About training groups

Training groups are local networks of construction employers who 'club together' and use their collective buying power to get discounted training for their workers. A group can be made up of employers in a variety of trades, or in the case of speciality training groups, members are from the same specialist construction sector or trade.

Each group normally elects a chair person to lead the group in planning and deciding what training to buy and organise for their workforce. A dedicated training officer supports the group by co-ordinating the training schedule and making course bookings.

CITB supports these training groups by providing a grant to subsidise some of the training costs. The group's training officer usually submits a claim for this grant on behalf of the group - it is not paid out directly to members of the group.

Group members who are also Levy-registered can also benefit from other CITB training grants for courses or qualifications that their workers take in addition to those courses offered by the training group.

Promoting construction

Many of these CITB-supported training groups are also involved in helping promote construction as an attractive and fulfilling career choice in local schools and colleges. Several of the groups have produced their own careers pack for their members to use at school careers fairs, while other groups run training for their members on how to become a construction ambassador.

Standards and consultation

Several of the training groups contribute to the continual development of a training and/or occupational standard, including trailblazer apprenticeship standards. This contribution helps make sure that training and occupational standards are up to date and reflect the needs the industry.

Find your a training group in your area and learn about available training programmes and other group activities.

As a member of a training group, you can:

• get discounted training for courses run in your local area; your workers spend less time off-the-job/site as a result
• get some additional financial support above and beyond what is available through one of CITB's training grants
• get support for training courses which are not currently eligible for a CITB grant
• network and pursue new business opportunities with other construction employers in your area
• get training on how to become a construction ambassador and promote construction as an attractive and fulfilling career choice in schools and colleges
• be part of a bigger voice that influences training strategies and policies for the industry in your area and across the UK
• help make sure that the ongoing development of occupational and training standards are up-to-date and reflect the needs of the job and the industry as a whole.

Being a member of a training group also means that you could be part of CITB-funded special training projects to bring new technology or innovative training methods into your area and the wider construction industry.

Find and join your local training group.

There are currently 75 training groups, stretching all the way from Shetland to Cornwall.

If there isn't a training group in your area, you could start one to benefit your company and other construction businesses in the area.

For help and CITB support to start a training group, contact your local advisor.

CITB supports training groups with a grant to help with training costs. The grant is paid to the group rather than each member of the group.

The following information is for training group officers on how to submit a grant claim for training conducted and/or administrative costs.

Claiming for training group administration and a support grant

To make a claim for administration and a support grant, you need to:

• fill in Administration and support grant claim form (Excel, 5MB; this file may not be compatible for users of assistive devices)
• make sure you include the following details:
  • name of the training group
  • list of members and their details (this can be found in the Membership details tab in the claims form file above)
  • detailed summary of all the training that was undertaken in the quarter. Your summary should include details of the challenge(s) that the training resolved, what was achieved, what went well and didn't go as well, and how you would improve things for the next quarter.
  • sign the declaration section
• highlight in red which member was active for the period of the claim (i.e. the quarter)
• submit this form at the end of each quarter (i.e. every three months) to your CITB local manager or Training Groups partnership manager.

We will not accept claims submitted more than a month after the end of each quarter, except in extraordinary circumstances

Payment schedule

Once CITB has received your form, we will process and review your claim. If we need more information, we will get in touch with you.

Successful claims will be paid within 28 days of you submitting your form.

The grant will be paid in 2 installments over the year:

• first quarter in arrears and second quarter in advance
• third quarter in arrears and fourth quarter in advance.

It is essential that you submit your claim for the second and fourth quarter within a month.

Claiming for additional training

To claim for additional training, you need to:

• fill in the Additional training grant claim form (Excel, 206KB; this file may not be compatible for users of assistive devices). There are 3 worksheets in the form to complete as appropriate
• make sure you include the following details:
  • name of the training group
  • the month that you are claiming funds for
  • list of members and their details (this can be found in the Main claim details tab in the claims form file above)
  • detailed summary of all the training was undertaken in the month
  • sign the declaration section
• if you have undertaken careers promotion activities, you will need to provide full details of this in the Careers worksheet
• if you have contributed to the development of training standards and qualifications, you will need to provide full details of this in the Standards and qualifications worksheet
• complete this form at the end of the month and submit it by the fifth working day of the next month to your CITB local manager or Training Groups partnership manager as well as email it to traininggroupgrants@citb.co.uk

Please note that you cannot claim for activities that were not agreed with CITB in your business plan (as set out in annex B and C of your funding agreement with us).

Processing and payment

Once CITB has received your form, we will process and pay your claim within 28 days of you submitting your form.

Claim forms submitted after the fifth working day of the month will not be processed until the following month. We may consider processing claims submitted after this date only under exceptional circumstances.