CFA Supports Industry-Wide Lobbying Over Proposed Apprenticeship Reforms

The Contract Flooring Association (CFA) has formally added its support to the open industry-letter spearheaded by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) opposing the recently proposed apprenticeship reforms by Skills England and the UK Government. These reforms include a significant reduction in the minimum apprenticeship duration period in England and removal of key elements of the End Point Assessments (EPA), including external verification.

Whilst CFA supports ongoing efforts to modernise apprenticeship pathways, we believe the proposed changes pose real risks to the quality, competence and safety of the construction sector and the commercial flooring sector in the future.

Shortening the minimum duration of an apprenticeship to as little as eight months could fail to provide sufficient hands-on experience and breadth of competence for a flooring installers role. Moving to an end point assessment model that allows partial or sampled knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) to determine overall competence undermines the rigour of the apprenticeship route. In a high-risk environment like commercial flooring (large projects, complex finishes, safety critical flooring) this raises concerns about inconsistent standards, quality control and risk to employers and end-clients if an apprentice is not correctly assessed.

If apprentices qualify without having demonstrated the full occupational competence required at the point of qualification, CFA fears this will erode employer trust in the apprenticeship route, create skills gaps in the supply chain, compromise reputation and stimulate a race to the bottom, as providers are incentivised to create lighter touch assessments to secure better pass rates and cost efficiencies.

There is also a danger that this undermines the Government’s initiatives towards embedding better routes to competence following changes to the Building Safety Act. For CFA, our members and the wider sector, current apprenticeship standards and qualifications (all recently updated and approved by industry) have been considered as a strong foundation for our competence work.

CFA will continue to work with member companies, training providers, awarding organisations and industry bodies to ensure that the commercial flooring sector remains underpinned by robust, employer-led training and assessment pathways.

Alongside twenty-two other leading trade bodies, CFA has urged the Government and Skills England to pause the implementation of these reforms, engage meaningfully with sector employers (including specialist trades such as flooring), and ensure that any change strengthens, not weakens competence, safety and quality.

CFA reaffirms its commitment to the highest standards of training, assessment and competency in the commercial flooring sector, recognising that our clients’ trust and the safety of built environments depend on it.

By standing with the letter signed to the Prime Minister and industry leaders, CFA is signalling that the flooring sector is fully engaged, prepared to speak up, and committed to preserving quality in a changing regulatory environment.

To read the letter and see all contributors, please follow this link. CFA would like to thank and acknowledge the hard work of the BWF in leading this important piece of lobbying work.