Tim Balcon, CEO, Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), commenting on the announcements made in the Spending Review:
“We support the Government’s commitment to getting Britain building again. Over £110bn announced for infrastructure projects like Sizewell C, a fresh £39bn affordable homes funding settlement, and £13bn for upgrading millions of homes with improved insultation all translates to a buoyant construction industry. In total, there’s positive news to the tune of about £165bn for the industry.
“Of course, we need the skills on the ground to deliver these ambitions. To improve understanding of retrofit work, we’re supporting the development of a Repair, Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) Sector Skills Plan, which aims to identify the specific skills needs and requirements across various occupations within the RMI sector. We’re investing £3.8m in the plan to develop tailored strategies, projects and interventions that address the unique needs of the sector.
“Similarly, at the beginning of this year, we launched the Sizewell C Skills Charter in partnership with Sizewell C, ECITB, Suffolk County Council, and East Suffolk Council. This was a commitment from all parties to working with training providers to support local recruitment and skills development that will have a lasting positive impact on employment and productivity in the area.
“Earlier this year, the Government announced a £600m construction skills package, £32m of which is investment from CITB to deliver increased industry placements. Back in November, we announced a £40m commitment to support the creation of Homebuilding Skills Hubs. I genuinely believe this is a once-in-a-generation chance to us to recruit and train our workforce – equipping more people with the skills they urgently need now and in the future.”
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