The Construction Industry Training Board has announced it is enacting measures that will make it easier for employers to apply for training funds…
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has made changes to the application process that will make it faster and more efficient for employers to apply for funding.
Under the new measures, the 40 current flexible funding streams with be cut down to two. The CITB said the changes followed a consultation with over 800 construction employers of different sizes, as well as industry federations. The consultation revealed the number of funding streams had been a barrier to applying.
The two new funding streams will be the Flexible fund and the Structured fund. The former is a short term fund designed for projects that will run for less than 18 months. The latter is a long term fund that will support projects that run for more than 18 month.
The two streams are set to deliver £20m of funding annually. This is on top of the £140m already distributed through Grant Funding. This will not be affected by the changes. However, this fund is also undergoing review with the outcome of that process expected to be announced in early 2016.
Phil Ford, strategic partnerships director (Scotland) at CITB, said: “Industry has told us that accessing CITB’s funding was overly complicated and bureaucratic.
“We have responded by introducing a system that is clearer, more transparent and straightforward.
“We are also putting robust evaluation in place to ensure that the funding we distribute has clear benefits and that we only fund what works.
“But getting the funding right is only half of the solution. This new approach is underpinned by robust analysis of industry’s skills needs.
“It is only by understanding which skills will make the greatest difference that we can target funding appropriately and enable the construction industry to develop and grow.”
CITB worked with industry advisory group, Lend Lease, to draw up the changes. Head of Operations Tim Peach, who chaired the group, said: “These changes will make it easier for construction firms to invest in the training and development of our people, with funding that is simpler to access and better matches industry needs.
“Construction can only reach its growth potential by improving skills and training where it is needed most, and the new approach to flexible funding will help make that possible.”