CECA has responded to the Government’s consultation on the future of the Industry Training Board (ITB) system by setting out the changes we believe are needed to ensure our members and the wider industry has access to the skilled workforce required to deliver for the UK.
CECA’s submission recognised the need for reform and strongly supports the principle of an effective, industry-led approach to skills and training. However, we also warn that simply merging CITB and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) is not a magic bullet that will address the challenges currently faced by businesses.
The response argues that any future ITB must be built around a clear purpose: helping employers to recruit, train and retain the workforce needed to deliver the UK’s infrastructure ambitions.
CECA’s headline recommendations to Government:
- The future ITB must support employers to recruit, train and retain
- A merger must not simply transfer existing problems into a new body
- The future ITB must be transparent and accountable to levy payers
- Prescribed Organisations and representative bodies must have a formal role
- Civil engineering and specialist sectors must not be diluted within a larger body
- Grant and funding support must be simple, accessible and relevant
- Extending the levy period must not reduce employer accountability and participation.
CECA highlights concerns raised by our members about the current system, including the accessibility of grants and funding, the need for greater transparency over the use of levy funds, and the importance of meaningful engagement with representative organisations and levy-paying employers.
We also stress that civil engineering and specialist infrastructure sectors must retain a strong voice within any future governance structure, and that reform should not dilute support for the unique skills requirements of the industry.
The consultation response concludes that reform should be viewed as an opportunity to reset the relationship between the skills system and the employers who fund it, creating a model that is trusted by industry and capable of supporting long-term economic growth.
Commenting, CECA Director of Policy & Public Affairs Ben Goodwin said: “The UK’s civil engineering sector faces a significant skills challenge in delivering the infrastructure needed to drive economic growth, deliver net zero, and secure the economy.
“Our members and their supply chains need a training system that is responsive, accountable, and genuinely led by the industry.
“We recognise that reform is needed, but structural change alone will not solve the issues our members experience. Any future Industry Training Board must provide clear value to levy payers, work in genuine partnership with representative bodies, and support employers to recruit, train and retain the skilled workforce the UK needs.
“This consultation presents an opportunity to reset the relationship between the skills system and the employers who fund it. We look forward to continuing to work with Government and industry partners to ensure the outcome delivers a system that is fit for purpose and capable of supporting the UK’s long-term infrastructure ambitions.”
CECA’s full consultation response can be downloaded here.