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South East

Find details of local industry events, support, networks and contact information

CITB Advisers can support and guide you in terms of accessing CITB training, grants, funding and apprenticeships. In addition, they can signpost you to other sources of support, help and advice, including local partners and networks, for example LEPs, Growth Hubs and local initiatives.

Please find their contact information in the location links below

Contact your CITB customer engagement advisers

Buckinghamshire

Cecelia Lawal
Tel: 07770 704416
Email: Cecelia.lawal@citb.co.uk

Berkshire

Nicola Hieatt
Tel: 07721 667109
Email: Nicola.Hieatt@citb.co.uk

What's happening in your area

There are currently no local employer events for this area. Details of forthcoming events will be published as soon as they become available.

CITB Employer Roadshows

Following increased concerns over the COVID-19 virus and for safety precautions, regrettably, we have decided to cancel the upcoming Employer Roadshows. We understand this will be disappointing news but the health and safety of our delegates is of the utmost importance.

Further details about an online alternative will be issued in due course.

Support to grow your business

Buckinghamshire Business First
Buckinghamshire Business First is a business-led, business-focused community for new, established and growing businesses across Buckinghamshire.

They provide members with knowledge, support and opportunities for growth. By getting involved, you join thousands of other members benefiting from their knowledge, connections, facilities, products and services.

They operate as a central information and support hub for all businesses in Buckinghamshire – advising, referring and bringing people together.

Their teams of experienced business advisors, supported by their members, partners and local authorities, are interested in your business and provide on-going, long-term support and services. Together, they create a unique and vibrant business community that you can be part of and benefit from.

Website: Buckinghamshire Business First
Tel: 01494 927130
Email: info@bbf.uk.com
Twitter: @bbfuk
LinkedIn: Buckinghamshire Business First

Help to train and retain staff

There are many recruitment agencies in the area, for example:

Agency Central

We've designed our website specifically to be the easiest possible way of connecting these two parties - which is underlined by the fact that it's now used by around 400 employers and 5,000 candidates every single day.

See Agency Central's websites for construction jobs in the area

Indeed

Check out construction jobs in Reading with Indeed

Training groups in your area

Thames Valley Construction Training Association

The TVCTA primarily aims to foster the theoretical and practical education of anyone involved in the construction industry, and to organise and coordinate the necessary training for this and allied trades.

In addition, the TVCTA strives to cooperate fully with the CITB and with other key educational bodies and authorities, as well as promoting a culture of training by introducing the principles of investors in people to group members.

A key aim of the Association is to address the worrying shortage of skilled tradesmen by locating, placing and monitoring apprentices for member companies. Our consultant Training Advisor makes periodic visits to monitor progress and also liaises between student and company.

To find out more about the TVCTA or to discuss specific requirements,

please contact John Saunders or Mark Barrett at:

Contact your CITB customer engagement adviser

Hazel Thompson
Tel: 07771 732390
Email: Hazel.thompson@citb.co.uk

Contact your CITB customer engagement adviser

Marc Pope
Tel: 07866 786591
Email: Marc.pope@citb.co.uk

Contact your CITB customer engagement adviser

East Surrey

Karen Sharp
Tel:07795 883662
Email: karen.sharp@citb.co.uk

West Surrey

Steve Aluko
Tel:07919 553226
Email: stephen.aluko@citb.co.uk

Contact your local CITB team

South Hertfordshire

Anneli Somlo - Engagement Advisor
Tel: 07768 083882
Email: 
Anneli can assist with accessing grants and funding.

Joanna Young - New Entrant Support Advisor
Tel: 07435 739165
Email joanna.young@citb.co.uk
Joanna can support with all aspects of Apprenticeships

North Hertfordshire

Sharon Charles - Engagement Advisor
Tel: 07407 870116
Email: Sharon.Charles@citb.co.uk
Sharon can assist with accessing grants and funding.

Joanna Young - New Entrant Support Advisor
Tel: 07435 739165
Email joanna.young@citb.co.uk
Joanna can support with all aspects of Apprenticeships

Support to grow your business

Hertfordshire Growth Hub
The Hertfordshire Growth Hub help established businesses with real potential for growth to access the support they need to achieve even more. Their business advisers are industry experts, ready to work with you to diagnose exactly what your business needs are and help you make it happen. The support you'll get is powerful, targeted, impartial and completely free.

