CITB announce ‘significant’ increase to Grants for construction training
CITB announce ‘significant’ increase to Grants for construction training
The CITB (The Construction Industry Training Board) have announced that they will invest £100 million in grants to help construction workers access training and develop their skills.
In addition, CITB is also increasing the grant rates for construction Supervision and Management NVQs from £600 to £1,250 and £1,500 respectively.
This decision has been made to support those impacted by the withdrawal of the Grandfather Rights (Industry Accreditation) route to a CSCS card.
CITB Chief Executive Tim Balcon said: “During this challenging time for the economy, the finances of businesses and workers are under pressure.
“Our increased grant rates address rising costs and support employers to secure high quality training to upskill their workforce”
“This uplift in grants is our response to feedback from employers, who told us increased costs are making it more challenging to invest in the training they need. We know investing in training can bring competitive advantage helping businesses to retain and attract more workers and to ensure they have an upskilled workforce to win new work.”
“We’ve listened to their concerns and responded by doubling our grant rates for short courses and increasing our grant rates for specific short qualifications.”
Who’s eligible for the CITB Grant scheme?
Construction companies that are registered with CITB are eligible for the Grant scheme.
This includes small employers (i.e. those with a wage bill of less than £80k) who don’t have to pay the levy.
The grant applies to directly employed staff on the payroll and all subcontractors.
To check if your company is eligible to claim please call CITB on 0344 994 4455.
How much can we claim back through the grant scheme?
From 1st April 2023, CITB registered companies will be able to claim back the following amounts on completion of each NVQ:
- £600 for a Level 2 NVQ – Our Level 2 NVQs are £599 + VAT, these NVQs are effectively FREE for CITB registered companies. Click here to view our suite of Level 2 NVQs.
- £1200 for a Level 3 – 4 NVQ – Our Level 3 and 4 NVQs are £950 + VAT and £1150 + VAT respectively. These NVQs are also effectively FREE for CITB registered companies. Click here to view our suite of Level 3-4 NVQs.
- £1500 for a Level 6 – 7 NVQ – Our Level 6 and 7 NVQs are £1850 + VAT and £2100 + VAT respectively. The grant scheme enables CITB registered companies to effectively pay only £350 for a Level 6 NVQ, and £600 for a Level 7 NVQ. Click here to view our suite of Level 6-7 NVQs.
How do we make a claim?
On completion of the NVQ, you will need to fill out a CITB Grant application form which you can download here. The form only takes a few minutes to complete and requires basic information such as your company’s CITB registration number & contact information as well as the name, registration number, DOB, and completion dates of the learners.
You will then email the completed form along with a scanned copy of the learner’s certificates of achievement to grant.claimforms@citb.co.uk and you’re done. The claim will usually be processed within around 4 weeks.
Please note: In order to qualify for the increased amount, the NVQ certificate of completion must be dated April 2023 onwards. Certificates dated before April 2023 will still be eligible for the previous grant amount of £600.
If you need more information, just call CITB on 0344 994 4455.
How does the NVQ process work?
An NVQ is a competence-based assessment of the skills, knowledge and experience that you already have.
In a nutshell, you’re telling an assessor how you carry out your role and showing them then evidence (documents, photos, videos) that proves that you can do the job. There are no exams, no workshops to attend, no site visits, and no need to take time of work.
All of our assessors are highly experienced, qualified construction professionals who have actually done the job themselves. Most of our assessors are Members or Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
NVQs don’t involve tests and trick questions, they are designed for practical people who have learned and developed their skills over time in a real working environment.
Most our of our qualifications are assessed online, via a discussion-based assessment through a series of Zoom meetings where you will ‘talk your way’ through the qualification.
How long does an NVQ take?
Achievement of an NVQ is really down to yo, and how motivated you are to have it completed.
We provide support for 12 months, however these qualifications are realistically achievable within 1–3 months depending on your own commitment.
We also offer ‘fast-track’ assessment options which are suitable for more experienced Supervisors and Managers. the aim of the fast-track assessment is to have the whole qualification completed within 4 weeks or less.
What about the CSCS card?
On completion of the NVQ, you will be able to apply for the following CSCS card:
Level 2 NVQ (in Plant Operations) – Blue CPCS or Blue NPORS card
Level 3-4 NVQ (Supervisors) – Gold Supervisor CSCS card
Level 6-7 NVQ (Managers) – Black Manager CSCS card.
How can I apply for an NVQ
To apply for this qualification please click the appropriate link below to view the qualifications that we offer.
You can then send an enquiry through the website, or give us a call on 01952 287 366.
Click here to view our Level 2 NVQs in Plant Operations.
Click here to view our Level 3 – 4 Construction Supervision NVQs
Click here to view our Level 6-7 Construction Management NVQs.
Why should I choose CAD UK as my provider?
Since 2011 we’ve qualified thousands of candidates at all levels of construction. We currently have learners enrolled on qualifications all over the world, including UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Dubai and Cambodia (to name a few). We’re approved by Awarding Bodies Pearson, Edexcel, ProQual, and SQA. We’ve even won awards for our “unique approach to delivering qualifications” in construction. Our NVQ assessors are experienced construction professionals who will provide bespoke advice, guidance and support throughout your qualification journey.
Our clients include Mace, Skanska, Willmott Dixon, Kier, Engie, Network Rail, Osborne, BAM, Laing O’Rourke, and many more.
Don’t take our word for it though, click here to see some of our recent reviews.
