The Welsh construction industry is set to receive a much needed boost following the announcement of a £3m pound support package, to be joint funded by CITB Wales, the Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board for construction and the Welsh Government.

Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, recently joined CITB’s new chief executive, Adrian Belton, and Wales director, Wyn Prichard to officially launch the Construction Futures Wales Programme.

The programme, which will be available over three years, has been introduced to improve the competitiveness and performance of the construction industry – a sector identified by the Welsh Government as a priority for support to help drive business growth and job creation for the future development of Wales’ economy.

The programme will help the industry respond to the changes and challenges caused by increasing regulatory and legislative pressures and the financially constrained business climate. It will help businesses adopt new technologies and develop new skills and business processes, increasing their capability for securing new contracts.

CITB Wales director Wyn Prichard said: “We are delighted to announce this significant investment for a sector that is so crucial to the recovery of Wales’ economy.

“The sector employs more than 100,000 workers across 10,000 craft, technical and professional businesses in Wales, with an annual spend of £3.2 billion, representing around seven per cent of Wales’ GVA. We are grateful to the Welsh Government for its recognition of construction as a priority sector and look forward to working with the department of Economy, Science and Transport to deliver this vital support to industry.”

Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart said: “Wales’ construction industry plays a vital role in delivering a strong economy and is one of our key sectors for growth, The sector is currently in a good position to exploit a number of opportunities in response to the economic recovery, and from the Welsh Government’s investment in infrastructure and capital projects, such as the Ty Tirion housing scheme announced recently. The most recent Index of Construction figures published by the ONS shows that the Welsh construction sector is making good progress in recovering from the recession and is outperforming the UK as whole. Construction Futures Wales will build on that progress by helping businesses of all sizes to better compete for contracts and to exploit the opportunities out there.”

The level of support required under the Construction Futures Wales Programme and the company’s readiness for development will be determined by a business diagnostic tool. The new support will complement the Welsh Government capital investment in the sector and will build upon support already offered through the Welsh Government and CITB Wales.