A NEW pilot initiative set up by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) means that construction businesses can now get as much as 50 percent of their training costs subsidised.
The subsidised training will allow workers to learn new skills, renew qualifications, and complete the mandatory training required for a variety of roles and trades – such as asbestos awareness, health and safety, and first aid qualifications.
The employer network is a new 12-month initiative set up and funded by CITB and coordinated and delivered by local network groups across the regions, including Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
The subsidised training fund is available to all CITB registered companies and is designed to simplify the way construction businesses get the support and funding they need to access the training they want.
The scheme is being coordinated by Cyfle Building Skills, and the employer networks chosen for each region are Swansea Bay Construction Support Group for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, CCTAL for Carmarthenshire, and Dyfed Training Group (DTG) for Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
As these employer networks are organising the administration of the scheme, there’s no need for individual businesses to fill in the CITB forms in order to apply for the grant.
Also, unlike the restrictions in some other schemes, the training can be in anything that supports construction employers. These could be the trade skills the business needs immediately, or something it could need in the future – such as net zero, digital skills or innovative new technologies training.
Some businesses can get considerably more than the existing grant scheme, so businesses are being encouraged to apply to their local employer networks to see how much they may be entitled to.
Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive, said: “I’m really excited about this pilot – this is about putting employers in the driving seat to identify and address their local skills challenges and how best CITB can align our funding and resources to support their skills needs. I would encourage employers in the pilot areas to get involved and use their voice to shape the local training provision.”
Gemma Mineur, training coordinator for Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, added: “We are encouraging CITB registered businesses and employers to come forward and access the fund to get the training they need. Collectively, the construction employers in the pilot areas will shape the way the funds provided by CITB are spent. If the pilot is a success, it could radically change the way training is funded by CITB, so please get in touch with your regional employer network representative to find out what funding you could get.”
