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West Midlands

See details of local industry events, support and networks 

What's happening in your area

​Learn more about grants and funds with your local adviser Lorna Banks

A key part of my role is to ensure that all registered employers in my area are aware of the grants and funding that are available to help support you with your training plans.

With that in mind, I would like to invite you to attend a 1:1 meeting with me. These sessions can last up to one hour and are an excellent opportunity for you to see how CITB can support your business and how you can access the grants and funding that CITB offers for construction training.

If you would like to keep a preferred date and time free and book one of these 1:1 sessions below, please email me or call (details below) and let me know.

If you can't attend on any of these dates and you would still like to meet with me to discuss the possible financial support available, please get in touch and I will happily arrange a visit to your office at a convenient time for you.

If you wish to find out more about the grants and funding we offer for construction training please see: What you can get funding for

Employer surgeries are being held on the following dates:

  • 7 April at The Mitchell Room, Technology Centre, Wolverhampton Science Park, Wolverhampton WV10 9RU
  • 23  April at Walsall Colllege, Green Lane Campus 8:30-4.00
  • 11 June at Walsall Colllege, Green Lane Campus 8:30-4.00
  • 16 July at Walsall Colllege, Green Lane Campus 8:30-4.00

To book into one of the surgeries please email me: 

or call me on: 07866786443

Business support services

Black Country Growth Hub

Black Country businesses can access a wide range of support and expertise to help them improve competitiveness and grow through:

  • a single point of contact
  • funding and finance options
  • export opportunities
  • innovation and product development guidance
  • skills and training
  • incubation/start-up support
  • legal/regulatory support
  • premises and relocation information
  • assistance in developing your growth plan
  • specialist advice and consultancy.

Contact

The region is undergoing a period of significant inward investment, with many millions of pounds being spent on a number of important infrastructure projects, including the arrival of HS2, the Midland Metro expansion and the Midland Metropolitan Hospital to name just a few.

There will be thousands of business opportunities available within the HS2 supply chain alone, with significant contracts available across all sectors. Spread over a number of years, the work will require a wide range of capabilities and will be suitable for suppliers of all sizes.

https://www.bcgrowthhub.com/supply/

Funding to help you grow

Midlands Engine Investment Fund offers four different funding options to help your business grow, ranging from small business loans to fund start-ups, to later-stage equity investment that allows established businesses to continue growing.

See MEIF Website for details 

WMCA - Brownfield Land & Property Development Fund
The Brownfield Land & Property Development Fund (BLPDF) enables the unlocking of sites, remediates the industrial legacy and brings forward investable propositions. The fund is designed to regenerate brownfield sites across the WMCA’s geography, including the Black Country. Eligible projects include commercial, industrial, offices, residential, retail and leisure, with investments starting from £500k to a maximum £5m.

See Frontier Development Capital website for details 


WMCA – Commercial Investment Fund

The West Midlands Combined Authority Commercial Investment Fund (WMCA CIF) supports the acceleration of commercial property developments within the West Midlands area. It is a revolving fund that aims to underpin the region’s long term growth and stability. Created by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) the fund is open to property developers within the WMCA geography, including the Black Country. Eligible projects include: commercial, light industrial and residential regeneration opportunities (residential as part of a mixed scheme), with investments from £1m to £7m.

See Frontier Development Capital website for details 

Heritage Enterprise

Heritage Lottery Fund supports all kinds of projects, as long as they make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities. Their funding is used to record the diverse stories of your community, breathe new life into a historic park, create vibrant town centres, and much more.

A range of different grant programmes is available with grants from £3,000 to over £5million.

See Heritage Fund website for details 

Training groups in your area

There are two training groups at present for the Black Country:

Midlands Construction Training Group

Area coverage: Construction Employers based in the Midlands
Key contact: Debbie Westwood

Tel: 07748 300796
Emai:  

Midlands Roof Training Group 

Group Training Officer: Paul Harper

Tel: 07968 505161
Email: 

Contact your local customer engagement advisor

Lorna Banks

Lorna Banks, CITB Advisor Black Country

I have always had a passion for construction, starting in my parents’ home as an inquisitive 14-year-old, 'helping' install the central heating system - I'm a great pipe bender! Having spent thirty years in Apprenticeships, Education and training, as a National Training Manager. I joined CITB in March 2017, originally as an Apprentice Officer before being promoted to the Advisor role.

My main focus is ensuring that employers know about the full range of CITB grants and funding that are on offer and how this can help businesses grow and thrive. I also support the many construction stakeholders in the region through partnerships and relationship building.