The Hertfordshire Growth Package is an expanding range of specialist business support services tailored to meet the specific needs of SMEs and entrepreneurs.

Website: Hertfordshire Growth Hub
Tel: 01707 398168
Email: 
Twitter: @HertsGrowthHub
LinkedIn: Hertfordshire Growth Hub

Help to train, recruit and fund your staff

Buckinghamshire College Group in partnership with Eiffage Kier
Eiffage Kier has secured CITB Construction Skills Funding to deliver construction training in Buckinghamshire & North Oxfordshire. Their target is to deliver training to 650 individuals in the locality of the HS2 central section. Training needs to be delivered by March 2020 and 30% of those trained need to go into employment.

Training will be delivered across three targeted programmes aligned to HS2 construction works, including:

  • Entry into construction – inc. L1 Construction Skills, Manual Handling, Health & Safety, CSCS card (Plan to train 450 individuals through this programme).
  • Plant operatives – CPCS card (Plan to train 100 individuals through this route).
  • Women into Construction – focus on IEMA Institute of Environment Management & Assessment and IOSH Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (Plan to train 100 people through this route).

This is a physical course due to its plastering focus, and candidates will need to be prepared for the physicality of it. In addition, candidates need to be aware that as this is not a college, so there is no onsite provision for SEN, although they will happily accommodate a scribe or reader if they accompany the learner. Steel toe cap boots are also a requirement for attending this course.

All courses are currently running with courses being started on a monthly basis.

Buckinghamshire College Group in conjunction with Eiffage Kier have launched these new pathways into construction this month (May) with two and three week courses that are all completely free of charge. For those looking for a physical hands on role or others seeking a move into construction management, these short courses, taught either at their campuses in Aylesbury or High Wycombe, have been developed to equip applicants with the skills necessary to allow them to progress in their chosen field. 

Free CITB Construction Skills courses for all at Bucks College Group

Training groups in your area

Construction Training B&H Ltd
Construction Training B&H Ltd covers a broad range of construction employers and their training needs across Hertfordshire.

Contact: Group Training Officer (GTO) Gary Finck
Tel: 07468 690688
Email: 

Bucks Employer Group
There is a pilot Training Group in Buckinghamshire set up as the Bucks Employer Group. CITB and the Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise will work in partnership to engage with employers on key industry issues, raise levels of training in the area and develop new approaches to working with CITB. If you would like any information or would like to get involved, please email your local Adviser, Sarah Peace.

Contact your CITB customer engagement advisers

North Kent

Georgie Gaynor
Tel: 07393 786683
Email: georgina.gaynor@citb.co.uk

South Kent

Rebekah Jardine
Tel: 07425 318350
Email: rebekah.jardine@citb.co.uk

Contact your CITB customer engagement adviser

Shaun Britton
Tel: 07769 284011
Email: Shaun.britton@citb.co.uk

Support to grow your business

OBS Oxfordshire Business Support

The LEP for Oxfordshire provides services and resources to support Oxfordshire's start-up and growing businesses

Find out more about their services

  • Website: www.oxfordshirelep.com/business
  • Tel: 01865 897181
  • Postal address: OBS, OxLEP Ltd,
    First Floor, Jericho Building,
    Activate Learning - Oxford,
    Oxpens Road, Oxford, OX1 1SA

Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership is a business-led, multi-sector partnership mandated by government to lead activities that drive local economic growth.  Alongside London, the area is the UK’s economic powerhouse contributing over £37bn in GVA to the national economy.

The LEP has funded initiatives to improve the business support available across the area, including the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator, a Business Growth Hub where all companies can start their growth journey and GROW@GreenPark, where ideas from tech start-ups can be shared and flourish.

Visit the TVBLEP website

Training groups in your area

The Oxfordshire Construction Training Group

The Oxfordshire Construction Training Group exists solely for the benefit of its Member companies. They are our raison d’être and supporting them with their training and development needs is the focal point of all that we do.

We currently have a membership of approximately 40 Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and North Berkshire based companies who between them cover a broad spectrum of construction industry specialities.

To find out more contact:

You may also be interested in...

Find out how local employers can benefit from taking on an apprentice for a short duration in our Shared Apprenticeship Scheme

Find out more about the National Skills Academy for Construction, led by CITB and approved by industry

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