The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) turns 60 this year. I know many members have regular contact with CITB staff and some have strong views on how the levy they pay could be better spent. Whatever your views on the CITB, it continues to have a central role in construction training and skills development in Scotland, Wales and England. With skills, training and apprenticeships all devolved to the Scottish Parliament, I have a lot of discussion with members and CITB staff on these matters.

A Council for the Nation

CITB’s National Construction College at Inchinnan, Renfrewshire
CITB’s National Construction College at Inchinnan, Renfrewshire

Earlier this month I spoke at a meeting of the CITB Nations Council for Scotland. This council provides advice to the CITB’s main board on how the CITB can better meet industry’s skills needs north of the border. FMB members of your Scotland board kindly shared their views on topical construction skills and training issues: so I could raise and discuss these with the Nations Council. A common thread was the rising costs for small, local building companies in training apprentices into tradespeople.

My key ask of the Nations Council was for the CITB to review apprenticeship grants which haven’t increased since 2019. Even since 2021, there has been a 48% increase in the apprentice wage rate. We need to do everything possible to get more people into our industry and the CITB needs to help make the finances work better for employers if they are to take more apprentices on. The CITB acknowledged these points and confirmed that they are conducting a full review of apprenticeship grants: we will be feeding into this review.

CITB’s National Construction College at Inchinnan, Renfrewshire
Gordon Nelson was taken on a brief tour of the CITB’s National Construction College, which included the training facilities.

How are the CITB performing?

A report was shared with me. Some key figures include:

  • 1506 CITB apprenticeship starts in Scotland over 2023-24: just ahead of the CITB’s target set with Skills Development Scotland.
  • £26.5m invested by the CITB in apprenticeships in Scotland: below the £30m target. The shortfall due to approx 280 learners yet to complete their apprenticeship training.
  • £400K invested in CITB’s National Construction College (NCC) at Inchinnan, Renfrewshire. The NCC having recruited 15 full time positions to support the delivery of plant, floor laying, ames taping and access training.
  • Small and micro business skills and training fund: 7% increase on employers supported V 2022/23. 212 construction employers in Scotland having successfully applied for this fund.

The future of Training Groups & Employer Networks

Last year I attended the AGM of the Shetland Construction Training Group. Here FMB members raised concerns about the future of training groups given the CITB were setting up Employer Networks. There are 11 local training groups across Scotland: not all of them have active participation from FMB members but most of them do. As was the case in Shetland, other members have contacted me with concerns over CITB’s move to impose new Employer Networks, which could undermine local training groups in Scotland.

The CITB did confirm to me that they are not pulling training groups. They have listened to our views. Local training groups in Scotland will now be fundamental to any Employer Network.

I trust this update is helpful and I am on hand to share more details of my recent engagement with the CITB.

Related topics

Skills and training UK economy

Authors

Gordon Nelson

Gordon Nelson

FMB Scotland Hub Director, Federation of Master Builders

Director, Federation of Master Builders Scotland

Gordon has nearly twenty years’ experience of working in membership organisations in Scotland and joined the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in 2014. Prior to this, he worked at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and for Unilever in business development, membership management and business-to-business marketing roles. Amongst his responsibilities in his role as the Director for FMB Scotland are public affairs, media relations, governance and representing member’s interests to Scottish policy makers and stakeholders within the Scottish construction industry. Gordon is the Secretary of the Cross-Party Group on Construction in the Scottish Parliament, and he is a member of the Scottish Building Standards Futures Board. Gordon represents the FMB on Scotland’s Construction Industry Collective Voice: which is comprised of the leading construction trade and professional bodies. In spring 2023 Gordon was appointed as an industry co-chair of the Construction Leaderships Forum’s (CLF) Transformation Board.

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