7 myths about the ConstructionSkills grants scheme

The CITB-ConstructionSkills Grants Scheme supports a huge range of training needs to suit employers of all shapes and sizes. Employers that take advantage of the grants available are able to develop their firms into stronger more efficient outfits.

Yet despite this, in 2007 just 28% of eligible employers claimed the grant available to them.

To help as many construction employers as possible take advantage of the grants available, ConstructionSkills has developed a myth-buster to answer your questions and lead you through the process.

1. There's nothing my company can claim for.

The CITB-ConstructionSkills Grants Scheme allows you to claim back the cost of most essential training – from the ConstructionSkills Health & Safety test needed for CSCS cards, to making sure senior staff have better management skills.

Michael Hewitt, founder and owner of M J Hewitt & Sons in the South West, said: “I am registered with ConstructionSkills so I received a CITB-ConstructionSkills Grant for doing the Site Managers Safety Training Scheme course.”

If your company wants to develop and grow successfully, then the grants scheme can help you do this in hundreds of different ways. Find out more about the wide range of training the Grants Scheme covers here.     

2. There are no benefits for me as an employer.

As the industry faces an uncertain economic future it is even more important for you to retain skilled, qualified staff to give you the competitive edge to win contracts and stay in business.

Your employees are the key to the success of your business. If you want to boost productivity – get the job done safer, quicker and better – it’s important to build a strong training culture, and in difficult times, this could be the difference between you winning new contracts and not.

The Grants Scheme helps make this training affordable – and you’ll feel benefits from investing in your staff that will pay for themselves.

Training costs can vary from £17.50 to sit the Health & Safety test to thousands of pounds for higher level qualifications such as degrees, but it is widely recognised that investing in your staff does reap rewards.

3. There isn't enough advice available about organising training.

We know that anyone running a business has a thousand demands on their time. That’s why ConstructionSkills has a network of 100 mobile Company Development Advisors (CDAs) across the country who can give you face-to-face advice on the best training programme for your firm, as well as what funding is available.

Advice is free of charge, and the CDA can work with you to create a bespoke training plan to keep your business in shape. Find contact details for your local CDA here.

4. The grant is only for big construction businesses.

The grant is for construction employers of all sizes, whether big or small!

In fact, even smaller construction employers who do not have to pay the levy can still claim grant.

With CITB-ConstructionSkills Grant supporting everything from apprentices to on-site qualification of staff, there is something there that can benefit every business.

Hogg and Robinson Building of Carlisle is a small business with 12 on the books. Company secretary Yvonne Armstrong said: “The grant helps us enormously, particularly when needing to train new staff and apprentices. It means we feel even more enthusiastic about doing as much training as possible, and it’s great to have the grant as an extra source of support.”

5. I don’t pay the Levy, so I can’t claim anything.

Yes you can! All employers who are registered with, and in-scope to, CITB-ConstructionSkills, can claim grants, even those who don’t pay a levy.

If your wage and Labour-only Subcontractors  bill is less than £76,000 you don’t have to pay any levy at all but you still qualify for grants, support and advice. So it makes even more sense for you to get in touch!

6. The whole process of claiming the grant is too complicated.

It might seem complicated at first, but thousands of businesses manage it successfully every year – and there’s lots of help out there if you need it. All CDAs can help you with your grant-claiming process, and there’s also a wealth of resources on the ConstructionSkills website, including the option to view your grant statement online.

7. Taking on an apprentice would cost too much money – even with grant.

Taking on an apprentice can benefit everyone. It is good for your existing workforce, it helps build teamwork, it trains up the workforce of the future – and most importantly, it helps your business get the recruits it needs by ‘growing your own’.

Up to £9,820 over three years is available from the CITB-ConstructionSkills Grants Scheme to help subsidise the cost of taking on a traditional apprentice to support training and a structured apprenticeship programme can accelerate the learning process.

The sooner an apprentice grasps the fundamentals, the sooner they’ll be making a significant contribution to your firm – paying for themselves in no time at all.

John Butler, director and safety executive of McPhillips, said: “Many of our apprentices remain loyal to the company once they qualify, which shows that we are recruiting and up-skilling our staff efficiently.

“Apprenticeships are a golden opportunity for us. For very little cost and the support of ConstructionSkills after two years you have a competent employee with all the qualifications they need to work on any site in the country.”