CITB extends funding for construction leadership training 

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is extending its Leadership and Management Training Commission for an additional year. 

The commission, set up and awarded in December 2022, will now run until 31 March 2026.

It will provide 10,500 Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) courses to front-line construction managers, site supervisors and site managers in England, Scotland and Wales.

CITB is providing £10.5m in funding to support learners and reduce the cost of the qualification for levy-registered employers by more than 90%. 

The qualification would normally cost up to £2,000, but CITB funding reduces this to £154 for the registration fee.

Candidates who complete the course will receive the ILM Level 3 Leadership and Management Practice for the Construction and Built Environment Sector qualification, which is also one of the qualifications needed for the white ‘academically qualified person’ CSCS card applications.

Deborah Madden, executive director for nations engagement at CITB, said: “Extending the commission is crucial to meet forecasted demand in the construction industry – our Construction Skills Network report found that we need over 6,000 new site managers and supervisors by 2028.

"The commission provides vital support for construction employers and their employees, making the training courses more accessible for smaller companies."  

Madden added that employers that have pursued leadership and management training have seen improved staff retention and an increase in productivity and employee engagement.

"It should also be noted that the courses can be used as personal development for someone not quite ready to move into a supervisory role but is interested in this as part of their long-term career ambitions,” she said.

Trainees must have a full-time contract of direct employment (PAYE) with a CITB-registered employer or be a Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) subcontractor to the employer. 

CITB funding for this training is open to all in-scope CITB-registered employers who do not have any outstanding levy submissions.

Courses are available online or in person through two CITB training providers, The OM Group and MKC Training Services. 

CITB offers two other leadership and management training routes in addition to the commission, including a ‘short course’ and ‘bespoke training’.

Find more information about all three courses and selected training providers here.