Last year, CITB paid out over £5m more in grants and supported nearly 700 more employers compared to the same period in 2021. As 2022 came to an end, CITB data reveals that almost 12,500 businesses have been supported in the form of grants, with £54.6m paid out to date (Apr – Nov 2022), and more than half paid to small or micro businesses.
The CITB Grants Scheme provides grants for employers in the construction industry that deliver day-to-day training for their workforce. There are several areas whereby businesses can apply for grant, including apprenticeships, short courses, and qualifications. The scheme is just one of the many ways CITB helps employers to ensure their workforce is skilled and competent and ensures the industry has the right skills to grow.
The data also shows early signs of a pattern forming, as apprenticeships continue to be the highest used area of grant so far. Following a boost in grant funding for apprenticeships, £37.4m has been paid out since April, amounting to 68.5% of the total grant spend this year. CITB’s Construction Skills Network (CSN) report, released earlier 2022, revealed that approximately 50,000 additional workers will be required every year to meet demand by 2026. This highlights how recruitment and developing a highly skilled workforce will be by far the construction industry’s biggest challenges moving forward.
As a response to employer feedback, CITB has been working on simplifying the grant application process, with the aim of supporting even more businesses through the Grant Scheme in 2023. As part of this, a new one-page PDF form is now available on the CITB website, which is compatible with any device and provides helpful guidance for each field when used with Adobe Acrobat Reader (a free software). The previous Excel-based application form is still available for employers who wish to continue using it or need to apply for multiple grants at once.
George Swann FIS Skills and Training Lead says “FIS can support organisations to ensure they receive the grants they are eligible for. FIS have secured an enhancement of £2000 for Dry Liner Apprentices due to be revised in March 2023. There is also £2500 Skills and Training Fund available for contractor training LOSC personnel. To check your organisation has access to the grants available take a look at: https://www.thefis.org/skills-hub/skills-and-training-funding/ or give Marie Flinter a call on 07799 903103 or email marieflinter@thefis.org