44
JANUARY 2015 PRO INSTALLER
PRO RECRUITMENT
www.proinstaller.co.uk
Chancellor pledges to
cut apprentice NICs
Employers in construction will soon find it more
affordable to hire new apprentices, as a result of
plans set out in the Autumn Statement.
As part of his economic update at the end of last year,
Chancellor George Osborne
announced that from April
2016 onwards, employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will only apply
to the highest-paid apprentices under the age of 25.
“The priority now for industry and government is to make
apprenticeships simpler, ensure
providers respond to needs, and
create a simpler framework for
engaging with schools.”
All other apprentices below this
age will be exempt from employer NICs.
The latest reform follows the
Chancellor’s announcement last
year that NICs will not apply to
apprentices under the age of 21,
as of April 2015.
Further financial support is
also set to be offered to the
careers advice sector, in a bid to
help young people make more
informed decisions about their
future.
Commenting on the proposals, CITB chief executive Adrian
Belton said: “Today’s abolition
of National Insurance on apprenticeships and £20 million
investment for careers advice for
young people are a real boost for
employers looking to invest in
young people.
The Government set out more
details of its National Infrastructure Plan and a firmer commitment to a road building programme through the Highways
Agency.
A sum of £7 billion is due to be
spent on areas such as transport
infrastructure and super-fast
broadband, in an effort to help
northern regions compete more
effectively with London.
The Chancellor indicated that
he remains committed to the
idea of an ‘HS3’ high-speed rail
line, linking the North East with
cities in the North West. However, at this stage this remains
an ambition rather than a firm
commitment.
He also rubber-stamped national infrastructure plans announced
earlier this week, which will see
Infrastructure
commitments
a sum of £15 billion spent on
road construction schemes, and
another £2.3 billion allocated to
around 1,400 flood protection
projects.
In response, Mr Belton said:
“This week’s announcements
of future infrastructure projects
have given industry greater
clarity on a potential pipeline of
work.
“Industry and government can
now work together to create a
comprehensive plan to create
the skills that will deliver the
pipeline and ensure our workforce can take advantage of the
employment opportunities.”
He added: “We need an approach that offers compelling career routes and clear progression
routes across our workforce and
helps industry access and invest
in the widest possible talent
pool. But for employers looking
to plan ahead to invest in skills,
it is vital that the infrastructure
plan is delivered.”
Source: Construction Industry
Training Board; citb.co.uk
‘We need an approach that offers compelling
career routes and clear progression routes’
New Leader for SAS
Fenestration systems
designer and manufacturer, Senior Architectural Systems
has appointed Mark
Wadsworth as its new
managing director.
Mark replaces former
managing director, Lennart
Jonsson who founded the
company in 1991 as he
takes up his new role as
Chairman of the Board for
Senior Architectural Systems.
After joining the company in 1993, as a one-year
placement student, Mark
climbed through the ranks
to become operations director in 2007.
Mark has taken on increased responsibility and
this latest promotion recognises that he now runs the
operation on a daily basis.
Mark said: “I am honoured
to have been appointed as
managing director. Since
joining the company back in
1993 as an admin clerk on a
gap year from college, I have
watched the company grow
to become one of the largest
privately owned fenestration
companies in the UK.
“I am extremely proud
of all the company has
achieved and excited to be
heading up at a time when
we are launching a range of
innovative products, which
are set to revolutionise the
fenestration market.”
Lennart said: “The whole
company is behind Mark as
he takes up his new position as managing director
and I would like to join
with them in wishing him
every success in his new
role.”
For more information
about Senior Architectural
Systems visit www.
seniorarchitectural.co.uk