The Queen’s award winning Cyfle Building Skills Shared Apprenticeship Scheme commenced on Monday 16th September 2013 within 5 Local Authority Regions, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Neath Port-Talbot and Swansea. In October 2016 Cyfle Building Skills was awarded Charitable Status.

Cyfle Building Skills is a Multi Award Winner Regional Shared Apprenticeship Scheme, that currently employs over 90 apprentices and has employed 780+ shared apprentices to date. It is a Shared Apprenticeship Scheme that was launched by South West Wales Regional Shared Apprenticeship Ltd (SWWRSAL) and CITB in 2013 and is currently the largest Shared Apprenticeship Scheme in the UK. The aim is to provide a service which supports young adults into sustainable employment within the construction industry. This will help young people further their careers and their chances of gaining employment. They will have the opportunity to gain apprenticeships and achieve qualifications at level 2, 3 & into higher apprenticeships at level 4/5.

Cyfle Building Skills Employs Shared Apprentices in the following trades:

Bricklaying, Plastering, Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, Painting & Decorating, Maintenance/Multi-Skilling, Technical and Higher Apprenticeships.

Currently, around 90% of apprentices who complete the three years have secured full time employment in their chosen trade. Cyfle Building Skills will introduce new tradespeople into the sector and boost employment. It also means that, through tough economic climates contractors are not tied to supporting full-time apprenticeships. The Shared Apprenticeship Scheme allows apprentices to complete a full apprenticeship program by working with a number of different employers, to gain the skill sets they require to become qualified.

It has been set up to help employers who want to support the development of skills while working on regional contracts, but are not in a position to offer a full term apprenticeship, and who wish to support training the future workforce. Getting involved in the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme allows employers to dip in and out of apprentice training. The Scheme allows you to take on an apprentice, for as short a duration as three months, with no commitment to the apprentice at the end. The Scheme allows employers to enjoy all the benefits of an apprentice, without any long-term risk or long-term cost to their business. Once the apprentice has finished working with an employer they are found another placement, and upon framework completion, they will be assisted in sourcing permanent employment within their chosen trade.