Tel: 07866 786443
Email: 
Twitter: @LornaBanks@CITB1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-banks-3247547a/

What's happening in your area

There are currently no events taking place in your local area. Please contact your adviser Phil Warwick (see below) for more details.

Business support services

Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub
                                                                      
Launched in 2014, the Growth Hub has created approximately 2,400 jobs, added £89m in gross value and secured more than £65m in private sector investment for business. The Growth Hub also offers invaluable mentoring, financial advice, growth planning and networking opportunities all at no cost, and with the company’s commercial objectives firmly in mind.

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce

 The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce can provide free coaching and advice to individuals looking to start their own business, or those businesses in their first twelve months of trading. Support and advice includes:

  • Free workshops providing insight into business planning, finance and marketing.
  • Advice and guidance on aspects involved in setting up a business.
  • One-to-one mentoring from a Business Adviser.
  • Support on sourcing and securing financial assistance.

Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme

The Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme provides one-to-one and one-to-many support activities, targeted at new start-ups and established businesses with growth potential. The support is provided by a range of experienced local providers and includes:

  • support to people looking to start a business
  • support to help established businesses address barriers to growth
  • specialist sector support
  • workshops, events and seminars to provide networking and supply chain opportunities

Funding to help your business grow

Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) funding

The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership offers a comprehensive package of grants and loans to businesses.

Local businesses with investment proposals are invited to complete an expression of interest form. The CWLEP and its partners will then work with you to identify the best fit. This could be one of the CWLEP’s funds or it might be a programme delivered regionally or nationally. Regardless, you will be guided through the process and, if your proposal is suitable, you will be helped to complete an application form.

Find out more on the CWLEP website

Business investment in Coventry

Support for new and existing businesses, start-ups and small, medium and large companies.

Contact:

Warwickshire County Council - small capital grants

We offer small capital grants to small businesses with growth plans. The funding is part of a £2 million package of business loans and grants agreed by the county council to support Warwickshire’s businesses. Grants - of between £5,000 and £35,000 are available to micro and small businesses for capital projects.

For information and to apply for a grant contact the Business Investment Team

Training groups

There are no training groups specifically for the Warwickshire area. You may want to contact a nearby group.

Midlands Construction Training Group

Area coverage: Construction Employers based in the Midlands
Key contact: Debbie Westwood

Tel: 07748 300796
Email:  Website: http://mctg.co.uk/

Contact your local customer engagement advisor

Phil Warwick


I started my career in construction as a trainee consultant engineer where I soon became one of the leads on designing the electrical schematics for new builds for the Burton Group.

I changed careers in the 1990s and entered the world of advice and guidance. The last 20 or so years have then been primarily in this field working across a variety of environments including DWP, schools, colleges and training providers.

I then chose to re-engage with the construction industry and utilise my skills in this area as well as my advice and guidance skills to become the CITB Advisor for Coventry & Warwickshire.

Tel: 07776 226051
Email:
Twitter: @PhilWarwick4
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/phil-warwick-4b6a8930

Contact your local customer engagement advisor

Davina Lowe
Tel: 07796 994944
Email: 

  • What's happening in your area

    We will be arranging CITB grant and funding surgeries across Greater Birmingham in the coming months. Further information to follow.

    Working Well Together (WWT) was set up as a joint industry/HSE initiative to help the industry improve its health and safety performance – particularly among the smaller construction businesses.

    WWT offers training days focussed on health and safety. Many of the events are free. In the West Midlands the active WWT groups are Birmingham, Worcestershire and Herefordshire and Staffordshire and Shropshire.

    See the list of planned events and find out more about WWT

    Business services support

    Greater Birmingham and Solihull Growth Hub can help advise on funding, finance and support available locally and can work with you to develop your business, your staff and realise your growth ambitions. The Growth Hub has information on funding available at all stages of your business development. You can use the online service to do an initial finance search and you can arrange to speak to a business advisor.

    Find out more from the GBSLEP website

    Solihull for Success is a business support service for businesses looking to locate, start up and grow in Solihull.

    Support includes:

    • Start Up Businesses – for the latest support and information, contact our Enterprise for Success advisors.
    • Business Growth Programme 2 Grant Schemes:
      • Property Investment Programme (PIP) Grant Scheme: to encourage the improvement and development of key vacant, derelict or underused properties and sites for economic use, the grant programme will operate in the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) area.
      • ART Business Loans: A Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) which provides business loans of between £10,000 and £150,000 to businesses and social enterprises in the West Midlands that are unable to receive their full funding requirements from their bank.
      • Venture Capital/Business Angel Networks: There are a range of options within the West Midlands that specialise in finance for both early stage and established businesses.

