Blog Post 038 - Four More Years... of CITB

Readers, it’s been a minute since the last post. So, what is it that has drawn me from my blogging hiatus? The infamous CITB has been approved by the Trades Associations for funding recommendation for another term. The CITB are proudly announcing their approval rating of 66%, hardly a mandate in an industry from whom skilled resource has been one of the biggest challenges over the last decade.

With only a few (brave) associations dissenting and mounting public pressure, is the CITB still providing value for money to the industry upon which its funding levied? The SME’s, notably the Specialist Contractor’s do not seem to think so! The lowest approval rating for the CITB came from the small business sector. This is not a statistic that should be lost amongst the 66% in favour, most training, innovation, and apprenticeships are provided by these smaller specialist contractors, and yet they are the ones that are noting their disapproval.

What is it that the CITB is not doing to support these Specialist Contractors? Is it that they’re already cash strapped and paying the levy is just another decrease on the cash in the business? Is it that the access to the grants is too tiresome or difficult? Are they not receiving sufficient funding to facilitate their needs?

The current skills shortage is no secret, the push to move unskilled labour on to “trail blazer” qualifications means that the demand for “post-qualification” training is going to be higher than ever, therefore, we need a robust system, funding package and roadmap to deliver the training this industry so desperately needs.

I would like to the see the CITB reach out to the dissenting trade bodies and welcome their involvement, who better to offer solutions than those that consider themselves the most disenfranchised? To make an impact at all levels of the industry, “feet on the street” trades need board involvement at the CITB, not Build UK, not CLC, actual trades that are undertaking the training.

Training for the industry is not currently doing its job and if we are to build ourselves out of the myriad of shortages; housing, infrastructure & training, then to do so with a suitably skilled workforce in the correct place is paramount.

If you’re a specialist contractor and struggling to understand the CITB levy, your access to funding or how to get effective training schemes in place, drop me an email.