ONLINE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2: DECEMBER 2016

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2 GRANTS CITB NI offers direct grants to registered employers for support in a wide range of training and qualifications for their employees working in Northern Ireland. Whether you re training new recruits, developing existing workers or looking for improvements in other areas of your business, for further details on the grants available please contact our team on Investing in training now and building up the skills and strength of your team can save you money in the future. The grant application is simple and offers flexibility to claim whilst you train. Full details of the scheme can be found at Levy Training is not only important, it s essential for future business growth. Construction industry employers are required by law to complete an Annual Levy Return form. If your wages bill is above 80,000 levy is payable on the gross figures at 0.65% and if below 80,000 you will not be liable to pay but you can still benefit from CITB NI. The levy money collected is then returned back to the industry by funding grants, training services and support for employers. 1

3 GRANTS Should I be Registered? If you can answer YES to each of the following questions you should be registered with CITB NI 1. Are you working in the construction industry? 2. Are you an employer? 3. Are you working in Northern Ireland for 27 or more weeks in relevant tax year? As a registered construction employer you will gain access to the following benefits; Training Grants for you and your Team Training for the Industry through our Mobile Training Unit and scaffolding facility Training support at employer information events and through our online training directory Training Research for accurate, current and forward looking labour market intelligence Careers information through our website and careers events and download the registration form 2

4 CITB NI TRAINING Training on the Move with CITB NI s Mobile Training Unit CITB NI s Mobile Training Unit (MTU) provides training on site to all registered in-scope construction employers. It is a convenient way of meeting training requirements with minimum disruption to site work whilst also helping employers meet their legal responsibility. As long as you are based in Northern Ireland, the MTU can come to you. The unit travels across Northern Ireland delivering short duration health and safety courses such as confined spaces, excavations, manual handling and working at heights encouraging the industry to build safely. In the 2016/17 training year registered in-scope levy paying employers can book the Mobile Training Unit Free of Charge. A cost of 300/day will be applied to those who are registered but do not pay a levy. Booking is easy, you can contact Des on / and we can facilitate your booking and answer any queries you have. Alternatively you can desie.hegarty@citbni.org.uk or gillian.watt@citbni.org.uk 3

5 CITB NI TRAINING Virtual Environment Training VET360 CITB NI s innovative VET360 provides a unique and memorable immersive experience which gives the user instant access to construction sites in a workplace environment. Used as a training tool VET360 allows the user to experience being onsite within a safe training environment. The facility allows the user to see more, save time and stay safe as VET360 is the perfect bridge between theoretical classroom training and the reality of a busy construction site. Interested in experiencing VET360 and see how it could transform your training? Contact Lorraine Fisher lorraine.fisher@citbni.org.uk for more information. Undergraduate Development Programme CITB NI offer an Undergraduate Development Programme for construction and built environment students currently on their placement year. This programme covers topics such as core management, craft awareness, team building and health and safety. CITB NI registered employers who enrol their placement students on this programme are eligible to receive 100 for each day on completion of the full programme. If you are a registered employer and have a placement student contact gillian.watt@citbni.org.uk Tel

6 CITB NI TRAINING Scaffolding We provide the CISRS scaffolding training courses at Nutts Corner Training Centre. These courses include a five-day Basic Access Systems Erector Course (BASE) and a two-day Tube & Fitting Basic Scaffold Inspection course. On successful completion of these courses the relevant CISRS Scaffolding card will be issued. These courses run alongside the existing CISRS programme of Scaffolding Part One, Part Two and Advanced courses working towards achievement of an NVQ and obtaining a Scaffolding or Advanced Scaffolding Card. For more information on courses, contact gillian.watt@ctibni.org.uk tel: Leader in Construction The inaugural Leader in Construction programme has just come to an end and the achievements of the 15 participants were celebrated at an event last month. Participants, employers and sponsors came together to acknowledge the success of the programme with keynote speaker Mike Thompson, Department for the Economy, congratulating the participants for making time for personal development. Barry Neilson, Chief Executive, CITB NI, closed the event but not before announcing that a second Leader in Construction programme would be commencing in If you have a high potential candidate in your organisation who would benefit from this programme, or if you want to gain the right skills to elevate your career, and company, to the next level, leaderinconstruction@citbni.org.uk for more information. Site Supervisor We are currently running another NVQ 4 Construction Development Programme. 15 participants are working hard on half day workshops focusing on planning and managing work, managing people and resources in the workplace, maintaining legalities and standards of workmanship. The programme will help develop technical skills and knowledge in site supervision combining theory and practice alongside the virtual training facility VET360. All participants will achieve their NVQ Level 4 and a recognised route to CSR/CSCS Supervisors Gold Card. 5

