Training Is Good For Your Firm – How CITB-ConstructionSkills NI Can Help You Achieve Success

Skills and training are the central core of our business, we at CITB-ConstructionSkills NI understand the importance of training and the positive affects it can have both internally and externally.

We also are aware of the current economic climate and in these hard times training is not always at the top of the business agenda.

For the best part of 50 years, CITB-ConstructionSkills NI has been working with the construction industry to meet its skills and training needs. Now, as we begin to recover from a deep recession, it is essential that we continue to support the industry in developing the highly skilled workers it needs to meet the immediate challenges and prepare for the future.

Why should I train?

Training is an investment to the business, with so many benefits, some immediate and some longer term, like safer on-site practices, quicker delivery and a healthier bottom line. Investing in training now and building up the skills and strength of your team can save you money in the future.

Training leads to qualifications like NVQ and CSR and affiliated cards. Not only do they prove to you and your clients that your workers are competent professionals, but with more and more clients and contractors insisting on a qualified workforce, they’re becoming essential to get you on site at all.

Claim whilst you train

Our £1.1mTraining Grant Scheme offers support to a wide range of training and qualifications from apprentices through to the existing workforce including management and administration and we can help employers decide what training is right for your business and which grants can help pay for it.

Claiming as you train for Tier 1 grants makes the process easier for the employer and through our website www.citbcsni.org.uk you have the facility to claim grant online. Employers can earn an additional 2.5% grant by claiming online and a further 2.5% by paying levy by direct debit, BACs or standing order.

Mobile Training Unit

Our Mobile Training Unit (MTU) provides a convenient way of meeting training requirements with minimum disruption to site work. The unit travels across Northern Ireland delivering short duration health and safety courses such as confined spaces, excavations, manual handling and working at heights encouraging the industry to build safely. Free to all registered in-scope employers the MTU can be booked in advance.

Employer Events

We run a series of employer events across key towns and cities in Northern Ireland. These events are designed to help local construction employers openly discuss issues, network with other employers and find out what support is available for training.

Up to date and relevant Health and Safety information is also provided by Health and Safety Works NI to help support the construction employer in this area.

The next available dates are 8 April – Craigavon, 20 May – Carrickfergus, 10 June – Coleraine and 17 June – Belfast. For details of venues, visit www.citbcsni.org.uk. We will also be hosting a ‘Drop In’ Event on 14 May in Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh 10am – 12.30pm, no booking necessary, just drop in.

New Shared Apprenticeship Scheme

CITB-ConstructionSkills NI and Fusion 21 are working together to pilot a novel way to employ apprenticeships for the construction industry. The Shared Apprenticeship NI Programme allows apprentices to complete a full apprenticeship by working with a number of different employers, to gain the skill sets they require to become qualified. During their training they will also obtain their NVQ Level 3. We are looking for employers to get involved and become a placement provider for this programme.

For more information contact Simon Eakin at Fusion 21 on (t) 028 7134 7631.

Keep up to date with the progress of these skills and training projects at www.citbcsni.org.uk or by ‘liking’ CITB-ConstructionSkills NI on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CITBConstructionSkillsNI.’