The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) has urged all businesses employing FM staff to lobby for changes to the Apprenticeship Levy, after it was revealed that allocated funding is insufficient to deliver degree-level apprenticeships in FM.
BIFM has been working with employers and academic institutions, including the Sheffield Hallam University, to develop standards to underpin apprenticeship programmes which could be funded through levy payments. However, the sector’s ability to implement these standards through the levy was thrown into doubt last week, after the Institute for Apprenticeships (IFA) recommended a maximum funding band that would only provide partial funding for the programmes.
The Apprenticeship Levy is paid by businesses with a wage bill of more than £3 million, with businesses then accessing funds from the levy pot to deliver training. This new ruling means that many businesses will have to disappoint potential trainees and face a widening skills gap because they cannot afford to make substantial extra payments needed for schemes that meet the Apprenticeship Standards, on top of their existing levy contribution.
Citing frustration over a lack of transparency and failure to recognise the distinct skills required for facilities management, BIFM in agreement with a trailblazer group of leading sector employers, is set to appeal the funding recommendation. The organisation argues that the low funding allocation – currently £18,000 for a FM degree compared to £27,000 for a general management degree – is at odds with the £120billion contribution that the sector makes to the UK economy.
BIFM is calling on members to apply political pressure to secure a better result for the industry. The organisation has drawn up a toolkit to lobby Westminster MPs and the Chair of the Education Select Committee to ensure the Apprenticeships Standards for the sector secures appropriate funding levels.
