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CITB launches £250,000 project to upskill 100 cladding workers



The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has launched a £250,000 project to upskill 100 rainscreen cladding system installers and 24 supervisors.


3B Training has been awarded the two-year contract for exclusive delivery of the programme across England, Scotland and Wales.

This follows the government recently confirming deadlines for the removal of unsafe cladding, alongside a £1bn investment in such social housing remediation.

Tim Balcon, chief executive at CITB, commented: “People across the country need to feel assured that we have a competent and skilled workforce to deliver the urgently required remediation works to prevent tragedies like the Grenfell Tower fire happening again.

“Our research shows there is a shortage of workers in the rainscreen façade sector, so we’re working with governments, industry and the Construction Leadership Council to publish these new standards for training providers across the country and increase the number of competent installers and supervisors as quickly as possible.”

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) spokesperson said: “We’re proud to support CITB and the Industry Competence Steering Group in launching an innovative short-course training programme.

“This initiative aims to increase the number of qualified façade installers and site supervisors, ensuring the industry has the capacity and capability to meet the targets set by the Remediation Acceleration Plan.

“We encourage industry stakeholders to take advantage of this training opportunity to support the government’s ambition of making buildings safer.”

Mathew Bewley, managing director at 3B Training Ltd, said: “One of the key recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry was that installers of cladding systems undergo mandatory standardised training.

“Along with being appointed to deliver this training, we will also assemble a steering group of experts to help define the course content.

“It is a source of both enormous pride and responsibility to deliver this work which will fulfil this recommendation and help to ensure that a tragedy like Grenfell cannot happen again.”

The training courses for installers and supervisors are expected to begin in early 2026 and run nationwide.



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