As a general rule, it is the smaller firms who train most new entrants. The larger companies can then benefit by hiring these skilled workers later in their career. Without CITB-ConstructionSkills Grant, the small firms would simply not be able to afford to train any operatives and the industry as a whole would suffer.

If your wage bill is less than £76,000, you don't have to pay a CITB-ConstructionSkills Levy at all, but you still qualify for grants, advice and support. In fact, in 2006, firms who paid no CITB-ConstructionSkills Levy employed over 10,800 New Entrant Trainees and received £26.7 million in training support. In 2006, over £113 million was distributed in training grants.

If you do pay some CITB-ConstructionSkills Levy, but choose not to get directly involved in training, you are still helping to maintain the industry's training and recruitment levels, as well as other activities. This will ultimately benefit you, albeit indirectly, by there being enough trained staff in the workforce.

For more information on the CITB-ConstructionSkills Levy, including details of how to register and how to benefit, use the following links. Alternatively, please download the Sharing Investment of Training booklet (182kb PDF file).