Checkatrade launches exclusive offer to tackle tool theft
Posted: Friday, February 21st, 2025
All new traders who sign up to Checkatrade from 21 Feb to 1 Mar will get up to £2,500 in annual tools and equipment insurance in partnership with Superscript
Paint specialists raise £20,000 to help ease homelessness in London
Posted: Friday, February 21st, 2025
Leyland and paint giant AkzoNobel pledged to donate £1 each for every tin of Dulux Trade or Dulux Heritage sold over two weeks in December
AUDIO NEWS: BiKBBI calls for more government action and electrician takes on world boxing champ
Posted: Thursday, February 20th, 2025
BiKBBI boss calls for more support for tradespeople to hire apprentices, sparkie flies to Saudi Arabia to fight world boxing champ and a joiner raises money for life changing treatment
The Skills Centre launches dry lining apprenticeships in London and Essex
Posted: Thursday, February 20th, 2025
The new interior systems and dry-lining apprenticeship will help bridge this gap by equipping learners with some essential skills to meet these targets
BESA assessor scheme to address ‘critical shortage’
Posted: Thursday, February 20th, 2025
The ‘BESA Skills Legacy’ programme will enlist the help of experienced industry members to help education providers deliver the courses needed to increase the number of qualified people entering the sector
Construction labour rates up 8.6% in past year
Posted: Wednesday, February 19th, 2025
Labour rates in construction continue to show strong annual growth despite the usual seasonal dip in January
Two plumbing firms’ pledge helps BMF exceed apprenticeship target
Posted: Wednesday, February 19th, 2025
The BMF (Builders Merchants Federation) has surpassed its Apprenticeship Pledge target with the commitment of two plumbing brands to create 1,200 new training opportunities
AUDIO NEWS: Tradeswoman has tools nicked after anti-tool theft rally and a wallpapering job for £14!
Posted: Wednesday, February 19th, 2025
An electrician has tools nicked weeks after attending London anti-tool theft rally, tradespeople urge government to invest in apprentices and DIYer discovers message in a bottle from 1970s painters!
Construction industry has one of the most extended payment times
Posted: Tuesday, February 18th, 2025
The FSB has described late payments as one of the “biggest problems” facing small businesses
Rossendale apprentice backs call for more to join 'high demand' industry
Posted: Tuesday, February 18th, 2025
Painting and decorating apprentice Holly Duffy is calling for more people to join the trade
AUDIO NEWS: New orders for private house building increases in Q4 and electrician heads to back to school
Posted: Tuesday, February 18th, 2025
New orders for private house building increases by 24% as developers green light projects, the construction industry has among the longest payment times and sparkie takes up teaching post
New towns are key to growth: NFB
Posted: Monday, February 17th, 2025
Over 100 sites across England have come forward to be considered for the next generation of new towns
New trades’ training hub approved in Lichfield
Posted: Monday, February 17th, 2025
CITB is investing £40 million alongside NHBC’s investment to establish up to 32 hubs by 2027
AUDIO NEWS: Apprentice numbers need to triple says CITB and earnings for tradespeople went up in January
Posted: Monday, February 17th, 2025
Apprentice numbers need to triple by 2028 to plug skills gap, government rolls out plan to increase energy efficiency in the private rental sector and earnings for self-employed tradespeople increases by 8.6%
CITB helps construction firms take up apprenticeship grants
Posted: Friday, February 14th, 2025
The body has supported over 24,000 learners and nearly 9,000 employers with apprenticeship grants from April to December 2024
Suspended sentence for roofer after man falls from scaffold
Posted: Friday, February 14th, 2025
A self-employed roofer has received a suspended prison sentence after a worker suffered serious injuries after falling from a scaffold in Devon
AUDIO NEWS: Apprenticeship figures fall for second year in a row and chippe gets tools nicked, after house burns down
Posted: Friday, February 14th, 2025
Construction apprenticeship figures fall for the second year in a row, building output grows by 0.5% in the last quarter and carpenter has van broken into and tools taken, a year after his house catches fire
Study reveals two-year decline in construction apprenticeships in the UK
Posted: Thursday, February 13th, 2025
Protrade estimates that 28,652 people are expected to join construction apprenticeships by 2030*
Most tradespeople say apprentices can solve skills crisis
Posted: Thursday, February 13th, 2025
New data shows that 50% of tradespeople said they find it challenging to hire an apprentice, and almost two-thirds (59%) felt that there was a need for better education around the benefits of apprenticeships
AUDIO NEWS: Electrical firms struggling to hire staff and tradesman wins fight with Transport for London
Posted: Thursday, February 13th, 2025
Over half of electrical businesses are struggling to find technical staff, tradesman wins £240 traffic dispute with Transport for London and Screwfix launches trade apprentice competition
Government slashes red tape to boost growth in apprenticeships
Posted: Wednesday, February 12th, 2025
Shorter and flexible training and new English and maths requirements to boost skills and support employers with 10,000 more apprenticeships
Volunteers transform Plumstead Common Working Men’s Club
Posted: Wednesday, February 12th, 2025
The project saw 27 young volunteers come together from local youth referral partners, including London South East College, Newhaven School, and Shooter Hills College
AUDIO NEWS: Government makes changes to apprenticeship rules and plumber finds £50,000 of Roman coins
Posted: Wednesday, February 12th, 2025
Government changes apprenticeship rules to attract more talent, Toolstation helps VIY to restore local working man's club and plumber finds £50,000 of ancient coins in field close to home
Gen Z buyers overspending on dodgy home renovations
Posted: Tuesday, February 11th, 2025
First-time homeowners fork out an additional £20,000 to fix errors, compared to £5,000 for over 60s across all the properties they owned
Classroom electrician courses waste of money: ECA
Posted: Tuesday, February 11th, 2025
Programmes advertised as fast-track routes to becoming an electrician could prevent budding professionals from progressing into the sector
AUDIO NEWS: 90% of PPE fails safety tests and Angela Rayner doubles down on housing target
Posted: Tuesday, February 11th, 2025
90% of PCC fails safety tests claims BSIF, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner doubles down on housing target and Yorkshire scaffolder plans 230 mile hike to raise money for men's mental health charity
AUDIO NEWS: Project starts increase by a nearly a third, and tradespeople call for tougher penalties for thieves
Posted: Monday, February 10th, 2025
Project starts on new housing jumps 31% in January, tradespeople call for tougher penalties for tool thieves and ToolStation introduces rapid delivery service to site
Joinery work experience programme launched in south-west Scotland
Posted: Monday, February 10th, 2025
Ayrshire College and South Ayrshire Council’s Property Maintenance department recently joined forces to launch a new joinery work experience programme
Ecological Building Systems releases new natural insulation
Posted: Monday, February 10th, 2025
Gramitherm is the first insulation to be produced from grass sourced from public parks and grass verges
BMF launches Building Material Careers campaign
Posted: Friday, February 7th, 2025
The 2025 campaign will connect with all target audiences, from school leavers and influencers to those with skills to bring from another sector
