Skills secretary outlines to TUC latest scheme to match apprentices with employers

The government is establishing a "clearing house" in partnership with training body ConstructionSkills that will help match apprentices who are at risk of redundancy because of the poor market conditions with employers to complete their training.

Speaking at the TUC yesterday, skills secretary John Denham said: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to lose young, skilled trainees from the industry [鈥 In the past construction has been kept afloat by the uncertain and fluctuating pool of migrant labour.鈥�

The minister reiterated the pledge to create 42,000 new apprenticeships in construction by 2012, saying that these would provide 鈥減roper training, in real jobs.鈥�

He also said that the minimum weekly pay for apprentices would increase from 拢80 to 拢95.