Engineering training grants

Engineering training grants are funded by the industrial training levy and used to meet the needs of employers and the wider industry.

Grants that are paid employers to subsidise training costs for their workforce. The ECITB also pays grants to training providers who provide the training, tests and qualifications that industry requires.

The ECITB works with employers to identify training needs and to drive up skill levels across the industry. Eligible employers can access a wide range of engineering training grants to support the training they require.

Some grant money is invested in strategic projects that benefit the wider industry, for instance a project to recruit more apprentices to our graduate retention programme for the oil and gas industry, which has helped to secure graduates skills during the economic downturn.

Grant support is available for a range of training activities. The ECITB prioritises funding for training that improves the productivity and safety of the engineering construction workforce and also training that develops skills that are transferrable across industry.

These areas of training include:

  • New entrant training – apprenticeships, graduate development and workers transferring across industry sectors.
  • Craft/technician skills (eg Mechanical Joint Integrity)
  • Safety training (excluding the CCNSG safety passport)
  • Leadership, management and supervisory development.
  • Competence assurance (eg vocational qualifications and technical tests)
  • Contractual requirement (eg works access and plant operations)
  • Project management, project controls and commercial awareness
  • Design training (eg CAD and BIM)

Some training, such as safety passports required to gain access to sites and to ensure a worker can travel overseas, is excluded from grant support. This includes:

All in-scope engineering construction companies are eligible for support from engineering training grants, whether they pay the training levy or not. The levy contribution or size of a company has no bearing on the decision to award a grant. Small and medium-sized companies may be exempt from levy payments, but are eligible to receive training grants.

The ECITB can also award grants to employers, training providers, individuals and other institutions that are not in-scope, but are part of the engineering construction industry.

To apply for grant funding:

  • The ECITB must agree to fund training before the activity takes place.
  • If an employer does not seek a commitment for funding beforehand there is a risk the grant will not be paid.
  • Apply for grant funding either via an ECITB Approved Training Provider or directly through the ECITB’s online member services portal (MSP). If you are not already a registered MSP user contact msphelp@ecitb.org.uk
  • Employers should make their claim for grant funding as soon as possible after the training has taken place.

For further information please see the ECITB’s grant policy here.

All grant claims are paid after evidence that the training has taken place is submitted to the ECITB. Types of evidence include attendance sheets and certificates and the ECITB aims to pay the grant within 6 weeks subject to the submission of evidence.

The grant rate paid by the ECITB is determined by:

  • The value for money offered by the training activity.
  • The training fee levels set by third party provider.
  • The desirability of particular training courses for industry.

This means a grant payment may not cover the whole cost of a training course. The ECITB reviews the training market and adjusts grant rates as and when necessary.