THE CITB is offering up to £500,000 in funding for ideas that could have a positive impact on the construction industry.
The Industry Impact Fund was launched alongside CITB’s Business Plan for 2023-24 earlier this year, and invites CITB-registered employers to apply for funding for designing and developing training and skills solutions.
The fund provides the opportunity for employers to have a greater say on the best solutions for tackling skills challenges. The ideas must be ‘new and innovative’, not previously supported by CITB, and scalable. The fund is seeking ‘big picture’ ideas that enable shared knowledge and resources across the industry and are sustainable past the period of funding.
A key requirement for applications is that the idea should propose and develop solutions on how to enhance at least one of the following areas: productivity, equality, diversity, or inclusion.
If your application meets the criteria, you may be invited to attend a CITB panel meeting and discuss your ideas in more detail. If your application for funding exceeds £250,000, you will have the opportunity to present your idea to industry figures in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitch. The external panel consists of four individuals who have been nominated by CITB’s Industry Funding Committee and Nation Councils.
Tim Balcon, CITB chief executive, said, “This new fund is a fantastic opportunity to empower employers, enabling them to have greater say in how they train and build on their skills. It has the potential to have a huge impact and I’m really looking forward to seeing the range of ideas come through.
“We know an additional 225,000 workers are expected to be required by 2027, which is why the fund has carefully selected areas, based on research, that will support construction’s people pipeline. If you have an idea that you think might meet the criteria, please do get in touch with your local adviser to discuss this further.”
