East Midlands

CITB Advisers can support and guide you in terms of accessing CITB training, grants, funding and apprenticeships. In addition, they can signpost you to other sources of support, help and advice, including local partners and networks, for example Growth Hubs and local initiatives. Please find their contact information below

Contact your local CITB team

Bedfordshire and North Hertfordshire

Sharon Charles - Engagement Adviser
Tel: 07407 870 116
Email: sharon.charles@citb.co.uk
Sharon Charles is covering Bedfordshire and Luton SG Post code for North Hertfordshire.

Sinead Hipwell - Nest Adviser
Email address: Sinead.Hipwell@citb.co.uk
Sinead can support with all aspects of apprenticeships

Support to grow your business

Chamber of Commerce
A business network designed to promote and protect companies in the county.

Website (Bedfordshire): www.chamber-business.com

Financial support and services to help you recruit and train staff

Workpays
An organisation to assist you in finding work-ready candidates and courses to boost employability.

Website: www.workpays.co.uk

Contact your local CITB team

Derbyshire

Alex McClymont - Engagement Adviser
Tel: 07342 700358
Email: alex.mcclymont@citb.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-mcclymont-812221215/

Nottinghamshire

Andrea Russell  - Engagement Adviser
Tel: 07393 796340
Email: andrea.russell@citb.co.uk 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-russell-a578002a/

Covering Nottingham, Derby

Vicky Proctor - New Entrant Support Adviser
Tel: 07721 573409
Email: vicky.proctor@citb.co.uk 
Vicky can support with all aspects of apprenticeships

What's happening in your area

Employer Networks

Employer Networks are an initiative set up and funded by CITB aiming to simplify the way you get the support and funding you need to access the training you want.

Support to grow your business

East Midlands Chamber

East Midlands Chamber are the leading business representation organisation in the region, the voice for business and the 2018 British Chambers of Commerce Chamber of the Year.  The Chamber is renowned across the region for enhancing Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire businesses and communities.

D2N2 Growth Hub

The D2N2 Growth Hub is a vital support network for growing and ambitious businesses across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. It gives businesses access to workshops, events, the latest funding news and any regional or national programmes that will help with the business growth plans.

Financial support and services to help you recruit and train staff

Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF)

Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) offer Small Business Loans £25,000 – £150,000.

Construction Talent Retention Scheme

The Construction Leadership Council’s Talent Retention Scheme helps talented individuals showcase their experience and expertise while helping businesses find the skills they need.

Government Incentive Payments for Hiring an Apprentice

Incentive payments for employers who hired a new apprentice

Training Groups

Action for Construction

Action for Construction is a member organisation made up of construction companies based in the East Midlands. Training Groups receive funding from CITB to support levy registered employers identify and access high-quality cost-effective training. They provide advice and guidance on mandatory and skill specific training, offer support to plan training needs, and help employers access high quality and cost-effective Approved Training Organisations. 

  • Cost effective training 

  • Ease of identifying training 

  • Time and resource saving for employers 

  • Advice, guidance, and support 

  • Future planning 

  • Networking 

  • Provide help to give small and micro employers a voice to CITB and wider industry

Contact your local CITB Team

South Hertfordshire

Anneli Somlo - Engagement Adviser
Tel: 07768 083882
Email: anneli.somlo@citb.co.uk
Anneli can assist with accessing grants and funding.

Joanna Young - New Entrant Support Adviser
Tel: 07435 739165
Email joanna.young@citb.co.uk
Joanna can support with all aspects of Apprenticeships

North Hertfordshire

Sharon Charles - Engagement Adviser
Tel: 07407 870116
Email: Sharon.Charles@citb.co.uk
Sharon can assist with accessing grants and funding.

Joanna Young - New Entrant Support Adviser
Tel: 07435 739165
Email joanna.young@citb.co.uk
Joanna can support with all aspects of Apprenticeships

Support to grow your business

Hertfordshire Growth Hub
The Hertfordshire Growth Hub help established businesses with real potential for growth to access the support they need to achieve even more. Their business advisers are industry experts, ready to work with you to diagnose exactly what your business needs are and help you make it happen. The support you'll get is powerful, targeted, impartial and completely free.

The Hertfordshire Growth Package is an expanding range of specialist business support services tailored to meet the specific needs of SMEs and entrepreneurs.

Website: Hertfordshire Growth Hub
Tel: 01707 398168
Email: enquiries@hertsgrowthhub.com
Twitter: @HertsGrowthHub
LinkedIn: Hertfordshire Growth Hub

Help to train, recruit and fund your staff

Buckinghamshire College Group in partnership with Eiffage Kier
Eiffage Kier has secured CITB Construction Skills Funding to deliver construction training in Buckinghamshire & North Oxfordshire. Their target is to deliver training to 650 individuals in the locality of the HS2 central section. Training needs to be delivered by March 2020 and 30% of those trained need to go into employment.

