SNIPEF has called on plumbing and heating companies to secure the remaining 100 fully funded apprenticeship places before the start of the academic year in September.

The funding follows a significant upscale in investment by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), which granted 400 new plumbing and heating apprenticeships earlier this year.

With 300 of the available places already secured, it is imperative that plumbing and heating businesses act promptly to take advantage of the remaining funding opportunities. With college courses scheduled to begin between September and November, timely action is essential to benefit from this funding allocation.

Since the new funding allocation was granted, 300 places have already been taken up. It is now imperative for plumbing and heating businesses to act swiftly to secure their funding ahead of the start of colleges beginning their courses between September and November this year.

Commenting on the investment and value of apprentices in the workplace, Dale Thomson, SNIPEF Training Services Apprentice Manager, said: "Recruiting an apprentice not only represents a prudent investment in your business; it constitutes a vital contribution to the future of our profession.

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"Apprentices bring enthusiasm and up-to-date training that can significantly improve service quality, enhance employee retention, and introduce fresh and innovative perspectives into the workplace.

"This funding presents an excellent opportunity for employers to strengthen their workforce with skilled apprentices, thereby better securing the future of their businesses.

"With time running out before colleges return for the new academic year, I strongly advise employers to act now to secure this valuable funding for their businesses."

In recent years, the Scottish Government has increased the funding and support for plumbing and heating apprenticeships, recognising their crucial in delivering Scotland's transition to a low-carbon economy, particularly in installing, retrofitting and maintaining sustainable heating systems to reduce the nation's carbon footprint.

On future funding, Thomson commented: "At SNIPEF, we are urging the profession to take advantage of this funding opportunity. If we fail to capitalise on the support provided by SDS this year, it could jeopardise future funding opportunities.

"This funding is more than merely supporting businesses today; it's about cultivating and developing a robust and skilled workforce to sustain the plumbing and heating profession for future years.

"With a shortage of skilled tradespeople, this will bring new life into the industry."

Employers interested in recruiting an apprentice should go to snipef.org/employer-start-an-apprentice or call 0131 524 1245 for information and to request an application pack.