The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) recently announced a range of changes to its grants and funding system. Here, CEO Tim Balcon tells CM People why the changes have been made and how they will impact the industry
Why have the changes to funding and grants been made?
For too long, there have been too many hoops for employers to jump through to gain access to training and funding.
We consistently hear from employers that they want a simpler route to funding, and an easier training system to navigate.
It’s also important to note that we’ve seen a significant increase in demand for our services over the last few years, and we’ve similarly been engaging many more employers.
In fact, between 2022-2024, there was a 17% increase in levy paid, balanced against a 50% increase in grants paid out during the same period.
What are the perceived benefits of the changes?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to supporting the industry, but it’s vital we strive to make the system work best for each and every employer.
It is good news we have more employers engaged in more training. However, supporting more employers with the same amount of levy comes with challenges.
Consequently, we need to carefully restructure how we can spread the benefit and value of the levy to support all employers and be more discerning where value is created.
That is the premise for this change – the way funding is accessed must change in order for us to support more employers.
This is about delivering the most value for the greatest number of employers. We want to make sure that we maximise the levy that goes back into generating skills in our industry.
There has been some criticism around the relatively short notice for the industry – is this fair?
As a result of initiatives like Employer Networks, we have seen a 25% increase in demand for our services. That steep rise in demand means we have to act quickly and decisively to ensure we can support even more employers.
It has been our intent to streamline the way we fund employers – to make it easier for them to access training – and we have consulted on this over the last three years.
Why are Employer Networks the right solution for the industry?
Employer Networks provide bespoke, easy-to-access training and financial support for employers, giving them a direct channel to communicate their training needs and advise on how funding should be prioritised and allocated in their local area.
Additionally, they enable CITB to be more responsive to industry needs on both regional and national levels.
More than 4,000 employers were supported via Employer Networks throughout the 24/25 financial year.
Furthermore, between April to July 2025, more than 2,700 employers have been supported, demonstrating the speed at which they’re growing and supporting the industry.
We’re committed to ensuring Employer Networks have the resources needed to support this transition.
Maybe it is time for change, however seldom does an increase in money really transfer to an increase in service. It may be time to consider the purpose of the CITB and try to understand where it would best serve the construction industry. This may not be wholesale training for the entire industry and maybe it should focus on pathway programs which include monitoring training for those that want to to come in to the industry. As one who benefited to the CITB training program in my teens i was very grateful for the support, however as my career developed i found their services less necessary and the burden of training fell to my Employer, where potentially it should be. It is plain to see that the industry is declining and core skills are being diminishing so the entry end is where the focus needs to be?