CITB has established the New Entrant Support Team (NEST) (Photo: AdobeStock)

From April 2023 to March 2025, CITB says that it is investing nearly 拢150 million (鈧�179 million) in apprenticeship grants.

According to CITB鈥檚 latest Employer Voice survey, 31% of employers plan to hire an apprentice, while an additional 48% are considering it. To assist employers in navigating the recruitment process, accessing grants, and finding suitable training, CITB has established the New Entrant Support Team (NEST).

Launched in January 2023, the company said that NEST has helped over 2,318 individuals begin their apprenticeships that year.

In total, CITB supported over 29,000 apprentices in 2023 facilitated by NEST and the expansion of the National Construction College鈥檚 offerings.

Tim Balcon, Chief Executive of CITB, said, 鈥淎 strong apprenticeship pipeline is vital for SME employers and a healthy construction industry. Over two-thirds of apprenticeship starts in the construction industry are employed by companies of fewer than 50 employees.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing strong demand for our apprenticeship and qualification grants, and we want to keep up the momentum. There are over 100 different construction apprenticeship roles that lead to careers in construction, and we encourage employers and people considering joining the industry to consider what apprenticeship role could work for them.

鈥淎s well as continuing to drive up apprenticeship start numbers, we also need to improve retention and attract apprentices to pursue a career in construction. Currently some 60% of further education learners on construction courses do not end up in the industry 鈥� we need to tackle this issue with effective recruitment and training while promoting the benefits of joining the industry.鈥