CITB reveals new structure to tackle skills shortage

This month CITB is expected to reveal members of the new CITB council that will hold the slimmed down CITB board to account. The news is predicted to come at the same time the government publishes its findings about the future of CITB.

Adrian Belton, chief executive of CITB, was speaking in advance of the publication about the government review of CITB and gave a detailed briefing to AIS FPDC about planned changes at CITB. He said: “CITB must be more responsive and customer focused. We’ve slimmed the board down from 27 members to only eight members and a new independent council is being established to hold the board to account. The new board will meet on 4 December.”

The 38 member CITB executive team has been streamlined, with 13 roles disappearing, to be replaced by 21, of which only 12 were appointed from within CITB. The move according to Mr Belton is intended to bring new blood into CITB.

Mr Belton said: “My challenge is to make the levy go further. We need to be more strategic and make sure that our resources are out there supporting the industry.”

Mr Belton said that CITB will spend an extra £30 million on training this year and next year to help tackle the need to improve skills in UK construction.

Shortage of skills could be the main barrier to recovery according to industry commentators at AIS FPDC’s annual conference where delegates welcomed CITB’s positive moves to become more industry focused.

David Frise, AIS FPDC chief executive, said: “Our members support the levy and see that the role of CITB needs to change and we welcome the move to bring schools, colleges, employers and trainers closer together.”