A construction skills quango has launched an “accelerated apprenticeships” grant programme that will fund its network of 20 training “hubs” first promised in late 2024. Over the next three years, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is offering grants of up to £33,625 to 20 colleges and ITPs that agree to deliver “significantly shorter” apprenticeship completions for roles such as bricklaying, decorating, and carpentry. Each provider will be expected to commit to starting 42 “accelerated apprentices” per year for at least two years, delivering a total of 1,680 starts across four years. The grant programme for 20 existing training providers appears to backtrack on a government claim that CITB and partners, including the National House Building Council (NHBC), would open 32 “purpose built” centres. In November 2024, the government announced that fast-track apprenticeship training and a network of up to 32 new “home building skills hubs” funded by the CITB and NHBC would make 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places available per year by 2028. At the time, the NHBC promised to spend £100 million opening 12 new hubs while the CITB said it would invest up to £40 million to bring the network of hubs up to 32, running them in partnership with training providers and employers. But it has now emerged that 20 of the “hubs” will be existing colleges and training providers who have joined the accelerated apprenticeships programme. Reward acceleration Under the £672,500 accelerated apprenticeship programme, the CITB said training “must be delivered” in a way that apprentices complete within 14 to 18 months rather than the standard two to three years. This should be through “flexible” delivery methods such as “front-loading” initial training in an intensive block and structured periods of one to two weeks “concentrated learning” interspersed with on-site learning. In the first tranche of grants, expected to launch in September this year, five providers will be selected from Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Kent, and Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Three future tranches of 15 regions will be confirmed, five per year, over the next three years. The CITB has promised that its new entrant support team will help providers with apprentice recruitment, accessing CITB grants, signposting employers and “mentor training” for in-house staff. It will judge providers based on seven key performance indicators including number of apprentices, retention rate, completion rate, and employment outcomes. CITB CEO Tim Balcon said accelerated apprenticeships are part of a “step change” in changing how people train for construction careers. He added: “But it’s not just about getting people through training faster. “As an industry, we need to place greater focus on outcomes – ensuring that apprenticeships lead to sustained, high-quality employment. “That’s how we build a workforce that is not only larger, but more resilient for the future.” The CITB said the accelerated apprenticeships programme will feed into its new national construction mayoral network that is due to launch later this year. To apply for the grants, providers must be registered on the apprenticeship provider and assessment register without restrictions, have a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating for overall effectiveness and be clear of any audit red flags. They must also have a “formal endorsement” from a major local homebuilding firm. NHBC hubs Since 2024, there have been around 370 starts at the NHBC’s network of physical training hubs, which include one new multi-skilled housebuilding hub and four established apprenticeship training hubs that focus on bricklaying and groundworks training. The building insurance warranty provider, which has a construction skills training arm, has opened one multi-skilled housebuilding hub since 2024, and plans to open two more this year. It told FE Week its “effective and high quality” training model has a completion time of around 16 months.