The government has officially opened a consultation on proposals to merge the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) into a single, unified Industry Training Board (ITB).
Published on 23 March 2026, the consultation seeks views from employers, representative bodies, and training providers across England, Scotland, and Wales. The proposed reform aims to address critical and long-standing skills shortages, low productivity, and an aging workforce across the construction and engineering sectors.
Why is Reform Being Proposed?
The government cites the need for a sufficiently skilled workforce to deliver on major national commitments, including building 1.5 million homes, upgrading existing housing, and transitioning to clean energy.
Currently, the construction industry faces significant workforce challenges:
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Recruitment & Retention: Forecast demand is outstripping the supply of new entrants, with an estimated 45% of construction vacancies hard to fill due to skills shortages.
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Aging Workforce: Around 35% of construction workers are aged over 50, with up to 750,000 retirements expected between 2021 and 2036.
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Fragmented Skills: A lack of shared, portable mechanisms to verify skills creates barriers for workers moving between related sectors.
A unified ITB, the government argues, would provide a more strategic, coordinated, and efficient approach to skills planning. By combining the infrastructure and resources of the CITB and ECITB, the new body would aim to deliver increased value from employer levy contributions, eliminate duplicated processes, and create clearer, more flexible skills pathways.
If approved, the single ITB is expected to be established in the first quarter of 2028, with a new Levy Order introduced to ensure continuity of funding.
Broadening the Scope: An Opportunity for Our Sector
Alongside the proposed merger, the government is seeking initial views on two areas for future reform: extending the maximum length of an ITB Levy Order beyond three years, and extending the employer activities currently in scope of the ITB.
The current scope orders date back to the early 1990s and do not fully reflect the modern realities of construction output. This presents a critical opportunity for sectors currently outside of the levy scope to have their voices heard.
James Filus, Director, and Amanda Scott, UK Skills Lead, said:
“We welcome the opportunity for industry to consider the Government’s proposals and ensure that our remaining Industry Training Boards are fit for purposes into the future. We are particularly supportive of the consideration to broaden the scope the Industry Training Boards, which has not been updated since the 1990’s – despite the ever changing ways of delivering construction output.
As representatives of one sector that is currently out of scope – architectural metalwork – we feel this is a necessary nettle to grasp which we have long tried to resolve within the current systems. Our members are naturally welcome to respond in their own right, but we would ideally like to form a collective response – which will carry greater weight. To achieve this, we would love you to get in contact to share your views to help shape our reply to the consultation.“
Have Your Say
The consultation runs until 11:59pm on Sunday 14 June 2026.
We want to ensure our collective response strongly reflects the views and needs of our members. To share your thoughts, concerns, or feedback regarding the proposed unified ITB and the potential broadening of its scope, please get in touch with us at enquiries@shopfitters.org.
Members wishing to review the full consultation document or respond directly can do so via the GOV.UK page.
