CITB-ConstructionSkills begin employer consultation on grant changes

The Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Construction, ConstructionSkills, has begun a consultation with employers in what could be a radical overhaul of the grant system. Currently, ConstructionSkills is one of only two SSCs that charge a levy to the industry which is used to fund a vast array of grants for employers in the industry to invest in training. The amount of levy that employers pay is calculated from their wage bill, and understandably, in the difficult economic climate, the amount of levy collected has dropped, as the industry makes redundancies. On the other hand, there has seen increased uptake in grant claims from employers who are using the recession as an opportunity to up skill their workforce. While the latter is positive, in 2008 ConstructionSkills incurred a £20m overspend, and are expected to incur a further £4m by the end of 2009. Like any organisation, they must restructure to ensure their future stability and security, all of which is imperative if ConstructionSkills is to serve the industry effectively.  The majority of BWF members come under ‘scope’ of ConstructionSkills, meaning they can access grants and pay levy (assuming their wage bill reaches the threshold) and it is these companies that the consultation wishes to reach out to. ConstructionSkills had to take swift action in 2008 to combat the huge overspend which saw 10% cut from all grants excluding apprenticeship and graduate grants, along with the withdrawal of smaller and less popular grants. With a continued overspend for 2009, ConstructionSkills are using this opportunity to have a radical review of the grants scheme to ensure they are targeting grants in the right places, at the right level and where employers want it. It is important that BWF members are part of this process. The WITForum is constantly scrutinising their plans, but direct employer input is imperative. At this point ConstructionSkills are conducting a short survey to ascertain what employers believe their ‘principles’ and ‘priorities’ should be. Please go and fill out the questionnaire now: