USEFUL INFORMATION 6 155 CATHEDRAL COMMUNICATIONS THE BUILDING CONSERVATION DIRECTORY 2024 The following information is mainly for construction and related industries but other apprenticeships are also available for relevant heritage trades and skills, such as archaeology, book binding, boat building and historic motor vehicle service and maintenance. CITB APPRENTICESHIPS Industry training boards were originally established by the Industrial Training Act 1964 to provide better training provision for persons over school age in all major industries, although most of the boards were replaced in the 1990s by training and enterprise councils. However, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) have survived and continue to support their industry. CITB provides the majority of grant aid support for construction industry training in England, Scotland and Wales and offers comprehensive guidance on its website (citb.co.uk) to employers on its ‘Take on an apprentice’ page, which can be accessed via http://bc-url.com/253. CITB funding comes from the levy paid by registered contractors, and for 2021–23 this was: • 0.35% on payroll staff, including furlough payments made under the HMRC Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) • 1.25% on CIS subcontractors who you make CIS deductions from (net paid CIS) • reduced to 50% for firms with a turnover and net CIS between £120,000 and £399,999. Zero for small firms with less than £120,000 turnover/net CIS. For applicants, information on construction apprenticeships in England, Scotland and Wales can also be found on the CITB website via http://bc-url.com/254. CITB offers three types of apprenticeship, called Traditional Apprenticeships, Specialist Applied-skills Programme and the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme, details of which can be found via the CITB’s ‘Take on an apprentice’ page. Traditional Apprenticeships CITB’s standard apprenticeship model combines studying at a college or training centre with experience on-site over a two- to three-year period (or four years in Scotland). This is the most common way to become qualified and is available across the whole of the UK. Many colleges and training centres offer apprenticeships in building trades, and some include conservation work. The Building Crafts College’s L2 Stonemasonry Apprenticeship, for example, includes specialist modules in heritage stonemasonry. Training is by block release of usually two weeks at a time over two years, followed by end-point assessment (EPA) over five months in the workplace. Apprenticeships lead to industryrecognised qualifications which will qualify the apprentice for one of the industry card schemes; essential for getting on-site. An employer may also be able to claim a CITB grant of up to £10,250 to support them through a three- or four-year apprenticeship. Specialist Applied-skills Programme (SAP) Of particular relevance to the heritage sector is the Specialist Applied-skills Programme. This was set up to deliver training for trades that do not have an associated apprenticeship pathway in operation. Applicants must have a fulltime contract of direct employment with a CITB-registered employer. There is no upper age restriction and the minimum age is 16+ years, although employers tend to prefer 18+ years. These apprentice programmes contain all the ingredients for a fully validated apprentice scheme leading to a vocational qualification (NVQ/SVQ). Heritage craft trades recognised under the programme include heritage lead or hard metal roofing specialists, heritage roof slating and tiling, heritage solid plastering, heritage mason and heritage wood occupations. The SAP in heritage roofing run by South Coast Roofing, for example, leads to an NVQ Level 3 Diploma awarded by CITB. The apprentice trains two days per week at the centre for 15 weeks while in full-time employment with an approved employer. The course includes clay tiling, natural random-diminishing slating, stone slating and the use of lime mortar and torching. There is funding available for these apprenticeships from CITB and employers can also claim ‘travel to train funding’ which contributes towards costs of travel and accommodation. Shared Apprenticeship Scheme (SAS) The Shared Apprenticeship Scheme is a relatively new approach to training and promises more opportunities for young people and businesses in construction. It allows employers to take on an apprentice for as short a duration as three months, with no commitment to the apprentice at the end. Apprentices get a variety of on-site experience by working on high-profile projects for more than one employer, as well as completing a full Level 3 Apprenticeship. For more information see http://bc-url. com/257. As yet no heritage training organisations are listed on the scheme. CITB Support In the heritage sector CITB will award short-duration, assured qualifications (‘assured’ means the training standards are set by CITB) which attract either a £60, £140 or £240 grant for CITB registered employers. These are delivered via CITB’s approved training organisation network and can also be requested via its employer network pilot for certain areas of the country. The CITB ‘new entrant support teams’ in their local advisory centres have a remit to help employers navigate the world of recruiting an apprentice, including finding providers, explaining what standard(s) are suitable for the scope of work they do, and supporting access to funding for training. This is via the government apprenticeship service portal and through CITB grants, which include £2,500 per year attendance grant and £3,500 achievement grant, upon the completion of the apprenticeship standard. Students learning heritage masonry skills at the Building Crafts College
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