Good afternoon,

As an employer who has previously claimed Degree-placement Work Experience Grant and/or the grant to support Additional Plant VQ Units, we wanted to make you aware of CITB Grants Scheme changes that may affect you in the near future.

Following the decision in June to cut Levy bills by 25% across the next two years – CITB has seen its income reduce by £166m. Despite this reduced income, we have accelerated Apprenticeship Grants and prioritised Apprenticeship Support and Direct Employer Funding within our Skills Stability Plan.

However, part of our ongoing work is to regularly assess the value provided to industry by the Grants Scheme. With Levy income reduced, it is imperative that we apply the appropriate scrutiny to the grants that we provide. Now more than ever we must ensure they are focussed where they are needed most and deliver significant value to the industry. These changes have been made with due consideration to impact and are balanced in terms of fairness across the grant scheme itself.

Degree-placement Work Experience Grant – £10,000 per employer cap introduced

One of the biggest barriers into the construction industry for new entrants is work experience.

The Government funded Construction Skills Fund (CSF) is part of the government’s National Retraining Scheme in England. The scheme aims to support innovative ways of training new entrants and retraining adults in areas for which public funding is not available.

Administered by CITB, it has proved highly successful with over 13,200 learners emerging employment and site-ready. We will therefore continue to invest Levy (£12.8 million) into onsite hubs to prioritise work experience, and have committed to have a number ready from the start of 2021.

We have prioritised the significant investment in the onsite hubs over long term future support to the Degree-Placement Work Experience grant. Last year, this grant was claimed by only 108 employers, with 50% of those claiming less than £10,000.

We are therefore introducing a cap of £10,000 for the Degree-Placement Work Experience Grant, for training undertaken from 1 April 2020 – 30 September 2021. £10,000 is the maximum amount an employer can claim in this period.

The continuation of the fund, at a reduced level for the next year, provides employers with the time needed to adapt to the grants eventual removal from 1 October 2021.

 How does this affect me?

• Applications for this grant must still be submitted using the existing grant application form. However, employers are being asked to complete the new online form to provide information to help us forecast grant spend, following these changes.

• Employers can continue to apply for Work Experience grant for training days from 1 April 2020 – 30 September 2021, up to a maximum of £10,000 per employer

• Grants already claimed for Work Experience training days undertaken since 1 April 2020, will be included within the £10,000 cap.

• Any applications with Work Experience days that exceed the £10,000 cap for training undertaken will be rejected.

• Any applications with Work Experience days from 1 October 2021 onwards will be rejected.

Plant Additional Unit Achievement – Removal from 1 October 2020

Plant VQs are currently funded at £600 per achievement, with a further £300 grant available when an additional unit is achieved against an existing VQ.

Under the 2018 Grant Scheme Review the Additional Unit Grant (£300) was highlighted as requiring review however this was not undertaken at the time. Whilst the review has not been carried out, in the current climate this additional grant cannot continue to be supported and will therefore be withdrawn from 1 October 2020.

The full Plant Operations NVQs, short courses for plant related training, plus CPCS theory and practical tests continue to be eligible for grant funding, in addition to Plant Apprenticeship grants.

How does this affect me?

• Grant applications for achievements from 1 April 2020 – 30 September 2020 will be processed up to 31 December 2020.

• Any applications with achievements from 1 October 2020 onwards will be rejected.

What next?

While we appreciate that these decisions and the method of delivery will not be welcome, with the limited timescales available we wanted to provide as much notice as possible, to enable you to prepare for any impact these changes might have.

Should you have any specific queries in the interim, please contact:

• Tel 0344 994 4455
• Email: levy.grant@citb.co.uk

On behalf of CITB, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your understanding around the changes we need to make to enable us to continue to meet our obligations and support our industry.

Kind wishes,

Sarah Beale

Chief Executive

Good afternoon,

I hope you’re having a good week. Today’s email contains important information on grant changes; a reminder about the Construction Talent Retention Scheme; news of free mental wellbeing training; and, finally, proposed changes to CITB’s size and structure.

Following the decision in June to cut Levy bills by 25% across the next two years, CITB has seen its income reduce by £166m. Despite this reduced income, we have accelerated Apprenticeship Grants and prioritised Apprenticeship Support and Direct Employer Funding within our Skills Stability Plan.  The immediate support we have been able to make available, together with the ongoing impact of Covid-19, has had a severe impact to CITB’s financial position.

As we move forward, it will therefore be more essential than ever that we continue to scrutinise the grants that we provide to support areas of greatest value to industry. This will ensure we invest industry funds correctly and with restricted funding, protect priority areas. We are therefore making the following changes to existing grants:

Degree-Placement Work Experience Grant

The Degree-Placement Work Experience Grant was claimed by only 108 employers last year, with half of those claiming less than £10,000. As a result, we are introducing a cap of £10,000 for each employer to claim for training undertaken from 1 April 2020 – 30 September 2021, with the eventual removal of the grant from 1 October 2021. Further details including deadlines to submit your application can be found here.

Plant Additional Unit Achievement Grant

Under the 2018 Grant Scheme Review, the Additional Unit Grant was highlighted as requiring review however this was not undertaken at the time. Whilst the review has not been carried out, in the current climate this additional grant cannot continue to be supported. This grant is therefore being withdrawn from 1 October 2020. Further information is available on our website.

We recognise the importance of funding to the plant sector and continue to invest significant levels. The full Plant Operations NVQs, short courses for plant related training, and CPCS theory and practical tests continue to be eligible for grant funding, and we will of course, continue to fund Plant Apprenticeship grants.

Those most adversely affected by the changes have already been notified. These difficult decisions have been made to enable us to continue to meet our obligations and support our industry.

