CITB recently announced a number of changes aimed at streamlining its approach to help levy-registered employers’ access financial support for training.
One change which FIS has highlighted as a concern is the Skills and Training Fund, which closed on 30 September, being replaced with Employer Networks as the sole route for business development funding. CITB claims that this shift is intended to reduce confusion caused by overlapping schemes and improve efficiency. However FIS is concerned that the withdrawal of the Skills and Training Fund removes a valuable funding route that many of its members have been using successfully and has been delivering clear benefits.
FIS Head of Skills, Beena Nana said: “For a membership that largely voted against the most recent levy order, primarily due to concerns around the structure of the levy and how the makeup of our workforce affects both what members contribute and what they are able to claim, this will feel like a real kick in the teeth. We acknowledge the need to change and simplify the need to claim, but the decision to cut the Skills and Training Fund and giving businesses just over a month’s notice is short-sighted and only reinforces concerns that CITB is out of touch with the employers it is meant to support.”
To read the full set of changes including the Skills and Training Fund, Industry Accreditation uplift, ‘Suggest a course’ initiative and new short qualification grant tier visit: <Bold URL> www.thefis.org/2025/08/22/fis-expresses-concern-at-citb-funding-changes
