Sustaining the apprenticeship pipeline for future leaders in FM

The government is promising more training for 16 to 21-year-olds in a bid to ‘refocus the skills landscape towards young, domestic talent’. However, it has also confirmed plans to scrap funding for postgraduate apprenticeships. What kind of impact could this have on the apprenticeship pipeline for future leaders in FM?

THE FM LECTURER’S VIEW
LUCY HIND,
SENIOR FM LECTURER, LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY & MEMBER OF FMJ ED STEERING COMMITTEE

The UK government’s recent announcement of increased training support for 16 to 21-year-olds, paired with its decision to withdraw funding for postgraduate apprenticeships, marks a significant policy shift in skills development. While this move may help address gaps in entry-level talent, it could also pose serious challenges to the progression pipeline, especially within the FM sector where leadership roles often require extensive, specialised development.

The government’s focus on young people aims to “refocus the skills landscape towards young, domestic talent,” potentially benefiting school leavers and NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). By investing in foundational training and apprenticeships at Levels 2 and 3, the policy may help close entry-level gaps and attract a new generation into industries like FM, which often struggles with talent inflow. This is especially critical for operational roles such as maintenance technicians, soft services operatives, or junior FM coordinators.

However, FM is a complex, multidisciplinary field involving health and safety, compliance, sustainability, digital integration, and customer service. These competencies often require ongoing training and higher-level qualifications as professionals progress. Entry-level training alone is insufficient to produce the strategic leaders the sector depends on and poses challenges for leadership progression.

The decision to scrap funding for postgraduate apprenticeships, such as Level 7 apprenticeships in strategic management, leadership and business administration directly impacts mid-career professionals who aspire to senior roles. In FM, leadership is often grown from within; many senior facilities managers, contract leads or directors started in junior roles and upskilled through supported pathways over many years.

Removing postgraduate apprenticeship funding:

• Disrupts the pipeline to leadership: Without structured, funded routes to higher-level qualifications, capable candidates may stagnate in middle management or leave the industry altogether.
• Limits social mobility: Postgraduate apprenticeships are crucial for those who may not afford an MBA or other qualifications, but who have the ambition and aptitude to progress.
• Reduces employer engagement: Many FM firms have embraced apprenticeships as a full-career pathway. The funding cut may discourage future investment in workforce development, especially in SMEs with tighter budgets.

This will also have broader strategic consequences as the FM sector plays a vital role in critical infrastructure, public services, healthcare, education and commercial real estate. With increasing demands for decarbonisation, smart buildings and tenant engagement, the need for strategic leadership is greater than ever.

The absence of funded postgraduate apprenticeships may:

• Weaken succession planning, leading to leadership gaps.
• Cause a reliance on external recruitment, which is often more costly and less culturally aligned.
• Contribute to a long-term skills mismatch, where operational roles are filled, but strategic capability lags.

While the government’s move to boost training for 16 to 21-year-olds is commendable and could strengthen the FM talent base at the entry level, the simultaneous scrapping of postgraduate apprenticeship funding risks undermining long-term development and leadership capacity. To ensure a robust and future-ready FM workforce, a full-spectrum skills strategy, from entry-level to executive leadership is essential. Policymakers and industry leaders must work together to find alternative funding models or support mechanisms to sustain the pipeline for future FM leaders.