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East of England

Find details of local industry events, support, networks and contact information

CITB Advisers can support and guide you in terms of accessing CITB training, grants, funding and apprenticeships. In addition, they can signpost you to other sources of support, help and advice, including local partners and networks, for example LEPs, Growth Hubs and local initiatives.

Please find their contact information in the location links below

Contact your local Adviser

Nicky Dady

I have worked for CITB for 20 years supporting employers and apprentices on apprenticeship programmes. Prior to this I was an NVQ Assessor and Verifier. I pride myself on great customer service so please get in touch with any enquiries regarding skills, training, grants, funding or any other query and I will be more than happy to help.

Tel: 07770 860081
Email: 

Contact your local CITB Apprenticeship Development Coach

Lucy.smith@citb.co.uk 

Support to grow your business

Cambridge Peterborough Combined Authority

  • Business Growth Hub: Free support from advisors for new or growing builders, SMEs at any stage. Grants and loans available to support growth. Subscribe to email updates.
    Contact: 0800 998 1098, enquiries@growthworks.uk

  • Growth Works: Employers can upload local job, apprenticeship and learning opportunities. Individuals can search for these opportunities or seek advice.
    Contact: 0333 121 7800 skills@growthworks.uk, www.growthworkswithskills.com 

  • Digital Skills Bootcamp: To help 800+ people gain needed digital skills. Flexible courses, up to 16 weeks. Opportunities to build sector-specific skills. Resultant interview with a local employer.
    More information: skills@growthworks.uk, www.growthworkswithskills.com/skillsbootcamps 

Financial support and services to help you recruit and train Staff

  • Form The Future
    This social enterprise, active across Cambridgeshire, helps schools to prepare students for work and supports businesses with educational outreach opportunities to help build their talent pipeline.
    Contact details: 01223 781296, info@formthefuture.org.uk, www.formthefuture.org.uk 

  • Ixion
    National, Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rated Training Provider of skills and education for school leavers, job seekers, learners and employers. They offer Apprenticeships, training, work experience and advice. More information: 07718 484785 tom.bamforth-white@ixionholdings.com, www.ixionholdings.com
     
  • Women Into Construction
    The Women Into Construction organisation engages with local stakeholders to encourage and support more women into construction roles.
    For further details about their work: www.women-into-construction.org

Training groups in area 

Convert Training: This construction training group in the Cambridge/Peterborough area covers a broad range of construction employers and their training needs. It is free to join and offers competitively priced construction training courses and advice on workforce development.
Contact for more information: Karen Collins, 01480 400994, http://www.converttraining.com/ 

Employer Success Stories

A14 Improvement Project (2016-2020)

This important construction infrastructure project was delivered ahead of schedule. The legacy work of the A14 Integrated Delivery Team (Skanska, Costain and Balfour Beatty), working with local stakeholders, has meant that their volunteers and STEM Ambassadors have achieved an amazing amount. Engaging with over 12,600 young people in the area, at over 250 events and providing work experience and job opportunities for many young people.

Urban & Civic Training Hub (2019-2020)

Urban & Civic were successful in winning government Re-training Scheme funding (called Construction Skills Fund) to support their development at Alconbury Weald. They are delivering several courses: Insight to Construction, Explore Construction, Construction Pre-apprenticeship and Ex-forces Retraining in Construction. They have attracted new talent into construction from the local area and trained over 400 people with job placements for 30% of the trainees.

Details of other employer success stories will be added when they become available.

Contact your CITB customer engagement advisers

Essex South

Nikki Parsons
Tel: 07867 141497
Email: Nikki.parsons@citb.co.uk

Essex North

Megan Willmott-Geary
Tel: 07393 786685
Email: megan.willmott-geary@citb.co.uk

Support to grow your business

Support for businesses of all sizes in regards to Investment, Funding and Business opportunities.

Essex.gov.uk - Support for businesses

Grants, Loans and Investment for businesses across the South East for small businesses.

BEST Growth Hub

Help to train, recruit and fund your staff

Business Growth – European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
The South East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has been notionally allocated £74.1 million to deliver projects within this programme that support research and innovation. The objectives of all projects are to support SMEs and create jobs.

