employers, training providers and industry bodies before it’s too late.

“Should these changes go through, all apprenticeships delivered in England will be impacted meaning other industry sectors should also be taking keen interest in the progress of these reforms.”

The letter also warns that the reforms conflict with the Building Safety Act and Dame Judith Hackitt’s recommendations on competence-led training.

It says that a shift to government-driven assessment plans threatens to displace industry-led standards that employers currently trust. It could even invalidate CSCS cards and spark a ‘race to the bottom’ by assessment providers competing to offer the fastest route to completion.

Signatories

• Helen Hewitt – chief executive, British Woodworking Federation
• Pete Clark – chief executive, Association of Fencing Industries
• Ken Price – managing director, Automatic Door Suppliers Association
• Wendy Belfield – BEMS Controls Engineer Trailblazer chair and member of the Industry Competence Committee
• Mark Toye – chair, British Drilling Association
• Tom Bowtell – chief executive, British Coating Federation
• Damian Walters – chief executive, British Institute of Fitted Interiors Specialists
• Jill Nicholls – director of competence & compliance, Building Engineering Services Association
• Catherine Walker – executive officer, Building Controls Industry Association
• Steven Mullholland – chief executive, Construction Plant-hire Association
• Richard Catt – chief executive, Contract Flooring Association
• Mike Smith – director of technical and SH&E, Electrical Contractors Association
• Brian Berry – chief executive, Federation of Master Builders
• Ciaran Jennings – secretary, Federation of Piling Specialists
• Iain McIlwee – chief executive, Finishes and Interior Sector
• Jay Parmar – chief executive, Joint Industry Board
• Clive Dickin – chief executive, National Access and Scaffolding Confederation & Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme
• Neil Ogilvie – chief executive, Painting & Decorating Association
• Jason Phillip Jermany – sector skills manager, Road Safety Markings Association
• Andrew Orriss – chief executive, Structural Timber Association
• Marion Marsland – chief executive, Thermal Insulation Contractors Association
• Caroline Sudworth – director, Technical Apprenticeship Consortium (TAC)
• Jason Poulter – national officer (construction), Unite the Union.

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