More than 4,000 employers benefited from CITB’s Employer Networks initiative last year – could it support your business too?
For employers who are seeking bespoke, easy-to-access training and financial support, the Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Employer Networks can provide a simple and effective solution.
The initiative gives employers a direct channel to communicate their training needs and advise on how funding should be prioritised and allocated in their local area. Additionally, it enables CITB to be more responsive to industry needs on both regional and national levels.
For almost a third of construction employers, finding suitably skilled staff remains their key challenge, particularly with more older workers retiring and not being replaced. By encouraging greater dialogue with employers and removing barriers to engagement with training, the Employer Networks help address the skills gap and build a stronger future for the industry.
Last year (2024-25) was the second full year of operation for the initiative, and figures show the Networks supported 50,966 learners, up 11,468 from the previous year. The figures also reveal that Employer Networks supported 4,097 employers – including 2,655 small and micro businesses.
Deb Madden, CITB executive director for nations engagement, said: “It’s vital we have a firm grasp of what skills are required and where they’re needed across the country. Employer Networks are designed to make the training and skills system easier to navigate for employers, in turn helping to address the skills gap.
“Our latest Employer Networks figures prove the initiative has been hugely successful, and we look forward to building on this success and continue providing muchneeded access to training for more employers and learners.
“There is an increasing demand for construction work in the UK, and construction employers are clearly aware of the opportunity and the need for training, with 80% of employers indicating they plan to increase their training efforts in the future. We’re always striving to improve our services and embed a culture of quality into what we do – Employer Networks are a prime example of this.”
Tim Balcon, CITB chief executive, added: “I’m really excited about Employer Networks. This is about putting employers in the driving seat to identify and address their skills challenges and how best CITB can align our funding and resources to support their skills needs.
“I would encourage employers in their Employer Networks areas to get involved and use their voice to shape training provision.”
What employers say
Stacey Felmingham, office coordinator, Aspect Group Services: “Having the Employer Network has enabled us to offer a wider variety of training courses to our team both on site and in the office. With the support from the Norfolk Construction Training Group, we have been able to navigate the process effectively and efficiently.
“The simplicity and broad scope of the initiative has allowed us to offer training to more employees than we initially budgeted for over the year, which is fantastic news as a business and for the individual.”
Kelsey Burnett, training coordinator, Luddon Construction, Scottish Civils: “We’ve already booked in a number of upskilling courses for our existing staff. The increased funding has helped our business financially, allowing us to organise even more training, with no additional admin or claim forms to be submitted in order to receive the funding.
“The reduced administration has allowed our staff to focus on other things and knowing the Employer Network had everything in place on our behalf was such a weight lifted from our shoulders, knowing the funding was in hand.”
Andrea Gravell, resource director, Lloyd & Gravell, Llanelli: “We heard about the Cyfle Employer Network through Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association. By tapping into the training organised by the local employer network, contractors are able to benefit from training that would otherwise be difficult to source and more expensive, as training providers require a minimum number to run a training course.
“The additional funding made available through the network has enabled us to use our training budget to increase training opportunities across the company.”
Find out more about CITB Employer Networks and how to apply for funding here.
*Please note that this is a commercial profile.
