Apprenticeships axed as housing crisis bites

Housebuilders are slashing apprenticeships in the face of plummeting house sales.

Persimmon is to axe “a number” of apprentices as part of planned cull of around 1,000 jobs at the firm.

Last year Persimmon hired 40 new apprentices. This year it will take none. Persimmon director Richard Latham said the news was “disappointing”. He added: “Although we do not know at this stage exactly how many will be affected, we will be providing support during this difficult time for everyone involved.”

Barratt Developments, which plans to axe 1,000 staff, said it will not take on any new apprentices this September. As CJ went to press it was not clear if any Barratt apprentices will be made redundant. Last year the company took on 180 new apprentices and has a total of 400 on its books.

Kier Residential is also cutting its apprenticeships. After taking on 18 new apprentices last year, the firm said it is “unlikely” to take on any new apprentices this year.

Crest Nicholson is also shelving its apprenticeship scheme. In 2007 the firm took on eight apprentices, but will take none this year.

Lovell Homes is scaling down its apprenticeship intake this year from 35 in September 2007, to 25 this September. Training manager Bruce Boughton told CJ: “We are tailing back, but not as much as others as only a quarter of our business is in private sales.”