    Visit Solihull for Success website for details 

    Workwise travel support gives jobseekers a helping hand with travel costs, offering 50% off bus, train and tram travel passes for up to 12 weeks.

    This offer is available to jobseekers who live in, or are registered with, a Jobcentre in the West Midlands to overcome travel barriers.

    Further information on the workwise web pages 

    Funding to help your business grow

    The Greater Birminghan and Solihull Growth Hub has information on funding available at all stages of your business development. You can use the online service to do an initial finance search and you can arrange to you can arrange to speak to a business advisor.

    https://www.gbslepgrowthhub.co.uk/business-advice 

    Training groups in your area

    There are three groups active in your area:

    Training groups in your area
    Name Area covered Key contact details
    Herefordshire and Worcestershire Construction Training Group Construction Employers based in Herefordshire and Worcestershire

    Key contact: 
    Chair of the group: 

    Postal address:
    Hill Cross Barn
    Tedstone Delamere
    Herefordshire, HR7 4PR
    Hire Train Plant hire companies across the UK

    Chair of the group: 

    Postal address:
    2450 Regents Court
    The Crescent
    Birmingham Business Park
    Solihull, B37 7YE
    Website: www.hae.org.uk 

     

    Midlands Construction Training Group

    		 Construction Employers based in the Midlands

    Key contact: 
    Chair of the group: 

    Postal address:
    Unit 39 Austcliffe Park
    Kidderminster, DY10 3UR

    Training projects already funded by CITB

    CITB provided £122,569 to support a project led by BAM Nuttall focussed on Tackling the Gender Pay Gap – Progression for Women in Construction.

    Women into Construction are working with Bam Nuttall, Bouygues, Ardmore Construction, other Tier 1 construction companies and their supply chains to identify barriers, challenge employers’ working practices, behaviours and cultural norms.

    This project will allow WiC to deliver advice and guidance, training and mentoring to support low-paid female construction workers progress into better paid, more secure employment in the future

    The project started in Feb 2019 and will run to September 2020 across the South East and The Midlands.

Contact your local customer engagement advisor

Sarah Duignan

I was born in Birmingham, I really love the city and the vibrant feel it provides. Construction is booming across Birmingham and I am happy to support you with local knowledge, CITB funding, Grants CITB products and services, Career information and local projects. I can provide you with information on relevant stakeholders that also work across Birmingham that may also provide support for your business.

Tel: 07471025774
Email: 

What's happening in your area

There are currently no events scheduled in your area. Please check this page occasionally for updates.

Business services support

The Marches Growth Hub ​ 

https://www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk/

The Marches LEP

https://www.marcheslep.org.uk/

Worcestershire Growth Hub acts in partnership with Greater Birmingham & Solihull Growth Hub. There's a variety of support available.

See the GBSLEP website for details

Worcestershire Business Central

Including European Regional Development funded projects and European Skills funded projects

See the Business Central website for details

Funding for Midlands business

Finance your growth plans with a business loan from £100,000 to £1.5m.

See the Maven website for details

Training groups

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Construction Training Group

This group supports construction employers based in Herefordshire and Worcestershire

Shropshire Construction Training Group

Area coverage: Construction Employers based in Shropshire

Please contact the group co-ordinator for full details of available training programmes and other group activities.​

Contact your local customer engagement advisor

Trevor Oakley

My passion for construction began at an early age. I grew up on a farm and built my first brick wall at age 15. My career pathway started as an Agricultural Apprentice but on completion, decided to leave the milking of cows behind and follow my passion for wood and train as a Cabinet Maker, Upholsterer and Antique Restorer.

Having run my own business and passed on my skills through teaching I became very poorly and had to look at a career change. I became involved with Apprenticeships and Careers Guidance but finally, my opportunity to reconnect with the construction industry presented itself by way of the CITB Marches and Worcestershire Advisor role.

Contact:

Tel: 07827358406
Email:  
Twitter: @Trevor_O_CITB
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-oakley-318093105

You may also be interested in...

Find out how local employers can benefit from taking on an apprentice for a short duration in our Shared Apprenticeship Scheme

Find out more about the National Skills Academy for Construction, led by CITB and approved by industry

Contact a local CITB advisor

CITB Advisers can support you in diagnosing skills gaps, advising on apprenticeships, legislation and training, as well as signposting you to other sources of help and advice.

Contact a local adviser