Safeguarding Standards in Construction Apprenticeships – Neil Collishaw, CEO

The construction and building services sectors are facing an unprecedented challenge. We need more skilled people entering our industry, and we need them quickly. But that urgency must never come at the expense of competence, safety or quality.

Recent discussions around reforming England’s apprenticeship system have created understandable concern across the sector. Employers, training providers and professional bodies share a simple principle: apprenticeships must remain a gold-standard route into our industry, not a shortcut.

At BPEC, we believe apprenticeships must continue to provide meaningful, high-quality training that produces confident, capable tradespeople who are ready for the real world. That means ensuring training programmes are long enough to build genuine experience, and assessment models are robust enough to confirm that all core competencies have been achieved.

Construction is a safety-critical industry. Whether installing water systems, electrical equipment or structural components, competence is not optional… it is fundamental. Our future workforce will be responsible for compliance, public safety and the reputation of our sector for decades to come. Their training must reflect that responsibility.

We are not opposed to reform. Improvement and evolution are necessary if apprenticeships are to remain relevant and effective. But reform must be built on consultation, evidence and sector-led design and not pace alone. The construction industry is diverse and complex. A single approach will not work equally across all trades, roles and occupations.

Any changes to the apprenticeship model must therefore:

• Protect the integrity and recognition of apprenticeships
• Preserve rigorous and consistent assessment of occupational competence
• Ensure apprentices receive sufficient time and breadth of training
• Reflect the reality of site-based, safety-critical work
• Be developed in collaboration with employers and industry experts

We strongly support a workforce strategy that grows numbers without diluting quality. These goals are not mutually exclusive but they must be balanced correctly.

BPEC has always championed high standards, professional credibility and practical competence. We work across industry to ensure learners, employers and training providers are supported by systems that build confidence, not uncertainty.

Our sector stands ready to engage positively and constructively with government and stakeholders to ensure the future of apprenticeships is one of strength, trust and long-term value.

Our message is simple: The right reform, delivered the right way, will strengthen our industry. The wrong reform risks weakening it for generations.

Let’s get it right.

Neil Collishaw Chief Executive Officer BPEC