Welsh education inspection body Estyn has praised CITB Wales’ work with learners, education institutions and construction employers across Wales.
In a detailed report Inspectors from Estyn, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales, found that CITB learners “develop high levels of practical skills in the workplace”, which leads to them gaining and sustaining employment in construction.
CITB Wales’ current performance was described as “good”, with many strengths and no important areas requiring significant improvement. The inspection also stated that the prospects for improvement and CITB Apprenticeships leadership and management were “excellent”, with many strengths including significant examples of sector-leading practice.
Key statements from the report include:
- “Partnership arrangements with employers are effective and give learners outstanding opportunities to develop high level practical skills.”
- “The provider has developed a comprehensive quality strategy called ‘Quality First’. This provides a strong focus on continual improvement in the quality of provision and learner outcomes.”
- “The provider has outstanding working relationships with its further education institutions, delivery partners and employers which are highly effective in improving outcomes for learners.
- “The provider’s senior managers are highly effective in setting a clear strategic direction and vision for the delivery of their work-based learning contract.”
- “Strong partnerships with schools and local authorities enable the provider to help many school pupils to gain insight into opportunities in the construction industry and to make more informed decisions about their career progression.”
Welcoming the report Steve Hearty, CITB Head of Apprenticeships said: “CITB is pleased with the results of this thorough examination of our work across the country. Estyn’s report reflects the dedication of CITB staff, our highly motivated learners and the strength of our partnerships across Wales.
“CITB have introduced new working practices which facilitate the sharing of resources and best practice across GB teams and our FE partners which is supported by our Quality First strategy and we are delighted this is recognised within the report with our ‘prospects for improvement’ grade stated to be excellent.
“The report comes at a crucial time for the Welsh construction sector. Its potential is clear and CITB Wales’ role is to ensure that learners develop world class construction skills which meet the needs of employers on the major projects in the pipeline.
“CITB will continue to strive for the highest standards and prioritise the report’s recommendations. We look forward to rising to the construction challenges ahead.”
