CITB officials share plans to address homebuilding skills challenges with housing minister

Housing Minister Dominic Raab MP met with Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) senior executives in Bircham Newton today to discuss CITB’s Vision 2020 reforms and how they will help build the homes Britain needs.

CITB chief executive Sarah Beale, together with policy director Steve Radley and industry relations director Mark Noonan, presented their bold plans to become a more strategic organisation, using its research to target funds where they are most needed.

CITB shared with the minister its commitment to change how it targets its resources to develop a robust and resilient training market that is responsive to the housebuilding industry’s changing skills needs.

The minister, accompanied by local MP Sir Henry Bellingham, was assured that CITB will work collaboratively with a range of players in home building to develop innovative approaches to deliver the skills needed to build more homes each year.

CITB’s Vision 2020 is in direct response to the direction set out in government’s review of Industrial Training Boards which was carried out last year.

The review called on CITB to improve skills outcomes from the levy and focus on improving training provision.

In addition, CITB has funded the Home Building Skills Partnership, which aims to attract new entrants into the industry and providing training to develop the qualified workforce for the homebuilding sector.

CITB chief executive Sarah Beale, said: “We were pleased the housing minister took the time to visit CITB and hear about our plans to deliver the skills to build a better Britain.

"Today was an opportunity for CITB to demonstrate to Dominic Raab how a reformed CITB, that has the confidence of the industry, will be vital to supporting the delivery of the homes we need.”