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What we do

Advocating for industry

We are working for industry wherever we see opportunities to engage decision-makers, influence policy, and build dynamic partnerships across government, business and communities.
Our nationwide aims are to:

  • help government recognise industry needs for skills development
  • work with local enterprise partnerships, regional bodies and national administrations to support training priorities
  • strengthen relationships with employer groups, public sector clients and trade federations
  • improve industry representation on CITB committees
  • attract more people into construction and more employers to invest in training
  • campaign, persuade and influence for the benefit of industry.

For more information about our work, please contact 

Our advocacy team is working for UK construction on many fronts, including close collaboration with the government and other partners on careers initiatives, such as GoConstruct (External link - Opens in a new tab or window)Open Doors (External link - Opens in a new tab or window) and Pathways into Construction.
Currently, we have four priority areas.

Migration

Leaving the EU is likely to reduce the availability of EU workers to the UK construction industry. Our twin-track strategy to address this involves encouraging government to make provisions for a transition period so employers can continue to draw on migrant labour as needed. At the same time, we are developing an industry-led action plan to reduce skills shortages through upskilling and investment in technology.

Future Skills

Our Digital Skills report (PDF 8.90MB) shows how modern technologies can raise productivity, increase efficiency and help attract people to the sector. To achieve this, we are:

  • working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and other government departments on digital skills policy, identifying barriers to progress

Homebuilding

We are working closely with industry on the substantial skills demand to meet government targets of 300,000 new homes each year. We are:

  • awarding the £22-million Construction Skills Fund to 26 on-site training hubs to help build homes and infrastructure
  • getting more trainee bricklayers into jobs from college, and upskilling experienced bricklayers to increase employability and quality
  •  helping to fund Barratt Group’s new Regional Academy for Home Building, to increase their apprenticeship starts by 74%
  • supporting Persimmon’s Combat to Construction project,  offering a funded route for new entrants to homebuilding from the armed forces

Qualifications reforms

We are:

  • engaging with the Department for Education and IfA on standards for the new T-Levels
  • supporting employers to provide high-quality work placements to help trainees make a smooth transition into employment
  • listening to industry to ensure the apprenticeship levy responds to skills needs

Among the many advocacy projects we are involved with, we are:

  • linking employers to decision-makers through events such as Scottish Apprenticeship Week and Open Doors

We are advocating for industry in a variety of ways, including:

  • influencing Qualifications Wales on the reform of construction qualifications to serve industry better, from GCSEs and A Levels to vocational training
Plans and performance

View our Business Plan and find out more about how we will work with the construction industry to address future challenges

History

Find out when CITB was established and how it has changed over time

Guide to Go Construct

Go Construct provides resources for anyone looking for a career in the construction and built environment sector

Missions and plans

We are dedicated to ensuring the construction workforce has the right skills for now and the future.

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