Half of apprentices dumped by construction firms

GSXRCarlos

bluey890 wrote: »

It is easier to employ foreigners that already have the skills.

is that not a narrowminded and short sighted view?

Lotus-eater

GSXRCarlos wrote: »

is that not a narrowminded and short sighted view?

Yes but it's been going that way for quite some time, decades. The time has gone when big firms could afford to train up a whole load of apprentices and let them go to other local firms as soon as they had finished. I think that they thought of it as some kind of obligation.
IMO that started changing at the beginning of the 90's and has been getting worse ever since.
Almost no firms look long term today, they just can't afford to.

treliac

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Yes but it's been going that way for quite some time, decades. The time has gone when big firms could afford to train up a whole load of apprentices and let them go to other local firms as soon as they had finished. I think that they thought of it as some kind of obligation.
IMO that started changing at the beginning of the 90's and has been getting worse ever since.
Almost no firms look long term today, they just can't afford to.

The future of our young people looks increasingly grim then. We can't afford to train them for anything of potential use. Lots are being encouraged to take university degrees that will take them nowhere but heavily into debt.

What is our socio-economic landscape going to look like in 10 - 20 years?!

GSXRCarlos

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Yes but it's been going that way for quite some time, decades. The time has gone when big firms could afford to train up a whole load of apprentices and let them go to other local firms as soon as they had finished. I think that they thought of it as some kind of obligation.
IMO that started changing at the beginning of the 90's and has been getting worse ever since.
Almost no firms look long term today, they just can't afford to.

I have to say i'm impressed by your response, i was expecting a soap box moment, but you put it across well

bo_drinker

bluey890 wrote: »

It is easier to employ foreigners that already have the skills.

There are blokes out there who have the skills, British blokes. No need to employ Foreigners any more. People need to look after their own !!!!!!.

bo_drinker

coffee_prince wrote: »

What can be done, if there is a lesser demand then jobs have to be cut, same as any other industry. Sadly the least experienced are more disposable.

This is true but on the flip side there will be a skills shortage in the future, and people will whinge when they can't find a bricklayer or a plumber Everyone and their dog will have degrees and I T skills but they will be worthless.

bluey890

bo_drinker wrote: »

There are blokes out there who have the skills, British blokes. No need to employ Foreigners any more. People need to look after their own !!!!!!.

Viva has in the past sung the praises of using a foreign workforce. I was trying to subtly point out that this may have been a contributing factor to her nephews contract being terminated.

I think we need to invest in the young and help them to progress.

PasturesNew

I rather fancied being a tiler, until I thought it through a bit more and realised it would mean lugging heavy boxes of tiles about ... and I'm not any good at manual lifting.... I'm weak and pathetic ... and cannot coordinate properly when lifting (turns out it's a spot of dyspraxia, but I just always knew I couldn't carry more than 2 tiny things without dropping one).

But I do like the concept of tiling something 100% perfectly, so it looks glorious ... no bodgy bits.

leveller2911

You only have to look at the build quality of houses, its dropped worryingly in the last 10-15yrs.If a site chippy can't use his nail gun on it, he cant do it.About 4 years ago a site local to me was crying out for skilled carpenters, 1st and second fix ,6 months later they had to take the roofs off 12 houses as they were put up wrong,trussed roofs require very little skill to put up and most site chippies cant "cut and pitch" a traditional roof,the skills are being lost.
I'm sure Thrifybabe will back me up on this, it amazes me how many joiners cant make boxframe windows and staircases.It seems like youngsters are brainwashed into thinking they have to go to university and get a degree in stupid subjects like "monkey psycology" ,its getting beyond belief now, the way things are going,in 15 years time Joiners will be on the same wage as a Solicitor or Barrister..........well I can hope can't I?:D.........Oh and by the way 1-2 yr courses are rubbish and not worth it, no employer takes them seriously.

vivatifosi

bluey890 wrote: »

Viva has in the past sung the praises of using a foreign workforce. I was trying to subtly point out that this may have been a contributing factor to her nephews contract being terminated.

I think we need to invest in the young and help them to progress.

Nephew wasn't replaced by a foreigner. Just got cut.

In terms of singing the praises of using a foreign workforce, I'm more meritocratic than that. I just believe in using the right person for the right job. If they happen to be from overseas, so be it, providing they are here legally and with a right to work.