What is CITB-ConstructionSkills?

ConstructionSkills is the newly appointed Sector Skills Council for the construction Industry.

On 25 September 2003, Charles Clarke MP, Secretary of State for Education, signed a five year licence giving CITB GB, working in partnership with Construction Industry Council (CIC) and CITB-ConstructionSkills Northern Ireland (NI) the mandate to lead the drive for improved skills and productivity in the construction industry.

CITB-ConstructionSkills is now part of a UK wide network of Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) recognised by and representing the employers' interests.

CITB-ConstructionSkills is responsible for developing skills within the construction workforce. It is active in recruitment, certification and training support. CITB-ConstructionSkills is a non-departmental public body, set up under the Industrial Training Act (1964).

CITB-ConstructionSkills' divisions and areas of activity are:

• Business areas CITB-ConstructionSkills functions at a national level, and delivers products and programmes through a network of staff based in regional offices.
  CITB-ConstructionSkills works in partnership with local colleges, Regional Development Agencies, the local Learning and Skills Councils, schools and others so that national policies meet local needs.
  
  
• Workforce Development Planning provides information and policy advice to other business areas.
  
  
• Standards and Qualifications accredits occupational standards and develops and maintains the National Vocational Qualifications / Scottish Vocational Qualifications framework.
  
  
• Certification and Registration manages and promotes competence-based registration schemes for the construction industry.
  
  
• Recruitment, Education and Careers provides careers advice and manages a network of educational programmes with schools and colleges.
  
  
• The Managing Agency facilitates the provision of vocational training to CITB-ConstructionSkills' new entrants. It encourages and processes applications for apprenticeships and places suitable young people with companies that can provide appropriate work experience.
  
  
• Training Support delivers training advice and support for qualifying construction companies.
  
  
• The National Construction College offers a portfolio of comprehensive training solutions via short courses.
  
  
• Levy manages the collection of the CITB-ConstructionSkills levy from eligible employers.
  
  
• Corporate Direction and Support promotes CITB-ConstructionSkills corporate values and develops processes that support corporate performance.
  

CITB-ConstructionSkills retains its status as an Industry Training Board and we will therefore continue to provide grants to employers registered with ourselves and to set an industry levy, not a penny of which will be spent on non-CITB-ConstructionSkills registered companies.

The industry asks CITB-ConstructionSkills to collect an annual levy from all liable employers. CITB Grants are then given to employers who train. This is seen by the construction industry as the best way to support training.

Smaller firms benefit particularly from this arrangement. Companies with a wage bill of less than £61,000 per annum, do not have to pay the levy at all, but still qualify for grants, advice and support. In fact, in 2003, firms who paid no CITB Levy employed over 10,000 New Entrant Trainees and received £44 million in training support. Altogether CITB-ConstructionSkills will be spending £86 million in grants in 2003-2004.

Employers who pay some CITB Levy, but choose not to get directly involved in training, are still helping to maintain the industry's training and recruitment levels, as well as other activities. They ultimately benefit, albeit indirectly, as the industry needs to attract 430,000 new recruits over the next five years. All employers benefit from having enough trained staff in the workforce.

Overall, the CITB Levy and Grant system shares the cost of training for the industry. Large and medium companies pays more of the levy, but it is the smaller firms who receive most of the grant. This is because it is the smaller firms who train the vast majority of new entrants to the industry.

Without CITB-ConstructionSkills, many small firms would simply not be able to afford to train any operatives.

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