黑洞社区

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is 鈥渦nsustainable鈥� in its current form and needs radical reforms if it is to survive, according to senior figures in the building sector.

In a statement, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) said that it  鈥渞ecognises the need for a national organisation supporting the delivery of construction skills, but is also clear that the current status quo is unsustainable鈥�.

Major changes are needed, warned the CLC, which includes the likes of Crossrail chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme; Crest Nicholson鈥檚 boss Stephen Stone; and Morrisroe Group founder Brian Morrisroe.

It said: 鈥淭he CITB must be much more strategic, industry-led and accountable,鈥� and claimed it would be 鈥渟upportive of a reformed CITB on the basis that an appropriate governance structure is implemented as part of the proposed reforms.鈥�

This means it should include leaders representing all levels of the industry, according to the CLC.

Trade unions share the concerns, with Unite having described the governance structure of the CITB as 鈥渘ot fit for purpose鈥� with a board that 鈥渄oes not possess the experience and knowledge to effectively champion apprenticeship standards, training and the skills requirement needed in the industry.鈥�

However, Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail warned against 鈥渢hrowing the baby out with the bath water.鈥�

鈥淭he CITB is not perfect but if it was to disappear the effect on construction would be devastating鈥� she said.

鈥淚f the CITB is going to be able to cope with the challenges that the industry faces in the coming years, it needs to be radically reformed.鈥�

The concerns come amid mounting criticisms of the CITB and doubts over its future.

Balfour Beatty boss Leo Quinn has previously said: 鈥淏ased on the information released by the CITB to date, we have little basis for confidence and strongly believe this is too important to leave to chance. Which is why Balfour Beatty is likely to vote against consensus.鈥�

And earlier this week the Home Builders Federation warned: 鈥淪ections of the housebuilding industry have been frustrated with CITB鈥檚 performance in recent years and we need to ensure that whatever emerges from this process better enables housebuilders to train the people it needs to deliver the homes of the future.鈥�

In a few weeks鈥� time, the training body will face its triennial 鈥榗onsensus鈥� where companies and trade associations in the construction sector will vote on whether the CITB can continue collecting the training levy from them.

Steve Radley, policy director at the CITB, said: 鈥淲e completely accept the need for reforms, have committed to make them and have already delivered on a number of them. These reforms will be significant and will ensure that we are more transparent, collaborative and responsive.

鈥淲e will provide more details on these reforms after the ITB Review is published in October but have already made progress in the past 18 months. This includes reforming the grants scheme so that more employers benefit from it and cutting our running costs by a quarter. We have also refocused by selling our awarding body CSkills to a more suitable industry partner and ceasing all international training activities.鈥