JTL, provider of apprenticeships in the building services engineering sector, has reported a bumper five months apprentice recruitment result.

JTL, provider of apprenticeships in the building services engineering sector, has reported a bumper five months apprentice recruitment result.

In the five months ending on New Year's Eve, 99% of the North West's annual target had already been achieved, according to JTL. The second most successful region was a combination of London and the east of England, where 87% had already been recruited.

The figures point both to an encouraging increase in the number of employers wishing to engage an apprentice with the appropriate support, and a move to recruitment being much more of an all-year-round occurrence, as opposed to being restricted to the summer months.

"We only see this trend developing further," said JTL operations manager Rob Moore. "Many employers have delayed recruitment because of business uncertainties, but now that we are seeing some economic pick-up, those who recruited earlier are among those best placed to capture the new business opportunities, unhindered by a lack of manpower and basic electrical, plumbing, heating or engineering maintenance skills."

JTL's electrical recruitment figures across the country have been particularly strong, with collectively every part of England and Wales reaching 78% of the annual target. The company believes that its commitment to maintain the quality of its apprenticeship frameworks over recent difficult years is now paying major dividends.