The campaign to solve the industry’s skills crisis by building a sustainable workforce has been given a major boost.
As reported by the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI), the level 2 Fitted Interiors Installer Apprenticeship has been approved to have its own standard by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).
IfATE has advised that the Fitted Interiors Installer apprenticeship will be approved for delivery imminently, ahead of over 100 apprenticeship standard revisions which are currently being fast-tracked through internal processes, many of which within the construction and built environment team.
In a statement, the BiKBBI said this is a significant development and indicates an important juncture in the process of building a sustainable workforce – not just for the installation sector, but the whole KBB industry – as KBB installation career opportunities become instantly more visible to education leavers and those considering a career change.
It is thought that this could also create opportunities for the industry to develop other apprenticeships within the standard to meet the needs of the sector, such as specialist pathways in kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom installation, as well as other disciplines including surveying, fabrication and site management.
Commenting on the developments Damian Walters, CEO of BiKBBI said: “This is a game-changer for our industry, and we should all be very excited about the opportunities that now exist as a result of having a standalone apprenticeship standard for fitted interiors. It has been a long and arduous process to get the standard approved, and a huge amount of credit must be given to Lisa Williamson and her team at Achieve + Partners, who have been instrumental in driving this through. The possibilities for attracting new talent to our sector and addressing the skills shortage across the KBB industry are, quite literally, endless as a result of this achievement.”
Lisa Williamson, director at industry assessment provider Achieve and Partners said: “We are delighted that we now have the standalone apprenticeship available, giving the KBB industry the recognition it rightly deserves. I would also like to thank the KBB industry for their continued support through the extended development process. We look forwards to working with the KBB industry and training provider network to offer apprenticeships and help build a skilled workforce.”