The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) continues to standardise plant training across the industry, with phase two of its new training standards due to be launched in June 2025. CITB also offers several ways to help registered employers cover the cost of this standardised plant training through two main ways.
- CITB Short Duration Grants, which vary based on the plant category and experience level, ranging from £250 to £880. These grants can be combined with the Skills and Training Fund to cover the full training cost. The Skills and Training Fund is available to CITB registered employers with fewer than 250 employees.
- Registered companies can book training through the CITB Employer Network, where CITB will pay 70% of the course cost, leaving employers to pay the remaining 30%.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE EMPLOYER NETWORK?
- Simplified Access to Training and Funding
When you join the CITB Employer Network, you’ll be paired with a local training advisor who handles everything — from booking your training to securing the funding. Just let them know what training you need, and they’ll take care of the rest — no paperwork, no complicated application process.
- 70% Funded Training
One of the biggest advantages of the CITB Employer Network is that CITB will fund 70% of your training costs! You only need to cover the remaining 30% directly to the training provider.
- No Forward Planning Required
Unlike other funding routes such as the Skills & Training Fund, the Employer Network doesn’t require you to plan training up to a year in advance. You can book training when you need it, offering flexibility for businesses that require ad-hoc or last-minute courses.
- A Wider Variety of Eligible Courses
Courses don’t necessarily need to be grant claimable or mapped to a CITB training standard to be booked through the Employer Network. There isn’t currently a set list of eligible courses, these are reviewed by the CITB Employer Network on a case-by-case basis depending on your training needs. In our experience you can get funding towards courses that aren’t claimable under other funding routes, such as the Skills & Training Fund or Achievement Grant. For example, IOSH Managing Safely and First Aid.
Employer Network funding can be used for courses delivered in a classroom or online as well as eLearning courses and NVQs.
- Available in Addition to Other Funding Routes
Employer Network funding can be used in conjunction with other funding routes, such as the Skills & Training Fund and Achievement Grant, as long as the multiple funding options aren’t used for the same training course. 3B Training can support you to maximise the funding you receive.
- Empowers Employers at a Local Level
As the CITB Employer Networks operate at a local level, they ensure that the training you receive is tailored to the specific needs of your region and industry and can adapt accordingly. Since their pilot in July 2022, these networks have proven to be a successful and valuable resource for many businesses across the UK.
WHO’S ELIGIBLE FOR THE EMPLOYER NETWORK?
To sign up to the CITB Employer Network you must be a CITB registered employer, have submitted your most recent levy return and be up to date with your levy payments. After that, it’s as simple as signing CITB’s Employer Network Commitment Statement. The commitment statement outlines both CITB’s responsibilities and yours as the Employer.
Unlike some other funding routes, there is no cap on the size of the employer, everyone is eligible.
To join the CITB Employer Network, you must be CITB-registered, have submitted your most recent levy return, and be up to date with your levy payments. Once that’s in place, all you need to do is sign CITB’s Employer Network Commitment Statement, which sets out the responsibilities of both CITB and you as the employer.
Unlike some other funding options, there’s no restriction on the size of your business — both small contractors and large employers can benefit.
As the UK’s leading construction training provider, we’ve helped many construction businesses successfully access this CITB funding, saving them considerable amounts on their training costs. If you’d like expert support to unlock funding and invest in your workforce, get in touch with our team today.