Training will be delivered across three targeted programmes aligned to HS2 construction works, including:

  • Entry into construction – inc. L1 Construction Skills, Manual Handling, Health & Safety, CSCS card (Plan to train 450 individuals through this programme).

  • Plant operatives – CPCS card (Plan to train 100 individuals through this route).

  • Women into Construction – focus on IEMA Institute of Environment Management & Assessment and IOSH Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (Plan to train 100 people through this route).

This is a physical course due to its plastering focus, and candidates will need to be prepared for the physicality of it. In addition, candidates need to be aware that as this is not a college, so there is no onsite provision for SEN, although they will happily accommodate a scribe or reader if they accompany the learner. Steel toe cap boots are also a requirement for attending this course.

All courses are currently running with courses being started on a monthly basis.

Buckinghamshire College Group in conjunction with Eiffage Kier have launched these new pathways into construction this month (May) with two and three week courses that are all completely free of charge. For those looking for a physical hands on role or others seeking a move into construction management, these short courses, taught either at their campuses in Aylesbury or High Wycombe, have been developed to equip applicants with the skills necessary to allow them to progress in their chosen field. 

Free CITB Construction Skills courses for all at Bucks College Group

Contact your local CITB team

Louise Thorpe - Engagement Adviser
Tel: 07721 573542
Email: louise.thorpe@citb.co.uk 

Sarah Roberson – New Entrant Support Adviser
Tel: 07765341896
Email: sarah.roberson@citb.co.uk
Sarah can support with all aspects of Apprenticeships

What's happening in your area

Employer Networks

Employer Networks are an initiative set up and funded by CITB aiming to simplify the way you get the support and funding you need to access the training you want.

Business support services

Business Gateway Growth Hub

The Business Gateway is part of the national Growth Hub network. We provide tailored, commercially focused and joined-up advice that’s free, impartial and delivered with one goal in mind: increasing your bottom line.

You can access expert support, diagnostic services, signposting and free workshops to help your business growth. To speak with an adviser call or email the hub:

Contact: 

Onsite Training Hub

CITB is funding a construction employability project that trains people to be site-ready for construction career opportunities. If you are looking for new talent, please contact the Hub Project Manager, Richard Thorpe, on 07541 612726 or Richard.Thorpe@leicester.gov.uk.

Midlands Engine Investment Fund

The Midlands Engine Investment Fund offers SMEs the opportunity to apply for a variety of funds to help support their growth.

For more information visit the MEIF website

Training Groups

There is currently one Training Group covering the Leicestershire area:

Leicestershire Construction Training Group.
Website: www.lctg.org.uk

Contact your local CITB team

Carole Jones - Engagement Adviser
Tel: 07500 605169
Email: carole.jones@citb.co.uk
Carole can assist you to access CITB grants and funding

Sarah Roberson – New Entrant Support Adviser
Tel: 07765 341896
Email: sarah.roberson@citb.co.uk
Sarah can support with all aspects of Apprenticeships

What's happening in your area

Employer Networks

Employer Networks are an initiative set up and funded by CITB aiming to simplify the way you get the support and funding you need to access the training you want. Start accessing this support today – contact Carole Jones for further details.

Employers who have accessed funded training through the local Employer Network already had this to say about their experiences:

  • ‘Extremely beneficial, we were unaware of what funding might be available before we were involved in the network. We were inspired by it all. We never anticipated what funding was available. 'It's been massive benefit'

  • ‘Excellent - I think the fact we could tap into something quite easily without having to go through reams of paperwork, applications etc is such a help to a business like us. We are quite time poor as we have so much going on, so anything to get things moving quickly is welcome.’

  • ‘It's fantastic, really helpful and a super easy way of organising training'

Business Services Support

LEP support from Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub

The Growth Hub is a single place to go to for business experts and mentors, support and guidance, grants and finance. Business Lincolnshire have a host of useful information and resources including a toolbox with downloadable guides, free webinars, useful links and videos designed to help you on your business journey. 

Visit the Business Lincolnshire website for details

Greater Lincolnshire’s Growth Hub hosts six skilled and experienced business advisers. When you book an appointment with a Growth Hub Adviser you will be assigned a named adviser. 

Make initial contact through:  0300 456 3565 or the website link above.

Training Groups

CITB supported Construction Training Groups are made up primarily of construction industry employers. Members benefit from discounted training, networking and events aligned to local industry themes, and can also participate in projects that promote construction as an attractive career.

Lincolnshire is serviced by three Construction Training Groups:

Contact your local CITB team

Northamptonshire

Emma Cook - Engagement Adviser
Tel: 07780 956896
Email: Emma.Cook2@citb.co.uk
Emma can assist you to access CITB grants and funding

Daniel Aitchison - New Entrant Employer Support Adviser
Tel: 07780 198007
Email: Daniel.Aitchison@citb.co.uk
Daniel can support with all aspects of Apprenticeships

What's happening in your area

Employer Networks are an initiative set up and funded by CITB aiming to simplify the way you get the support and funding you need to access the training you want.

Support to grow your business

Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce is a business network designed to promote and protect companies in the county.