7 OTHER NEWS Local apprentices shine at Skills Show 20 local apprentices representing Gold in bricklaying, William the Built Environment travelled Campbell, Gold in carpentry and to NEC Birmingham last month Luke Courtney and Chris Hoy to compete at the WorldSkills UK Gold and Silver respectively in Show and successfully brought refrigeration. From South West home 7 medals. The Skills Show is the UK s largest skills and careers event and is designed to reward talent and drive up levels of expertise in further education. More than 500 talented young people took part in competitions covering 61 different skills over three days at Birmingham s NEC in front of thousands of visitors. From South Eastern Regional College, Jemual Chamos achieved College, Stuart Graham achieved Gold in electrical installation, Gareth Elliott Bronze in joinery and Daniel McAteer Bronze in plastering and dry wall systems. Highly commended in their categories were Christopher Jeffery, cabinet making, Richard Shannon, joinery from Southern Regional College and Jamie Howe, joinery South West College. Those who excel in the WorldSkills UK Show competitions may be invited to join the training programme to represent the UK at the international WorldSkills competitions, which take place every two years in cities around the world. The next WorldSkills competitiion will be held in Abu Dhabi in

8 OTHER NEWS Apprenticeship Levy CITB NI support Minister s Hamilton and O Muilleoir in seeking Clarity & Consultation on the forthcoming Apprenticeship Levy. Following the announcement that UK government has agreed an apprenticeship levy funding deal with devolved administrations, Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Economy Minister Simon Hamilton have publicly stated that the newly proposed Apprenticeship Levy will have no benefit to the NI Executive and have called for a public consultation on the matter. The Apprenticeship Levy is being introduced from 6 April 2017 and is payable by all employers operating in the UK with an annual pay bill over 3 million. In England, the levy will fund increased and improved apprenticeship training but there is no provision for the money to be spent in that way in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, where skills are treated as a devolved matter. Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Economy Minister Simon Hamilton highlighted the impact on the Executive s Finances and on local employers as the introduction of the apprenticeship levy would mean a net loss to Northern Ireland Executive s budget after taking account of the impact of our public sector organisations also having to pay the Apprenticeship Levy. Barry Neilson, Chief Executive CITB NI has already been asking the Northern Ireland Assembly to deliver clarity on the Apprenticeship Levy which is being forced on the construction industry who already support industry wide training through a levy. He said, The industry needs answers, how will the Apprenticeship Levy affect contractors based in Northern Ireland but working in Great Britain? Will it be collected monthly? If so, how will contractors be able to properly plan for this? Will companies paying levy to CITB NI have to pay, in effect, twice? I fully welcome the Ministers call for a short and focused consultation to gauge opinions of those impacted. Barry continued, One of the most frustrating aspects of the Apprenticeship Levy is that it comes at a time when the construction industry is engaged with the Department for the Economy about an improved system for apprenticeships and training in Northern Ireland. We know improvements need to be made and this levy may have an impact upon this. We have a construction industry to be proud of in Northern Ireland but we need skills and forward planning to sustain it. The Department for the Economy are now consulting on the Apprenticeship Levy with responses due by 23 Dec 2016 and we encourage the industry to respond. consultations/apprenticeship-levy 7

9 OTHER NEWS Employer Events Topics Date Venue CITB NI is providing a series of short seminars on a range of topical business issues. These seminars are being delivered by industry experts, giving attendees a detailed overview of the subject area and the practicalities of dealing with these issues in the construction industry. In addition, CITB NI will provide a short overview of the services we provide to the construction industry and their benefits to employers. FREE to CITB NI registered employers please have your registration number when booking 25 for non-registered attendees Credit Control and Managing a Family Business Introduction to Tendering and Using Social Media to Promote Your Business Credit Control and Managing a Family Business BIM and Waste Management (including site visit) Introduction to Tendering and Using Social Media to Promote Your Business BIM and Waste Management (including site visit) 18/01/17 Armagh City Hotel, Armagh 22/02/17 Burrendale Hotel, Newcastle 22/03/17 Magherabouy House Hotel, Portrush 12/04/17 Foyle College & Ebrington Primary & Nursery School, Derry/Londonderry 24/05/17 Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen 21/06/17 Ulster University, Belfast 8

10 INDUSTRY REPORTS Slower Growth and less workers needed for local construction industry post Brexit Results from an interim post-brexit review of the Construction Skills Network forecasts indicate that Brexit will have a major negative influence on output growth, employment levels and the annual recruitment requirement for the Northern Ireland construction industry. The impact of the EU referendum can be seen again in a drop in the employment forecasts. Employment is still expected to grow at a rate of 0.3% over the forecast period however this is a drop from the 1.2% in January s predictions with employment now expected to be 63,546 in Forecasts published in January 2016 were positive and the performance of the construction industry over the 5-year forecast period showed and annual average output growth of 3%. However the interim forecasts have reduced this figure to 1.4% due to a contraction in activity (with the exception of the private housing sector). The annual average recruitment requirement for stands at 650 per year, down significantly from the 1,760 figures forecast in January Barry Neilson, Chief Executive, CITB NI, said Clearly the EU Referendum reflects increased uncertainty in the economy and investment and this has had an effect on the forecasts, however we do need to keep some perspective as the industry can still expect to see some growth in output e.g. private housing. Whilst output, employment and annual recruitment requirements are lower than forecast, we are still facing potential skills shortages in certain occupations such as bricklayers and roofers. On the professionals side we will see some demand for project managers and architects. CITB NI will continue to work with the industry to ensure that sufficient numbers of people are trained to meet the demand and that those already working in the industry have the right skills and qualifications to deliver upcoming construction projects. 9