Covid-19: CITB chief exec update – 3 April 2020

Good afternoon,

I hope you’re keeping well – we’re doing all we can to adapt training to respond to the current crisis to help keep you working, or be ready to return to work as soon as the national situation improves. We are also keen to provide support and opportunities for Training Providers, who are also facing significant challenge.

This is why today my update is on remote learning and how we’re enabling you to keep training by identifying as many courses as possible that can be delivered through interfaces like Teams, Skype, Zoom, WebEx and others, instead of face-to-face in classroom groups.

The first ever Site Safety Plus remote learning took place this week with at least one provider conducting a sold-out Health and Safety Awareness course delivered via video call.

Today we’ve approved delivery of SMSTS and SSSTS refresher courses through remote learning for Site Safety Plus training centres. You can find more out about this from your local centre through the SSP course locator.

We’ll also be contacting Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) soon to support them in training you remotely wherever possible. Next week we’ll publish online a directory of Short Duration Standards that can be delivered by remote learning, while a list of e-learning materials that we’ve funded industry to produce is being developed.

Since last week there have been hundreds of downloads of our new, free Health, safety and environment (HS&E) Test Lite apps (found under the 'HS&E Test' heading) for your own in-house interim check to see someone is safe to work on site, described by an employer as “an amazing idea – thank you!” 

We also help fund the Supply Chain Sustainability School where you’ll find lots of useful online training and resources. 

CITB’s COVID-19 updates page is being refreshed daily and includes information on a range of subjects, including Grants, Funding and the NCC. 

You can also read the range of support measures made available to UK businesses and employees by the UK Government.

Kind wishes

Sarah Beale

Chief Executive