CONSTRUCTING VALUE IN APPRENTICESHIPS
Since 2010, it is estimated that the number of young people engaged in apprenticeships is two million. An invaluable asset to the workforce, particularly in industries with a high degree of practical application, apprenticeships are paramount in the ongoing fiscal and reputational success of employers. As a mark of their importance, the UK celebrated National Apprenticeship Week from 6 – 10 March. This coincides with campaigns to highlight the value of apprenticeships to funding bodies, as well as the wider public.
For the construction industry in particular, conveying the value of apprentice work is necessary to secure future funding in the face of changes to government policy. A new B2B campaign, released by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and developed by London-based brand and communications consultancy, Designhouse, communicates the value of apprentices in the construction sector in a light-hearted yet impactful way.
To ease tensions and communicate potential impacts of the levy on its sector, the CITB is consulting all employers, regardless of size, on for a reduced levy payment. Designhouse’s B2B campaign communicates this information to construction stakeholders in a clear and engaging way. A short film created by the agency ends on a call to action, encouraging participants to contribute feedback on the CITB’s proposal.
Usability and accessibility was also an important consideration for the CITB, which is touring England and Wales with changes and suggestions for the levy. To assist with CITB’s message distribution, Designhouse developed a marketing suite comprised of mailers, online and print advertising and portable exhibition materials, as well as a version of its campaign in Welsh, to encourage participants of every need.
Gareth Evans, communications consultant for CITB, says, “The team at Designhouse has condensed a huge amount of information around the new Levy proposals and identified the essential messages to deliver to employers. The materials they have produced are engaging and well-designed B2B communications tools that will help us to engage with as many employers as possible so they can share their views on our Levy proposals.”
During the 2015/16 period, around 25,000 people started a construction apprenticeship across England, Scotland and Wales, a 25% increase in the past two years. The highest figure since the present way of recording apprenticeships began in 2003, the value of the apprentice system on the construction industry is clear. For the sector’s assorted stakeholders, communicating the complex levy message in a straightforward way should encourage ongoing participation in an important decision of the future.
