CITB advises on staff retention

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is launching a pilot series of one-day courses for contractors on how to retain their best apprentices and trainees.

The board is involved in a major recruiting campaign that aims to attract at least 70,000 new entrants per year up until 2005. Many companies complain of poaching, and industry leaders have been alarmed by a trainee drop-out rate that in some areas has risen as high as 40%.

The problem of retention was highlighted in a recent national report by the Adult Learning Inspectorate. The CITB course comes in swift response to the report's findings.

The course, Getting the best from trainees, is being piloted in the east of England by the CITB National Construction College's health, safety and supervisory department. Initially, it will be held at venues in Norwich, Colchester, Ely, and Huntingdon over the next two months.

The course is aimed at individuals and teams who work with and help develop craft, technical, and professional trainees in the construction sector. It is designed to help them understand how crucial their role is to the motivation, development, and ultimately, the retention of trainees.

Course organiser Jo Bowditch said: "Company response to the pilot will determine whether it is rolled out on a national basis."

l Contract Journal's one-day conference, How to find and keep the best staff, will be held at the British Museum in London on 30 October. To reserve your place, contact Heather Robson on 020 8652 3823. The early booking fee (available until 20 Spetember) is £210 plus VAT.