One in three employers plan to stop recruiting: research reveals

Warning comes as England launches major new apprenticeship funding package, raising fears Scotland may fall further behind on support for employers and young people

Scotland is facing a significant decline in apprenticeship recruitment as a new report from the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) reveals that one in three plumbing and heating employers do not intend to recruit an apprentice over the next three years.

The projected decline marks a clear break from historic recruitment patterns. It raises serious concerns about whether Scotland will have the skilled workforce required to meet future public safety and decarbonisation demands.

The findings, published in SNIPEF’s new Apprenticeships Under Pressure report, draw on the views of employers across Scotland’s plumbing and heating profession and show that while employers remain committed to high training standards, rising costs and financial pressures are making apprenticeship recruitment increasingly unaffordable.

The top barriers identified are limited funding support (67%), high wage costs (65%), and the cost of workplace supervision (47%).

Employers are also clear about where the problem lies. More than three-quarters (77%) rate current Scottish Government support as poor or inadequate, and almost all (93%) say increased funding is the single change needed to make recruitment viable.

A majority (62%) also believe costs should be shared equally between employers and government, reflecting the balance that previously helped sustain training across the profession.