CITB supports over 30,000 learners in with its Apprenticeship grants in the 2025-26 Financial Year 

The new figures reveal that over the same period, more than 10,000 employers were supported – of which over 9,000 are SMEs 

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has today released its Financial Year (FY) 2025-26 grants figures. CITB has provided over £97 million in grants to construction employers, including £68 million in apprenticeship grants, helping to support the industry to develop a skilled, competent and inclusive workforce.  

In the FY 2025-26, 30,837 learners were supported – an increase of 9% from the previous year. The grants provided have also supported 10,410 construction employers in the past year – of which 9,258 are small and micro (SMEs). 

CITB’s Travel to Train grant – a funding initiative for construction employers in England, Scotland and Wales to support apprentices who need to travel for block-release training – has supported 3,794 learners and 1,217 employers. In total, they have received £8.2 million in Travel to Train grant support. 

Data from April 2025 – March 2026 also reveals that 22,690 learners and 3,088 employers received £21.7 million of qualification grant support. CITB qualification grants are financial incentives paid to registered construction employers to support the cost of training their workforce. Of the 3,088 employers supported in the past FY, 2,185 were SMEs.  

CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook (CWO) finds that construction output is expected to grow by an average of 2.1% per year from now until 2029. The CWO also finds that an average of 47,000 extra construction workers are required each year to meet demand and CITB’s grants remain vital in building a sustainable and resilient construction workforce. 

Deb Madden, Executive Director, Customer Engagement and Operations, said: “We’re committed to ensuring the construction industry remains at the forefront of skills development, and we’re pleased to see the impact of our grants over the past Financial Year.  

“Supporting employers to recruit and retain apprentices is critical to building the skilled workforce the industry needs. Without sustained recruitment and training, labour shortages risk project delays and increased costs, and we’re pleased to be playing a part in providing the support employers and learners need to help build the workforce of tomorrow, today.” 

 The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is the designated industry training board for the construction sector in England, Scotland, and Wales. Its remit is to assist the construction industry in attracting talent and to champion skills development, with the overarching goal of building a better Britain, and its purpose is to support the construction industry in sustaining a workforce that is skilled, competent, and inclusive, both for the present and the future.