Skills

The body in charge of UK construction training has urged jobseekers to resist the attractions of a career abroad after Canada relaxed its immigration rules to attract foreign construction apprentices. His comments came after Canada relaxed its immigration rules in a bid to attract construction apprentices from overseas to tackle the…

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has revealed proposed changes to its levy, which include raising the threshold at which firms pay the charge.  Under the plans for 2026-29, which went out to the construction sector for consultation yesterday (17 March), companies that have a total wage bill of less…

Teenagers would rather work in construction than fly planes, according to research. BBC Bitesize polled more than 4,000 people aged between 13 and 16 for its annual careers report. While almost one in 10 chose doctor as their dream role, engineer was the second choice and the building trade came…

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has outlined plans to retain its current level of support for apprenticeships despite Mark Farmer’s review saying some levy money should be diverted.  In its strategic plan for 2025-29 published on Tuesday (25 February), the industry training board pledged to support an extra 15,000…

The government must take “urgent action” to ensure there are enough workers to deliver the UK’s green transition, its own infrastructure watchdog has said. In a report published this morning (21 February), the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) said skills shortages “pose a significant challenge for the deliverability of the energy…

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has said the number of people starting construction apprenticeships needs to triple to plug labour shortages.  In a report, the CITB says that the 2023/24 education year saw 33,000 construction apprenticeship starts, an improvement since the pandemic but still “a long way short of…

The construction sector faces a wait to see whether it will benefit from new government plans to shorten apprenticeships. Altering academic requirements should create up to 10,000 more apprenticeships a year across all industries, education secretary Bridget Phillipson announced this morning (11 February) during National Apprenticeship Week. Effective immediately, businesses…

New labourer cards issued by the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) will only be valid for two years from tomorrow (1 February). Extensions beyond the period will also require people to send in proof they are actually working in the role, amid concerns labourer cards are issued to those who…

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is in need of a “fundamental reset” and should merge with its engineering counterpart, according to Mark Farmer’s hard-hitting review of its operations. In his review of the CITB and Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), published today (30 January), Farmer said the two…

Two key scaffolding bodies have asked ministers to add scaffolders to the UK’s shortage occupation list for immigration. The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) and Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) have warned the government that its ambitions for housing, infrastructure and energy are at risk due to skills…