The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has launched a £250,000 skills pilot project to accelerate building safety remediation across the country.
The funding will be used to upskill 100 rainscreen facade system installers and 24 supervisors across England, Scotland and Wales.
The training courses will be free to attend and are expected to begin in early 2026.
CITB has awarded the two-year contract to Wigan-headquartered 3B Training, a multi-accredited CITB Approved Training Organisation that recently became part of the Morson Group.
The government launched in December 2024 a Remediation Acceleration Plan to fix all unsafe high-rises in government-funded schemes in England by the end of 2029.
The Scottish government has also launched several building remediation schemes.
The Welsh government introduced its Building Safety (Wales) Bill this month with the intent of establishing clearer lines of responsibility for managing building safety risks.
Updating training
CITB said it has been working with employers, the government “and other stakeholders” to put in place updated training for the inspection and installation of facades that meet the latest fire safety standards.
Tim Balcon, chief executive at CITB, said: “Our research shows investment is needed to ensure we have the capability and competency.
“So we’re working with governments, industry and the Construction Leadership Council to publish these new standards for training providers across the country and increase the number of competent installers and supervisors as quickly as possible.”
Mathew Bewley, managing director at 3B Training, said: “One of the key recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry was that installers of cladding systems undergo mandatory standardised training.
“Along with being appointed to deliver this training, we will also assemble a steering group of experts to help define the course content.
“It is a source of both enormous pride and responsibility to deliver this work, which will fulfil this recommendation and help to ensure that a tragedy like Grenfell cannot happen again.”
