NAW 2025: CITB reveals impact of apprenticeship grants

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has revealed how its apprenticeship grants are helping both employers and learners across the industry. 

The skills body supported more than 24,000 learners and nearly 9,000 employers with apprenticeship grants from April to December 2024. 

Of these employers, nearly 8,000 were micro and small businesses of fewer than 50 employees.

CITB has committed almost £150m for apprenticeship grants from April 2023 to March 2025. In the financial year so far, the body has provided more than £50m to employers for apprenticeship grants.

CITB’s New Entrant Support Team (NEST), which helps employers recruit apprentices, has supported more than 3,500 new apprenticeship starts between April and December 2024 – more than doubling the number of new apprentices compared with the previous period. 

Additionally, CITB’s National Construction College (NCC) has seen its overall achievement rate for apprenticeships increase for three consecutive years and is on track to make it four.

Achievement rates for 2024-25 are expected to reach the 70% target by the end of the financial year – 16% above the national average. 

Importantly, figures show that 92% of people completing their apprenticeships through the NCC decide to stay in the construction industry.

For construction employers, NAW 2025 provides an opportunity to showcase the varied careers available in the industry. 

According to CITB, this year’s theme – Skills for Life – is particularly relevant to construction which offers more than 100 different construction apprenticeship roles that lead to careers in the industry.

Deb Madden, executive director for nations engagement at CITB, said: “A career in construction is an incredibly fulfilling one that I encourage everyone to consider. 

“Nothing beats the valuable skills to be learnt, the sense of accomplishment seeing a project completed, and the well-paid roles that are available. 

“There’s a misconception that construction jobs don’t pay well, but this simply isn’t true – the average UK construction worker’s salary is over £44,000, almost £9,000 higher than the average UK salary.”

If you’re interesting in starting a construction apprenticeship or hiring an apprentice, email newentrant.team@citb.co.uk or visit the CITB website. 

Image above: credit CITB

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