As our last update before Christmas, I wanted to reflect on the turbulent year we’ve had, and how we have worked together to meet the skills challenges construction has faced. There has been a real emphasis on keeping workers safe on site, adapting to remote learning, protecting apprenticeships and securing direct funding for employers.

Putting employers’ needs first

During the first stages of the pandemic, employers told us cashflow was their top priority. With this in mind, we suspended Levy collection, creating a 5-month Levy holiday, cutting bills by 25% across two years. We also raised the Levy threshold so 5,000 smaller firms would be exempt from payments in 2021.

We introduced an apprenticeship support package to assist with funding, later extending this to Higher Level Apprenticeships. We ensured the maximum number of apprentices received support, contacting over 11,000 apprentices.

The amazing response from so many employers has meant that just 2.5% of CITB apprentices have been made redundant, and of those over 50% have now restarted an apprenticeship within construction. The way employers have supported our young talent is something to truly celebrate.

Working in partnership

In times of crisis, working together is a necessity. It’s been great to be part of an industry-wide effort to deliver the Construction Talent Retention Scheme. The service, which matches workers to roles, is fully funded until April ‘21, meaning it’s free for job seekers and employers to use.  We’ve also worked closely with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) to produce a range of interactive checklists and forms to help workers return to sites safely.

In Scotland, an initial priority was to better understand employers’ needs, leading to the creation of the Scottish Construction Apprentice Task Force. We’re also excited to support the delivery of the pilot Pathway Apprenticeships programme, to provide more apprenticeship opportunities to young people.

In Wales we’ve worked with the Alternative Ways of Working Group, a new pilot created to provide virtual opportunities for learners to visit sites. In partnership with the Construction Wales Innovation Centre and University of Wales Trinity St David, we also launched a new Scaffolding Training Centre filling a gap in training provision in Wales.

Adapting training delivery

Enabling staff and learners to continue to train has posed challenges for us all. Despite the difficulties, the National Construction Colleges have worked hard to maintain services and have been our key workers throughout the pandemic. Whilst many of us could work from home, reducing our personal risk, they in many cases needed to attend the college and other work places to support our learners. They have continuously reviewed government guidance and advice from the Department for Education, ensuring delegate and staff safety, while enabling face-to-face services to continue.

In some cases, we have also made adaptions to the way training is delivered. The first remote Site Safety Plus course took place in early April, at a time when face-to-face training was not available, and has been hugely beneficial in maintaining a level of health and safety awareness.

There are now around 180 assured courses which have been identified as suitable for remote delivery. We launched our eCourses platform and our free ‘COVID-19: Setting up and operating a safe construction site’ course, completed by over 5500 delegates. Scottish housebuilder, Stewart Milne demonstrated the benefits of remote learning. They administered a fantastic 1,678 hours of training in just three months, saving around £80,000.

Key funding support

We have adapted our funding support, refreshing our Skills and Training Fund for small and micro businesses, with a greater emphasis on innovation, management and leadership. We then launched a new strand of the fund, for medium sized businesses. Finally, we introduced the Leadership and Management Development Fund to cater to the needs of larger businesses. Since November 2020, £6m has been used to support over 1,300 businesses through the Skills and Training Fund.

We also extended the Construction Skills Fund (CSF), with £7.5m awarded to 14 hubs. They aim to place 3,000 learners into sustained employment, on top of the 13,200 learners who are employment and site ready from the first phase.

Looking ahead to 2021

With reduced income, it’s essential that we focus on the most important priorities, targeting funding to equip industry with the right support. This will involve onsite skills, and we’re aiming to provide 19,000 people with onsite experience to ensure more learners become employment and site ready.

Lastly, as the year draws to an end, as does the Brexit transition period, and it’s important to be aware of the changes coming into place from 1 January 2021.

A reminder…

CITB’s COVID-19 Urgent Messages page is refreshed regularly and includes updates on the full range of our work. You can also read the range of support measures made available to UK businesses and employees by the UK Government.

Finally, I would like to wish you all a peaceful Christmas break, and a very happy and healthy New Year!

Sarah Beale

Chief Executive

Today I’d like to highlight a move to digital-only certificates for Site Safety Plus; new research on how further education learners can access construction jobs; and information on Brexit preparedness.

Site Safety Plus (SSP) digital certificates

From the beginning of this week, delegates will receive digital only copies of all SSP certificates to evidence achievement. Delegates will now have access to evidence of their achievement much sooner whilst reducing the risk of incurring additional costs for lost certificate replacements as they will be accessible online.

We’ve already seen people posting their digital certificates on LinkedIn and other social media having taken our free Covid-19 course, evidencing continuing professional development and strengthening their skills in responding to the ongoing pandemic. We believe that the new digital certificates will be a positive tool to celebrate your teams’ and your business’s success.

 Supporting you to bring new learners into construction jobs

Did you know that only two out of five learners on construction-related further education (FE) courses join the industry?

