Funding Support for Skills and Training
To to support skills and training development, the BWF WITForum works with industry partners to help identify opportunities for funding support, helping members train and upskill their workforce.
1.0 CITB Funding
- A wide range of skills and training activity;
- Innovation, management and leadership initiatives;
- Business sustainability and improvement interventions.
This fund is split between:
- Funding for Small and Micro Sized Businesses
- Funding for Medium Sized Business
Eligibility
- Businesses applying for the fund must be CITB registered.
- Funding is available twice every 12 months, however only one live project at any one time.
- Any previously funded project must have been signed off as complete before any new funding application can be made.
- Eligibility for either the small and micro business fund or for the medium business fund is based on the number of directly employed staff.
1.1 Funding for Small and Micro Sized Businesses
BWF members are eligible to apply for small and micro sized business funding if the number of directly employed staff is less than 100 persons: Funding bands for small and micro business are:
- CIS only (no PAYE) can receive up to £2,500
- 1 to 49 directly employed staff can receive up to £5,000;
- 50 to 74 directly employed staff can receive up to £7,500;
- 75 to 99 directly employed staff can receive up to £10,000.
For further information on small and micro business funding go to:
Skills and Training fund for small and micro-sized businesses – CITB
1.2 Funding for Medium Sized Businesses
- Between 100 and 149 directly employed staff can receive up to £15,000;
- Between 150 and 199 directly employed staff can receive up to £20,000;
- Between 200 and 250 directly employed staff can receive up to £25,000.
- For further information on medium business funding go to:
2.0 Grants for Short Duration Courses and Qualifications
CITB registered members can also access, grant support for the following:
- Short duration courses (tiered based on course costs/duration)
Short course grants are paid for the successful completion of courses which align to approved construction-related standards. Determined by the content and duration of the course, grants are paid at the following rates:
Tier 1
£60
Tier 2
£140
Tier 3
£240
The BWF course finder lists the funding rate and application code where applicable for each course.
Special rates for plant training and testing apply following the CITB’s plant grant review. Rates vary according to standard trained and the level of experience of the learner:
Tier 1
Novice £550
Experienced £250
Tier 2
Novice £630
Experienced £300
Tier 3
Novice £880
Experienced £470
- Qualification achievement
Short qualification grants are available for the achievement of short qualifications taking less than a year to complete and focus on key construction skills needed across the industry including:
- NVQ’s at level 2 and above and SCQF at level 5 and above
- National Examination Board in Occupational Health and Safety (NEBOSH) national certificate in construction Health and Safety
- Plant-related vocational qualification achievements
The standard rate for funding is £600, however certain qualifications may be awarded higher levels of funding according to industry need:
Short period (e.g. NVQ/SVQ) achievement
£600
For specific qualifications in supervision
£1,250
For specific qualifications in management
£1,500
Longer period (e.g. HNC/HND) attendance £1,125 / achievement £1,875
The application window for grants is 52 weeks from completion of the course, applications made after 52 weeks may not receive funding.
3.0 Grants for Apprenticeships
If you are CITB registered, grant support is also available for the achievement of an apprenticeship:
For a 2-year apprenticeship
1st year attendance grant
£2,500
2nd year attendance grant
£2,500
Achievement grant
£3,500
Applications for apprenticeships grants must be received by the CITB within 52 weeks of the apprentice starting, applications made after 52 weeks may not receive funding.
In addition to the apprenticeship grant other grants may also apply including:
- Travel Grant
Paid for travel to college or training provider (does not include payment to from place of employment).
Paid for travel by public transport, use of private transport only covered if other forms of transport is not available or if private transport is proven to be cheaper.
- Accommodation Grant
Available where travel to and from the college or training provider is more than 90 minutes from the apprentice’s home address, by car or by public transport.
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