News from CITB-ConstructionSkills NI
November 2012
The past year has been another difficult one for the construction industry, we are working
hard to help employers train, upskill and prepare for the upturn.
1. Value For Money
• Last year we returned 89% of levy to registered
employers in direct and indirect benefits such as
grants, employer information help and guidance and
utilisation of our Mobile Training Unit.
• Indirect services includes research and development
to help industry predict levels of activity and industry
trends,careers promotion, Skillbuild and delivery of
our funded projects.
Value for Levy 2011/12
11%
Indirect benefits to the industry
61%
Contribution to overheads & support costs
Direct Benefits
Grant
Mobile Training Unit & Undergraduate
programme
Indirect Benefits
Employer Engagement, Standards &
Qualifications & Recruitment and Careers
Skillbuild
Marketing & Advertising
• During 2011/2012 650 employers claimed £1.3million of
grant throughout the year.
• The programme of training interventions that were piloted
with industry partners last year were incorporated into the
annual Grants Scheme for 2011/2012 and formally called
Tier 2. These interventions were once again targeted at
areas identified by the industry representative bodies as
critical to employers in dealing with the current economic
climate.
• Training under Tier 2 was completed by 289 individuals from
over 160 employers in a range of areas including NVQ’s,
Green Construction, Performance Improvement, Strategic
Planning, Estimating and Completing PQQ’s that win.
3. Levy
Direct benefits to levy payers
28%
2. Grants
61%
59%
2%
28%
20%
5%
3%
Contribution to overheads & support costs 11%
• Total number of registered inscope employers in August
2012 was 3263
• The levy rate for 2011/2012 was 0.6% and will remain at
this reduced level for 2012/2013
4. Employer Engagement
• Throughout the year 24 Employer Information Events were
held across the Province attended by 171 employers and
supported by Health & Safety Works NI.
• Additional information sessions were provided by HM
Revenue & Customs and the Equality Commission at some
of these events.
• Dates have been launched for 2012/2013 and full details
can be found at www.citbcsni.org.uk/events
5. E-Business
• Throughout the year we launched and established a
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/CITBConstructionSkillsNI
• We continued to promote claiming grants online, with the
result that over 37% of grant claims made by employer
are made on-line.
• We engaged with employers using SMS text messages to
advise them of employer engagement events and grants
available
• 85% of supplier invoices and 78% of grant applications
are now paid electronically.
• We continue to incentivise electronic communication by
increasing grant payment to those who claim grant
on-line and/or pay levy by electronic means.
6. Recruitment & Careers
• CITB-ConstructionSkills NI continued to promote
construction as a career choice, advising of the varying
roles available from craft occupations through to
professional services.
• During the year 14 careers events were attended
throughout NI providing engagement with Careers
Teachers, Careers Advisers, and over 3,000 potential
new entrants.
• 12 construction ambassadors attended 14 ad-hoc
requests for school and college visits allowing them to
engage directly with potential new entrants.
7. Industry Training
• During the training year 66 construction undergraduates
from the local Universities or Further Education
establishments attended the 10-day Undergraduate
Development Programme (UDP). The aim of the
programme is to develop skills which employers are
looking for in graduate level new entrants coming into the
construction industry.
• Through our Tier 2 & Tier 3 grants, £200k was spent on
delivering essential training on low or no cost to industry.
This has helped deliver greater focus on improving
management and leadership skills.
8. Qualifying the Existing Workforce (QEW)
• The QEW project aims to assess 500 currently unqualified,
experienced, employed workers to NVQ Level 2.
• This initiative is delivered in partnership with CITBConstructionSkills NI and the Joint Council for the Building &
Civil Engineering Industry and is being funded by DEL’s
Customised Training Fund.
• Qualifications are available in 37 occupational areas (for a full
list see www.citbcsni.org.uk – follow the links to Free NVQs).
9. Building Skills for Sustainable
Construction
• The Mobile Training Unit (MTU) currently travels across
the Province delivering an extensive range of construction
related health and safety and bespoke training to
operatives, supervisors and managers.
• A total of 2669 individuals attended training by means of
the MTU or via an onsite venue.
• Full details of courses provided on MTU can be found
www.citbcsni.org.uk
• The scaffolding programme provided training and
assessment for 54 individuals through the Construction
Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) Part 1, Part
2 and Advanced Scaffolding.
• 12 operatives achieved either NVQ level 2 or NVQ Level 3
through the CISRS scheme.
• CITB-ConstructionSkills NI has been awarded funding, to
deliver an innovative project, to train 30 local construction
workers in sustainable construction in Biberach, Germany.
• The ‘Building Skills for Sustainable Construction’ project
will help participants widen their knowledge of sustainable
construction methods, renewable energy and
environmental standards.
• Two training courses will be held in June and October
2013 and each will last for two weeks.
• Recruitment for participants to take part in the programme
will commence in 2013. For more information go to
www.citbcsni.org.uk/Leonardo-Project
10. Sustaining Traditional Building Skills
in Northern Ireland Project
• CITB-ConstructionSkills NI were awarded a second phase
of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund through their
‘Skills for the Future’ programme, making a total of over
£480K available to fund a programme to help address
skills shortages in the repair and maintenance of traditional
buildings.
• The programme will provide 19 placements, upskill 10
college lecturers and develop 4 project mentors.
For further information contact us CITB-ConstructionSkills NI, 17 Dundrod Road, Crumlin, Co Antrim BT29 4SR Tel: 028 9082 5466 www.citbcsni.org.uk
CITB-ConstructionSkills, CIC and CITB-ConstructionSkills NI are working
as ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council for Construction.