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Covid derails sale of National Construction College sites
CM Staff
Plant training at NCC East Bircham Newton by Stephen Shepherd
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is to retain two National Construction Colleges at Bircham Newton in Norfolk, and Inchinnan in Glasgow, after their planned sale was derailed by the covid-19 pandemic.
The CITB said it was still in discussions with a training provider for its site in Erith. The NCC Midlands training facility has already been sold to Walsall College.
CITB planned the sale of the sites as part of its Vision 2020 reforms, which saw its administrative functions outsourced, various card schemes transferred to new owners or service providers, and its offices reduced to one, located in Peterborough. CITB said the reduction in operating costs will be invested in construction skills year on year.
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Peter Lauener, chair of CITB’s board, said: “In 2017 the government and construction industry were clear that reform of CITB had to be delivered. We committed to delivering that change while making sure that industry did not lose training capacity, especially in specialist areas, in cases where it was not possible to find a new training provider.
“The Vision 2020 reforms, and other changes made in response to the covid-19 pandemic, have successfully realigned our business to make us better able to support employers investing in skills. CITB operates colleges which provide vital and valued training where we have not been able to find suitable buyers that could continue to deliver the scope of high-quality training the industry needs. The continuing uncertainty is damaging for employers who need to be sure they can get their staff trained, as well as for CITB colleagues who have supported their customers and learners throughout.
“The right course of action to support industry now is to provide stability and assurance. The board has therefore decided to retain NCC East and NCC Scotland. This decision gives employers and CITB colleagues confidence and clarity and enables us to plan for the future, having realised the core ambitions of reform. We will of course keep these businesses under close review as we do for every aspect of our operation and this might lead in due course to alterations in our approach to NCC, but we have no plans at present to return to market.”
CITB is gradually reopening the National Construction Colleges in England in line with government coronavirus guidance, with apprentices being welcomed back from the week beginning 22 March. NCC Scotland (Inchinnan) remains closed for face-to-face learning, although the intention is to reopen in April.
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