Covid-19: CITB chief exec update - 5 May 2021

Good afternoon,  

I hope everyone is enjoying their week so far. Today’s email details the CITB’s plans for returning to face-to-face customer support, and our end of year review. 

Leaving lockdown 

As Covid-19 lockdown restrictions ease to an end, we’re clarifying how we’ll be returning to face-to-face engagement with you. 

We’re already able to hold apprentice reviews outside where required, our National Construction Colleges are open with a program of COVID-19 testing to keep learners and our team safe,and we’re continuing to deliver learning remotely, with our office staff working from home too. 

From Monday 17 May we’ll be holding more apprentice reviews, meeting employers (with limited numbers) and rolling out more on-site teaching. We’ll continue remote learning and working, but there will be the opportunity to start delivering this in person for specific courses. 

From Monday 21 June all apprentice reviews can be delivered in person but can also be remote if that is a better option, we expect up to 30 people can attend events, remote learning and working will still be encouraged. We’ll have a more open programme of learning at our colleges, and while our offices will reopen, we’re currently discussing with our colleagues how best to combine home and office working.  

End of year performance review 

Our end of year performance review showed how we responded swiftly to the Covid-19 pandemic to support industry. The first three months saw us:  

• suspend Levy collection as businesses faced critical cash challenges.
• offer an advanced apprenticeship grant which saw £3.4 million paid to over 2,000 employers.
• provide e-learning and remote working, with remote learning and new courses ensuring qualifications were not a barrier to returning to work.
• offer Covid-19 support which saw 21,800 people complete our site safety course.

As few as 248 CITB’s apprentices were made redundant during the pandemic, underlining the commitment showed by employers, which we have supported. We have been able to place more than half of these with alternative employers or get them to completion, and we continue to support others to restart their apprenticeship. Our grants have supported 23,322 apprentices, and 8,883 employers.  

GoConstruct continued to direct more people to our industry, surpassing four of its five targets with 671,656 people visiting its channels, including social media. Website improvements saw 416,932 new visitors – 75% above what was forecast.  

Read the full review

Best wishes and stay safe everyone,  

Sarah Beale  
Chief Executive