Evaluation of Construction Skills Training Plan initiative

The Construction Skills Training Plan (CSTP) initiative aimed to increase the number of companies with Training Plans in place, specifically by funding additional activity above baseline levels set out in Construction Skills’ Business Plan. It also aimed to: increase the scale and quality of training and workforce development taking place in companies; develop an ongoing culture of training and development in companies; increase productivity and performance in companies; and lead to an increase in commitment to Investors in People (IiP) and other recognised training standards. Construction Skills acts as the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry. The evaluation aimed to identify the initiative’s progress, audit and check financial records, provide evidence on whether the project has met its targets and objectives, assess the intervention’s economic impact and establish whether there is a future demand for the CSTP.

The methodology consisted of: a review of documentation and claim information provided by Construction Skills; an analysis of the content of around 100 training plans supported by SE funding; telephone and face to face interviews with 60 participating companies; consultations with the Training Advisors charged with delivering Training Plans across Scotland; and consultations with other key stakeholders including Construction Skills and Scottish Enterprise (SE) Glasgow.

The report finds that the project does not represent good value for money and the overall impact of the project in economic terms is weak. Notes that the delivery of the programme appears to have been inconsistent with the terms and conditions of the approval paper and subsequent contract. Highlights a number of concerns around the delivery of the project, including: Construction Skills’ inadequate monitoring systems; inconsistencies in claim information and assessment of the eligibility of training plans for SE funding; potential over-claiming of activity in terms of training implementation; and a lack of focus on achieving project outputs. Suggests that Construction Skills has poorly managed the project and there is a lack of verifiable and robust evidence on delivery.

The evaluation recommends that the delivery of the programme should be subject to a full review by the SE Compliance Team. Suggests that following the compliance review, SE should either discontinue SE involvement in the project, or reduce and refocus SE support to the development of a more comprehensive Training Need Analysis or to those organisations where additionality will be highest (typically smaller companies).