CITB’s Funding Impact Report highlights clearly how CITB levy payers’ money is being used to increase training, qualifications and promote construction careers
“The Impact of CITB Project Funding” report shows the benefits of £17.8m CITB’s Flexible and Structured funding on more than 300 projects in England, Scotland and Wales between September 2015 and December 2016.
The largest group to receive funding in the period were micro and small employers (231), followed by construction federations (38), large employers (18), CITB-funded training groups (9), medium employers (6) and one Trade Union.
The levy monies CITB collects from construction employers are invested back into industry. The report shows how these funds were awarded to projects which match the construction industry’s priorities: careers, standards and qualifications and training and development.
Of the 303 projects that received CITB levy payers’ money in the period:
• 149 were funded to reduce the skills gap
• 119 received monies to increase access to the right training
• 18 won funding to reduce skills shortages
• 14 projects increased the appeal of working in construction
• Three increased the value added per employee.
Commenting on the report, Steve Radley, CITB Director of Policy, said: “This report shares key findings on how levy payers’ money is having a positive impact on our industry, including on many small firms.
“It shows that CITB funding helps people gain qualifications; reduce skills gaps and improves staff morale. For employers it has encouraged innovation and facilitated new partnerships, as well as improving perceptions of construction as a career. We will continue to work closely with our industry to ensure that funding is targeted at its priorities and delivers the outcomes it needs.”
Larger-scale projects which were funded in England, Scotland and Wales include:
• £2.5 million to Skanska’s five-year strategic partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School to provide an online resource library freely available to the entire industry.
• £1.1 million to the Civil Engineering Contractors Association’s Infrastructure Development Programme that will result in a self-sustaining training model developed by industry, for industry and providing targeted training that would not otherwise be readily available for companies in the sector.
• £1.9 million to the Roofing Industry Alliance programme to bring together all the main roofing industry stakeholders to collectively set up a training strategy for tackling skills gaps and skills shortages in the sector at all levels.
• £200k to Kier Construction’s Inspiring Students project that will raise awareness of the different career opportunities within the sector amongst students of all academic abilities in Wales as well as their parents, teachers and careers advisors.
• £250k for BAM Nuttall to develop Construction Employer Frameworks for ex-offenders across Wales.
To download the report please click on the link here: “The Impact of CITB Project Funding”
