Energy & Utility Skills is approved as a CITB third-party awarding body.
In 2019, Energy & Utility Skills announced its partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), offering over 60 sector-based schemes and standards that are approved for short duration course funding.
Since the launch of this collaboration, and despite the restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19, Energy & Utility Skills has continued to work with CITB to extend its offering of schemes and standards available for funding. The latest schemes to be added include:
- Plant for Utilities Scheme (PLUS)
- Utility Excavations
- Impact Moling
- Excavator Banksperson
The partnership broadens the range of energy and utilities schemes and programmes that CITB Levy paying organisations can claim against, by two thirds.
How it works
CITB manages a network of ‘Approved Training Organisations’ (ATOs). The ATOs offer short duration courses which align to CITB-approved construction related standards (schemes). ATOs are able to advertise these courses on the ‘Construction Training Directory’ and, once the course has been completed, submit achievements onto the ‘Construction Training Register’ which, if applicable, will send an automated grant payment to the employer.
Where a scheme is identified as meeting the requirements for CITB short duration course funding then training organisations must ensure that they are approved by Energy & Utility Skills to deliver the scheme before they are eligible to claim CITB short course duration funding.
As a part of a claim for funding, the CITB requires that applicants:
- are a CITB Approved Training Organisation (ATO)
- can demonstrate that they are a current approved provider/trainer with Energy & Utility Skills in relation to the scheme for which they are claiming funding (CITB may ask for evidence of approval (e.g. certificate of approval) and a most recent audit report to check that approval is still current).
Nick James, Senior Customer Engagement Manager (South East) at CITB, said: “We are pleased to be working in collaboration with Energy & Utility Skills. They are an important partner in our work with this vital industry sector. Their commitment to supporting skills development in the sector is a perfect match for our own priorities and will enable us to support the future skills development needed for the industry.”
Phil Beach CBE, Energy & Utility Skills Chief Executive, said: “The energy and utilities sector is of key strategic value to the UK economy and society and delivers essential daily services to 67 million people. The sector also underpins Government ambitions for net zero and tackling the climate emergency and is at the heart of the recently published National Infrastructure Strategy and Energy White Paper. This collaboration between Energy & Utility Skills and the CITB will directly help the vital utility supply chain employers maximise their ability to draw on levy payments in order to maintain a sustainable, skilled and safe workforce in support of that critical endeavour.”
Find Out More
If you would like to find out more about becoming an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) for CITB, visit the CITB webpage by clicking here.
If you would like to find out more about how Energy & Utility Skills works with CITB and view a current list of approved schemes and standards, click here.
If you would like to find out more about CITB short course duration grants, visit the CITB webpage by clicking here.