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Small and medium sized businesses across the construction industry are feeling the pressure of rising costs. And that’s why, to cover much-needed training and certificate updates for site staff, SIAD Group worked with their CITB adviser to put in a funding application to support their annual training budget.

As a family-run company with 45 years of successful trading under its belt, Hawkins Group is in a position to give something back. This year, thanks to financial support from the CITB, the company has been able to employ and develop six apprenticeships to help tackle the skills gap within the construction industry.

2022 was a tough year. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was arguably the biggest conflict since World War Two. Meanwhile at home, rising inflation, interest rates, and a cost-of-living crisis took hold. The global and domestic upheaval impacted many industries including construction, one of the UK’s biggest growth drivers. This turbulence is reflected in our new Construction Skills Network (CSN) report.

This year, CITB has paid out over £5m more in grants and supported nearly 700 more employers compared to the same period in 2021. As we draw closer to the end of 2022, CITB data reveals that almost 12,500 businesses have been supported in the form of grants, with £54.6m paid out to date (Apr – Nov 2022), and more than half paid to small or micro businesses.

A school-based training facility which linked local people to employers who were struggling to recruit skilled workers scored top marks for delivery.

When aspiring joiner Willow Kehily was made redundant from her job in retail, she made a bold decision. The Cardigan-based mum decided to re-skill and pursue her interest in carpentry. It was a risky move. But it paid off. Within days of starting onsite construction training Willow knew she had made the right choice.

Green Careers Week is taking place for the first time this year (November 7-12), shining a spotlight on net zero jobs and green career pathways across all sectors, including construction. As part of the campaign, careers platform Talentview Construction (TVC) spoke to sustainability experts from across the sector about what their work involves.

CITB responded quickly to a host of challenges faced by the sector by investing in apprenticeships, launching a range of innovative initiatives, and working collaboratively with industry, the organisation’s 2021-22 Annual Report and Accounts reveal.

The first ever Green Careers Week takes place this month. The aim of the campaign, which runs from November 07-12 is to shine a light on green career pathways. CITB has just published a dynamic Net Zero Action Plan which looks at the construction skills needs of the future

CITB Chief Executive, Tim Balcon, who is a member of the CLC Task Force Group, said: “We welcome the CLC’s new three-year strategy and its focus on working collaboratively to deliver transformational change, boost productivity and create a more resilient industry, creating capability and capacity to deliver future growth.