Conservatives also unveil 30 more towns in line for levelling up cash as main parties continue election campaigning
Construction firms would have more flexibility on how to use apprenticeship funds under a Labour government if the party wins the 4 July election.
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said companies could use up to half of the cash provided by government to train existing staff in 鈥渉igh level technical skills鈥� such as retrofitting or engineering.
They could also offer 鈥減re-apprenticeship training鈥� courses to prepare people for full apprenticeships or jobs.
Firms are currently handed funds for apprenticeships raised through taxes and a levy paid by businesses with an annual wage bill of more than 拢3m.
At least half of this money would still be reserved for apprenticeships under Labour鈥檚 plans for the new 鈥済rowth and skills levy鈥�.
>> See also: 鈥業鈥檇 recommend it to anyone鈥�: views on why an apprenticeship is better than university
>> General election 2024: who will get your vote?
The party said any courses offered would need to be from an approved list of skills and not on internal training such as HR or health and safety.
Phillipson said Labour will 鈥減ut businesses in the driving seat of creating the opportunities people need to get on in work鈥�.
But the Conservatives, which last week outlined plans to fund more apprenticeships by scrapping 鈥減oor quality鈥� university courses, said Labour鈥檚 proposal was 鈥渋ll thought through鈥�.
Labour has also pledged to clamp down on net migration by reducing the need of UK businesses to hire overseas workers.
The party said over the weekend it would pass a new law to force different parts of the government to draw up skills improvement plans in high-migration sectors, including construction.
>> See also: Election focus 2024: policy tracker
Labour would also lengthen how long firms can be banned from hiring foreign workers if they breach employment law, such as by paying below the minimum wage.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives have unveiled 30 new towns set to receive 拢20m each in levelling up cash over the next 10 years.
The towns, mainly based in the Midlands and the North, are the latest tranche of a 拢1bn levelling up programme announced by Rishi Sunak in September last year.
They include Tamworth, Preston, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Corby, Halifax, Bognor Regis, Newtown, Flint, Perth and Newry.
The Conservatives said local people in each town would decide how the money is spent through new town boards composed of community leaders, business people, councils and the local MP.
Election focus
With the UK set for a general election on 4 July, the country is facing some serious problems.
Low growth, flatlining productivity, question marks over net zero funding and capability, skills shortages and a worsening housing crisis all amount to a daunting in-tray for the next government.
This year鈥檚 general election therefore has very high stakes for the built environment and the economy as a whole. For this reason,
黑洞社区鈥檚 election coverage aims to help the industry understand the issues and amplify construction鈥檚 voice so that the parties hears it loud and clear.
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