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The FMB has endorsed the pivotal role of the CITB in attracting and training new recruits to the industry in its submission to the DfES, which is undertaking a quinquennial review of the organisation.
Said FMB Director General, Ian Davis:
"The CITB's primary role in funding and facilitating new entrant training is vital. In forging stronger links with employer organisations over the past five years and using their distribution networks to reach smaller employers, the CITB has grown in effectiveness, and has helped our members to train more apprentices. The CITB is uniquely placed to promote the industry's opportunities to young people and it has made a significant impact in this respect through its 'Positive Image' campaign. Also, National Construction Week has moved up several notches in professionalism and organisation since it came under CITB's remit."
Whilst acknowledging that much has been achieved in the past five years, FMB believes that CITB needs to continue in its efforts to reach out to SMEs and help them realise their training potential.
Feedback from FMB members - some 13,000 small and medium-sized builders - found they considered the CITB's local presence and knowledge one of its key strengths. However, service, support and attitude were sometimes not consistent across the country. FMB members also want to see CITB taking a stronger lead in developing and promoting local training groups in order to build capacity and ownership amongst local employers.
The publications and documentation produced by CITB was another area where FMB members felt that there had been considerable progress but where continued improvement was needed.
"More work needs to be done on CITB papers to make them easily understood and assimilated by small firms," said Ian Davis.
Concluding, Mr Davis said:
"The highly fragmented structure of the industry and the predominance of small firms, means that a levy on all qualifying firms shares the burden of training costs. Without a universal levy and the CITB, only a few employers would carry out training."
First posted: 28 May 2003. Last modified: 28 May 2003.
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