From digital learning to building safety and new qualifications, the CIOB Academy has evolved with construction’s skills requirements. We speak to director Adrian Montague to find out more
The CIOB Academy marks its 10th anniversary this month, having grown from modest beginnings to a global digital learning business offering more than 400 training products to a fast-changing construction industry.
Launched in late 2016, the Academy initially focused on face-to-face training, but the Covid pandemic prompted a shift towards digital delivery, making its courses more accessible to professionals across the UK and internationally.
“We’re dealing with professionals who have full-time jobs, so we need to have solutions that match that,” says Academy director Adrian Montague, who joined in 2017.
Learning formats have evolved. Alongside qualifications that can take 12-18 months to complete, the Academy has introduced shorter, bite-sized courses that professionals can fit around their working lives.
“There’s a wider desire for shorter micro-style learning on key topics,” says Montague.
An example is the Academy’s Fire Safety Standards course, an interactive introduction to how buildings function as safety systems during a fire, which takes just 30 minutes.
Supporting career progression towards CIOB membership is a key objective of CIOB Academy. “Courses that provide routes to membership have always been popular,” Montague says.
Around 80% of Academy’s course delegates are non-members, which demonstrates its reach beyond CIOB’s existing membership and the appetite to become chartered, Montague says.
The course programme is also shaped by changing legislation and the industry’s increasing emphasis on competence.
The Building Safety Act has driven demand for new training courses, in some cases leading to new qualifications. These range from short-form awareness courses to a full day workshop providing an overview of the Act’s key requirements to a 14-month e-learning course leading to the CIOB Academy’s Diploma in Building Safety Management.
More than 300 enrolments in building and fire safety courses had been booked by the Academy up to the end of 2025, Montague reveals.
Today, the Academy offers more than 400 learning products, encompassing online qualifications, webinars, short courses and CPD resources, covering subjects ranging from contracts and project management to building safety and conservation. Revenue exceeded £1m for the first time in 2025.
Its digital approach is also helping the Academy respond to growing international demand. Montague says CIOB members in the Middle East, China, Hong Kong and Australasia are increasingly requesting learning content.
“Online delivery offers a practical way of reaching these professionals without the logistical and regulatory difficulties associated with organising face-to-face training overseas,” he explains.
The Academy is also exploring partnerships with international organisations and technology providers to broaden its offering, Montague adds.
Find out about the CIOB Academy’s six most popular training topics.
