''Lack of apprenticeships'' stifles building trade

Too few young people in the UK are training in the trades and this may mean a serious skills shortage in the building industry, according to property experts in Norwich.

The Norwich Evening News has spoken to Bill Hannant, a local builder for WW Builders in the town.

He says that there is definitely a shortage of skilled labour entering the trade and he puts the blame solidly on a lack of decent apprenticeships which fail to attract talented young people.

Mr Hannah told the paper: "I can always get labourers and there is no shortage of unskilled labour, the difficulty is to get people who are skilled.

"The trouble is an apprentice learns their trade and then leaves to work as a sub-contractor."

As a result the paper claims that only half of the planned 7,500 affordable homes which the county council pledges are actually built each year.

Councillors also blame a lack of suitable and affordable land.


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