The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced the launch of a £250,000 pilot programme aimed at boosting safety skills in rainscreen facade installation across the UK.
Set to begin in early 2026, the two-year initiative will provide free training to 100 facade system installers and 24 supervisors, with delivery led by Wigan-based 3B Training—recently acquired by Morson Group and a CITB Approved Training Organisation.
The scheme comes as part of the wider push to improve building safety, aligning with the UK Government’s Remediation Acceleration Plan, which aims to complete the remediation of unsafe high-rise buildings in government-funded schemes in England by 2029. Similar efforts are also under way in Scotland and Wales, with the Welsh Government introducing the Building Safety (Wales) Bill to formalise responsibilities around building safety.
CITB says the pilot will develop new training standards in response to evolving fire safety legislation and recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The course content will focus on best practice for the inspection and installation of facade systems, aligning with the latest safety requirements.
Tim Balcon, CITB’s chief executive, said: “Our industry research clearly shows the urgent need to raise capability and competency in facade installation. This programme is a direct response to that need and will ensure that we’re building a workforce ready to meet today’s safety challenges.”
Mathew Bewley, managing director at 3B Training, added: “A key recommendation from the Grenfell Inquiry was to make cladding installation training mandatory. We’re proud to be leading this programme and will be forming a specialist steering group to shape the curriculum and uphold the highest standards.”
The new training programme represents a collaborative effort between CITB, industry leaders, and government to raise professional standards and ensure that building safety is embedded at every level of construction.
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