From: Ben Brocklesby,
Director, Origin

There were no major shocks in Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Spring Budget, especially for the manufacturing industry. I do think, once again, it was a positive statement of intent from the Government It shows the UK economy is on the mend, which is fantastic for a family-run business like Origin.

We were thrilled to see that the Government is planning to introduce a series of qualifications known as T-Levels. Chancellor Hammond announced that there would be an additional £500 million a year given to technical and vocational education, designed to be more relevant to employers’ needs. This is music to our ears.

Ever since we hosted our ‘Homes of the Future’ roundtable in 2015, we have been calling for the Government to start encouraging fresh blood into the construction industry. This will fill the skills gap that is being created as the older generation retire. The introduction of T-Levels, which will see the number of hours’ training for 16- to 19-year-old students increase by more than 50 per cent, will go a long way to correcting this issue. It will also make sure workers in the manufacturing and engineering sector are work-ready once they qualify.

As we prepare for a future outside of the EU, it is heartening to see the Government looking to build from within. As always, Origin will continue as usual, relying on the product quality and the unbeatable service we provide, as well as unrivalled lead times on our systems.

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