About Training Groups

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.

Training Groups work hand in hand with the CITB Engagement team, to ensure that as many registered employers as possible access support for their training needs.

The Training Group grant does not fund non training activity, such as careers or standard development.

Local Training Groups are 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 is headed by an elected Chairperson to lead the group in planning activities. A dedicated Group Training Officer supports the group members by providing advice and guidance on training needs, co-ordinating the training schedule and organising training – often booking this for employers, especially for small and micro sized businesses.

Some Training Groups charge their members a small fee to join. This helps support the Training Group with providing networking opportunities and other activities.

Group members who are also Levy-registered can also benefit from other CITB training grants for courses or qualifications .

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

Training Group members are passionate about their Groups, and it is easy to see why.

Cost effective training - By leveraging the economies of scale a TG has with multiple employers accessing the same training, the Group Training Officer (GTO) can negotiate discounted training directly with Training Providers.  Some Groups achieve a saving of up to 40% against the market rate for some training courses, and pass this saving directly on to their members.

Ease of identifying training – GTOs forge links with quality Training Providers, usually ATOs, so can easily help an employer identify the most suitable training and provider for their needs. 

Time and resource saving for employers – GTOs help employers with the work of booking training. TG members can make one call to their GTO who will identify a suitable high quality Training Provider and in many cases book the training on their behalf. This support is particularly valuable for small and micro employers who don’t have their own HR department.

Advice, guidance, and support – GTOs have a wealth of knowledge and experience in construction training, and from them TG members can easily get the advice, guidance or information they need rather than research themselves. GTOs work closely with CITB Engagement Advisors to provide a joined up service to employers.

Future planning – Some TGs work with their members to support with future planning of training. This also helps employers who apply for funding, such as CITB’s Skills and Training fund, by scoping out future requirements. Advice on value added training as well as mandatory training can be provided.

Networking – TGs often organise meetings and events where employers are able to come together and share best practice or other ideas.

TGs help give small and micro employers a voice to CITB and wider industry – TGs are able to be the collective ‘voice’ for their members, and are able to help all employers feedback on industry matters.

Find and join your local Training Group.

There are currently 87 Training Groups, stretching all the way from Shetland to Cornwall. We are not currently looking to set up any additional Training Groups.