The Shared Apprenticeship Scheme provides a secure pathway to employment in the construction industry whilst supporting more than 40 local contractors to fund the cost of essential work placements.

Led by Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association Ltd (CCTAL), the scheme is now entering its fifth year and currently employs more than 50 apprentices in trades including bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, plumbing and electrics. It provides training for apprentices to NVQ Level 3, and enjoys a 98 per cent success rate against a national average of less than 50 percent.

Shared Apprenticeships differ from the traditional, where apprentices are usually employed by the contractor and work for them exclusively. People recruited on to the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme are employed and paid by CCTAL, and benefit from a number of industry placements across a range of employers so that they have the opportunity of working with more than one company.

In this way, the scheme has overcome issues that have previously affected the success of apprenticeships, particularly as some employers may not have the resources to take apprentices on a full-time basis, and especially within the current economic climate.

Apprentices benefit as they have the security of employment and training. They are also able to access a greater level of learning and experience required for their NVQ assessments, whilst making key contacts with several local companies.

The strong collaborative approach of the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme led to it being awarded a UK National Training Award in 2010.