CITB Employer Network

**The Employer Network funding is currently paused for training taking place before April 1 2026. Training after this date can be booked via CITB Employer Network as usual. You can book directly with 3B Training at any time.**

The CITB Employer Network is a CITB funding initiative designed to make training and funding more accessible for construction employers. Through this scheme, CITB-registered employers, with up to 249 employees, can claim up to £4,500 in training funding each year, helping them to upskill their workforce without the hassle of complex applications.

There is also a new Large Employer Fund from April 2026, with £18,000 per year available for CITB registered employers with 250 employees or more.

As one of the UK’s leading training providers, 3B Training was part of the CITB Employer Network pilot for 12 months prior to its 2024 launch. We’ve already helped countless employers unlock more training funding and grow their teams’ skills.

What are the benefits of the Employer Network?

1. Simplified Access to Training and Funding

When you join the CITB Employer Network, you’ll be paired with a local training advisor who handles everything — from booking your training to securing the funding. Just let them know what training you need, and they’ll take care of the rest — no paperwork, no complicated application process.

2. Up to 50% Funded Training

One of the biggest advantages of the CITB Employer Network is that CITB will fund up to 50% of the cost of the training. You only need to fund the difference directly to the training provider.

3. No Forward Planning Required

The Employer Network doesn’t require you to plan training in advance. You can book training when you need it, offering flexibility for businesses that require ad-hoc or last-minute courses.

4. A Wider Variety of Eligible Courses

Courses don’t necessarily need to be grant claimable or mapped to a CITB training standard to be booked through the Employer Network. There isn’t currently a set list of eligible courses, these are reviewed by the CITB Employer Network on a case-by-case basis depending on your training needs.

Employer Network funding can be used for courses delivered in a classroom or online as well as eLearning courses.

5. Empowers Employers at a Local Level

As the CITB Employer Networks operate at a local level, they ensure that the training you receive is tailored to the specific needs of your region and industry and can adapt accordingly. Since their pilot in July 2022, these networks have proven to be a successful and valuable resource for many businesses across the UK.

Who’s Eligible for the Employer Network?

To sign up to the CITB Employer Network you must be a CITB registered employer, have submitted your most recent levy return and be up to date with your levy payments. After that, it’s as simple as signing CITB’s Employer Network Commitment Statement. The commitment statement outlines both CITB’s responsibilities and yours as the Employer.

From April 2026, annual caps will apply based on employer size:

• Micro (1–9 employees): £1,500 cap
• Small (10–49 employees): £2,000 cap
• Medium (50–249 employees): £4,500 cap
• Large (250+ employees): £18,000 cap

As one of the largest training providers in the UK, 3B Training is already helping construction employers access this funding. If you’re interested in utilising funding towards your training, contact us for more information.

How does Employer Network funding work?

As of December 2025, short course funding is delivered exclusively via the Employer Network (rather than the previous achievement Grant Scheme). Caps on funding, depending on employer size were also introduced from 1st April 2026.

Key points to remember:

• CITB will match-fund 50% of eligible courses, as opposed to the 70% previously funded

• Health & Safety courses will be supported at 30% of the average market rate

  What does this mean for funding for my course?

  • You can follow the above link for exact EN funding amounts from 8th Jan 2026, but for example…
  • SMSTS was funded up to £240 under the Grant Scheme or £378 under Employer Network. It will now be funded at £115.
  • Temporary Works Coordinator and SSSTS are also funded at £115, while Asbestos Awareness is funded at £60.

• EN budgets are finite and fixed annually

• First Aid training will no longer be supported

What is the Large Employer Fund?

The Employer Network was available to employers of all sizes, but from 1st April 2026, large employers will need to apply for funding through the new Large Employer Fund.

This fund will provide up to £18,000 per employer to spend on in-scope training of their choice, supported through a training plan or evidence of completed training. This is currently an interim solution while CITB works with large employers to develop the next phase of support.

Read more on the latest changes by CITB here.