Construction Talent Retention Scheme

Following the successful launch of the Talent Retention Scheme last month, we continue to work with the Construction Leadership Council and other partners to develop this initiative. To be the success we need it to be and secure ongoing support, we are encouraging as many employers and people looking for roles as possible to register on the platform.

If you missed the webinars that were hosted at launch these can still be viewed here, alongside a short introductory video.

Mental wellbeing training through the Lighthouse Club

Launched during Mental Health Awareness week in May, the Lighthouse Club has extended their series of free workshops for the rest of the year. The online ‘Wellbeing Sessions’ provide an introduction into important subjects, such as coping with stress and mindfulness, as well as CV writing and interview preparation.

There are many benefits to mental wellbeing training, find out more and register your interest here.

Proposed changes at CITB

CITB announced yesterday a formal consultation with trade unions and employee representatives over proposals to reduce staffing levels, reflecting the ongoing impact Covid-19 has had on construction and for CITB, the projected significant reduction in Levy over the next three years. The proposed changes to CITB’s size and structure will allow us to focus expenditure on directly supporting construction employers with their key needs. We remain committed to working with construction partners and to the delivery of our current Skills Stability Plan. We will launch a four-year strategic plan covering 2021-25 in late September.

A reminder…

CITB’s COVID-19 Urgent Messages page is refreshed daily and includes updates on the full range of our work. You can also read the range of support measures made available to UK businesses and employees by the UK Government.

Finally, I would like to wish you all a restful Bank Holiday weekend.

Kind wishes,

Sarah Beale

Chief Executive

Good afternoon,

Today’s email contains direct debit guidance for Levy-paying employers, details of Government support to SMEs across the UK and an update on the Construction Talent Retention Scheme.

Direct debit guidance for Levy-paying employers

Recognising the cash-flow challenges faced in the wake of COVID-19, we looked at ways to reduce the amount of Levy employers would be asked to pay over the next two years. As well as the break from paying the Levy between April and September 2020, we’re proposing a 50% reduction to the 2020 Levy rates for Levy that is raised in 2021/22, in order to provide help when it is most needed.

The amount you will need to pay for 2020/21 (for the 2018/19 tax year) will be reflected in the 2019 Levy Assessment Notice, that you’ll receive by post later this month.

What this means for Direct Debit installments

 To ensure the Levy break this year is ‘real’, we extended the period over which regular payments can be made from 10 – 12 months. To help spread payments, we’re offering extended interest-free Direct Debit instalments over a full 12 months.

Direct Debit instalments are normally collected in the 10 months between May and February, but will now be collected over 12 months, from September 2020 to August 2021. Then for the Levy raised in 2021/22 – when we are proposing a 50% rate reduction – six installments will be collected, from September 2021 to February 2022.

To take advantage of this, you’ll need to complete and return a Direct Debit mandate that will accompany the 2019 Levy Assessment Notice.

If you already have a Direct Debit in place there’s nothing you need to do – existing Direct Debits will automatically switch to the new instalment plan outlined above.

 Government support to SMEs across the UK

Governments across the UK are offering support to SMEs coping with the impact of COVID-19. I hope these links are useful.

In England the Small Business Leadership Programme and Peer Networks aims to enhance resilience and recovery amongst SMEs. Details here. Scottish Enterprise are also offering a range of resources. Details here.

Meanwhile, Business Wales are providing independent support and advice to people starting and growing a business in Wales. Details here.

Construction Talent Retention Scheme (CTRS)

The aim of the CTRS, which is being led by the Construction Leadership Council, is to match workers at risk of redundancy with jobs across the UK. It is vital that the construction industry holds onto as many of its skilled workforce as possible.

Since its launch on July 24th, 570 organisations have registered for the CTRS with over 317 vacancies posted.

If you’re an employer looking to recruit you can register for the CTRS here.

If you’re willing to take on an apprentice who has been made redundant please contact the CTRS here or get in touch with CITB.

A reminder…

CITB’s COVID-19 Urgent Messages page is refreshed daily and includes updates on the full range of our work.

You can also read the range of support measures made available to UK businesses and employees by the UK Government.

I hope you and your colleagues have a fruitful week. My next update will be on Wednesday 19 August.

Kind wishes,

Sarah Beale

Chief Executive

“Dear Member,

The SSCTG had arranged, in partnership with The Academy for Construction People and The Association for Specialist Fire Protection, the 7-day IFE Level 3 Certificate in Passive Protection course to be held in Scotland originally in April 2020.  Unfortunately, this was postponed as a result of the coronavirus.

 We are now taking notes of interest and if you would like more information on this course, and to be kept informed of the new date (which would be dates in December 2020) – please advise by return.

 The 7 days training will range across several weeks at the Academy for Construction People, Nisbet Business Centre, 30 Nisbet Street, Glasgow,  G31 5HB on dates to be confirmed over December 2020.

 Syllabus:

Please find attached the course syllabus for further information on the modules undertaken on this course and the recommended reading list.

 Exam:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:- The exam is run independent to the ASFP by the IFE (Institute of Fire Engineers). Delegates who wish to sit the exam will need to book on to the exam once it is open. The exam dates, booking form and further information can be found on the IFE website by following the link below. The booking forms for the exam MUST be returned directly to IFE as advised on the examination form.

 https://www.ife.org.uk/Qualifications

 There will be a discount offered to CITB Registered SSCTG members on the advertised Course Cost. 

 Please contact the Group direct if interested in enrolling on this course, or if you require any further information.

 Scottish Specialist Contractors Training

 T: 0141 554 2947

F: 0141 554 3020

E: info@ssctc.co.uk

 https://www.facebook.com/ssctcgroup