A fund aimed at helping SMEs to provide skills and training for construction workers has supported hundreds of firms…
The Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Flexible Fund has helped to provide skills and training for hundreds of construction firms.
The grant, which provides up to £5,000 for levy payers with fewer than 50 employees, has helped 104 successful applicants, granting a total of £442,268 in funding.
In the latest round of funding, all 60 small and micro construction firms who were eligible to apply for the fund were approved. Four bids that failed in the last round were supported by the CITB funding team to help build a stronger case for their application and were successful this time.
The CITB said it also saw seven new applicants who had recently registered with the CITB, while three firms applied for the first time, despite being levy payers for some time.
Among the firms to receive funding is Glasgow-based property maintenance firm Fourply Construction who will receive £5,000. This funding will be used to train 16 members of staff in business improvement.
Northumberland-based outdoor maintenance and landscaping firm W L Straughan and Son will receive £4,633 to help implement a succession planning training programme.
A total of £5,000 will also go to Southport-based chartered surveyors Paul Ennis Construction service to provide leadership training for eight members of staff.
Geeta Nathan, head of economic analysis at CITB, said: “It’s excellent to see so many firms looking to CITB to help them improve their business by providing their staff with the skills and training they need.
“With our simplified funding process and support staff who are willing to help you every step of the way, I encourage even more firms to apply for funding when the next round opens later this month.”
For details of the fund visit: http://www.citb.co.uk/funding/flexible-and-structured/