South East LEP - Business Support

Training groups in your area

Essex Construction Training Association

Training projects funded by CITB

CITB-funded training Hubs in Southend, Harlow and East Sussex

Contact your CITB customer engagement advisers

Norfolk

Amy Gardner
Tel: 07879 435130
Email: amy.gardner@citb.co.uk 

With 10 years’ experience providing adept customer service, I aim to support your business to the best of my ability with the use of our products and services here at CITB along with my great knowledge of what’s accessible to you as a construction employer here in Norfolk. I have worked in a multitude of areas within CITB, including but not limited to Levy & Grants, Funding and the Change team which will enable me to answer your queries promptly and efficiently.

I can support you with your apprentices, along with bridging skills gaps and upskilling within in your business. Please take a look at what you can get grants and funding for. I can also signpost you towards our on-site experience hub funded by CITB in partnership with Kier, along with New Anglia LEPs Skills Bootcamp initiatives. (Skills Bootcamps - New Anglia)

Separately, If you are based in Norfolk, you are in one of five areas nationally that can benefit from our Employer Network! This pilot enables you to access funding completely application form free, by becoming part of an Employer Network consisting of likeminded construction employers seeking relevant training. You are able to dictate how the CITB funding is spent and on what. This pilot could drastically change the way grants and funding are paid in the future, and is absolutely an opportunity not to be missed.

Please feel free to contact myself on the above details to find out how I can support your construction business here in Norfolk, and I look forward to speaking with you!

Suffolk

Allison Copeman
Tel: 07787 288056
Email: allison.copeman@citb.co.uk

Please get in touch with any enquiries regarding skills, training, grants, funding or any other query in relation to your construction business in Suffolk and I will be more than happy to help.

What's happening in your area

Employer network pilot

Learn more about the new 12 month initiative. Collectively employers will shape the way the funds provided by CITB are spent, and on what. And if the pilot is a success it could radically change the way training is funded by CITB.

Support to grow your business

Businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk can access a wide range of grants and funding through New Anglia LEP. Finance support includes grants from £1,000 to £500,000 to support business development and growth. To discuss grants and finance for your business, contact the New Anglia Growth Hub for free and impartial advice. We can also offer loans to kick-start infrastructure projects through our Growing Places Fund.

Help to train, recruit and fund your staff

The New Anglia Skills Deal Programme has supported employers, alongside training providers, to seek funding for projects which address a gap in - or barrier to accessing - training provision. Find out more about the projects funded through the Skills Deal:

New Anglia Skills Deal Programme

Sector Skills Plans will identify key priorities for each of the key growth and employment sectors in our area. The plans will identify the main skills needs of the sectors as well as a set of agreed actions to help ensure these needs are met. An evidence base/dataset upon which these plans are based are also available to view. View completed plans and evidence bases:

Sector Skills Plans

Training groups in your area

CITB supports local Construction Training Groups to help companies in the construction industry to access affordable training. Training groups are made up of companies of all sizes across various areas of construction.

Norfolk Construction Training Group (NCTG)
Norfolk Construction Training Group (NCTG) is supported by CITB to help companies in the construction industry to access affordable training for their employees.  It offers members affordable training, and as discussed are able to offer your company support and guidance in accessing relevant training, and works with you to make training effective and affordable.

Website: Norfolk Construction Training Group
Contact: Samantha Thomas, Training Group Officer
Tel: 01953 600700
Email: 

Training projects funded by CITB

The comments below are from two New Anglia employers who accessed support for training and skills developments via CITB's Skills and Training Fund.

Company based in Norwich
"The ability to examine internally has increased our operating standards, whilst ensuring a higher level of skills and knowledge...This will save the company approximately £40,000 per annum, since we are no longer relying on external companies for internal examination."

Company based in Suffolk
"CITB funding provided us with the opportunity to train and qualify our staff, in line with our sector’s regulatory demands...More staff now hold qualifications which our clients are demanding increasingly...Funding has enabled our business to pass qualification requirements to renew and win contracts, thus allowing our business to grow in key areas...The training has bridged knowledge gaps amongst staff, as training has focused on previously under skilled areas."

CITB Skills and Training fund

You may also be interested in...

Find out how local employers can benefit from taking on an apprentice for a short duration in our Shared Apprenticeship Scheme

Find out more about the National Skills Academy for Construction, led by CITB and approved by industry