We investigated why this is, and potential solutions, in a new report, Learning to Earning, published last week. Our researchers spoke with employers, learners and college providers to find out the barriers to entry and what could be done about it.

The report revealed very different perceptions of college courses. For example, many employers see FE courses as an alternative to apprenticeships, whereas learners often see them as a route to one.

It’s clear that helping learners become more aware of what the industry is like, and giving them more experience of it, is part of the solution. That’s why we’re working with industry and government to design a new Construction Traineeship for England to ensure learners have the skills needed to move onto an apprenticeship or employment.

In Wales, we have been involved in the development of new qualifications to address issues with existing FE routes. Hundreds of existing qualifications are being simplified into eight new ones with better progression routes and streamlined assessments.

In Scotland the Pathways into Apprenticeships initiative has been introduced, offering 36-week construction training for young people who are out of work. Around 120 opportunities are expected to be available from early next year.

 Getting ready for Brexit

As the Brexit transition time runs out, it is important to be aware of new rules for businesses coming into place from 1 January 2021 and ensure you and your business are prepared for the changes ahead. There are number of online resources available to help you with this including:

Gov.uk – the Government’s Brexit transition period website for businesses and citizens

Points-based immigration system – this Government website provides the latest information if you are thinking of hiring from the EU next year

The Construction Leadership Council – the CLC provides guidance and information to help the construction industry maintain business continuity at the end of the transition period

 A reminder… 

We will now be offering individual conversations virtually for any employers who would like a meeting with their local CITB Advisor. Bookings can be made through our Local Events page. Our group sessions will also continue, following their initial success.

CITB’s COVID-19 Urgent Messages page is refreshed regularly and includes updates on the full range of our work. You can also read the range of support measures made available to UK businesses and employees by the UK Government.

Best wishes and stay safe everyone,

Sarah Beale

Chief Executive

I hope you’re having a good week as we enter December – and the start of the build-up to Christmas. Today’s email includes good news about the expansion of CITB’s apprenticeship support; details of our Training Group Survey and a vacancy on the Levy Strategy Committee; plus the latest information about test centre availability.

Apprenticeship support expanded to all levy-registered construction employers

 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year for everyone, and not least those in the construction industry, so CITB is changing its apprenticeship support to enable all levy-registered construction employers to benefit from an expanded support service.

Currently, CITB offers employer and apprentice support for its 7,000 contracted apprenticeships, about a third of the total number across the industry. Under the new plans, throughout 2021, CITB will withdraw from the direct, funded delivery of apprenticeships in England, and instead provide a support service to all employers with construction apprentices. Funded apprenticeship support will continue in Scotland and Wales, and the wider offer will also apply in those nations.

Support for employers will include help accessing grants; choosing the right apprenticeship standard and the right training provider; guidance through the Government’s online apprenticeships system; and building partnerships with colleges and training providers. We will continue to offer recruitment support to employers who recruit large numbers of apprentices each year. More details will be made available soon.

 Support for employers: participate in our survey before 15 January

CITB is continuing to look at how we best support industry with an expected income reduction of 30% over the next four years, and we would like to get the views of all our employers on these decisions.

For several years CITB has funded a network of Training Groups (TGs). These groups help their members – local employers, and mainly micro and small companies – to join up and use their collective buying power to arrange discounted local training for their workforce.

At a time when many other programmes have been paused, CITB has maintained its support for TGs,  at a reduced level. This reflects our belief that it is important to support employers locally with accessing the training they need.

We are currently looking at the best ways to help employers access training at a local level and have developed an options paper on potential funding models which can be accessed here. We want to get your views as an employer, whether you are a TG member or not. You can find a link to the survey on the same page, and details of how to submit  alternative suggestions if preferable. Your local Partnership Team colleague will be happy to discuss the options with you, if you’d like more information. This consultation will close on 15 January.

Levy Strategy Committee vacancy – Independent member for England

CITB has set up a Levy Strategy Committee to help assess the impact of future Levy Proposals and ensure fair and sustainable outcomes for all CITB registered employers. We are seeking an independent expert with an understanding of the construction sector. The successful candidate will discuss key industry trends, evaluate ideas and test the Committee’s thinking with their network.

More information about the vacancy is available here and the expression of interest form and other information can be found here. Completed expressions of interest should be emailed to corporate.governance@citb.co.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 9 December. Interviews will take place in early January 2021.

 Test centre availability

Pearson Vue test centres remain open with testing continuing in all three nations. ITCs (Internet Test Centres) need to refer to Government guidance and the decision to continue testing will lie with each individual centre. For more information check here.

 A reminder… 

We will now be offering individual conversations virtually for any employers who would like a meeting with their local CITB Advisor. Bookings can be made through our Local Events page. Our group sessions will also continue, following their initial success.

CITB’s COVID-19 Urgent Messages page is refreshed regularly and includes updates on the full range of our work. You can also read the range of support measures made available to UK businesses and employees by the UK Government.

Best wishes and stay safe everyone,

Sarah Beale

Chief Executive