Staircase and door manufacturer Stairways Midlands has been been forced into action by controversial plans from Skills England to slash the duration of carpentry and joinery apprenticeships from 25 months to around eight.

Other moves include altering final trainee assessments to allow organisations to “sample” only a portion of the knowledge, skills and behaviours criteria to determine an apprentice’s competence – rather than requiring them to demonstrate they meet all of them.

Stairways Midlands said the shift would create a “race to the bottom” in training quality.

The firm operates three Midlands-based factory units and was in a successful partnership with Walsall College training Level 2 Bench Carpentry and Joinery Apprentices every year.

Joint Managing Director Karen Wood Joint Managing Director – who is also a Go Construct STEM Ambassador – said the company had “no choice” but to withdraw the offer of apprenticeship placements this year.

She said: “Apprenticeships have always been a cornerstone of our business and a vital pipeline for skilled talent. We’ve proudly trained dozens of apprentices over the years – including several who have gone into management roles here – but under these new proposals, the model is simply not fit for purpose.

“Reducing training time to just eight months and removing thorough independent assessment shows a fundamental lack of appreciation for the range of skills and depth of knowledge it takes to do this work, and will set the industry back years.

“We’ve had no choice but to pause our apprenticeship intake for the first time in more than two decades. It’s deeply frustrating, but we cannot in good conscience support a reformed system that seems to prioritise speed and cost over competence and safety.”

Trade body the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has written to the Prime Minister calling for an immediate suspension of the plans.

Wood added: “We need properly trained, competent people entering our industry. Short-term policy decisions like this not only devalue the hard work of apprentices and trainers but undermine the culture of safety and excellence that the construction sector has worked so hard to build.

“The BWF has been clear that the reforms as they stand are not supported by the industry. We stand with them and others in calling for a rethink that puts quality, competence and safety first.”