Swedish delegation studies rural apprenticeship delivery at CITB's Inchinnan college

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has hosted a delegation of senior Swedish construction and education representatives at its National Construction College in Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, to show how Scotland delivers apprenticeships in rural areas.

The group came from a rural area in the north of Sweden and included local officials, politicians, employer groups, trade unions and education providers, CITB said. Skills Development Scotland (SDS) supported the Scottish Government in hosting the visit, and officials from both bodies accompanied the delegation.

According to CITB, the visitors looked at operational questions such as how to deliver plumbing and roofing apprenticeships in rural areas, how to use online technology to support teaching, and how best to deliver training across a widespread rural area.

Ian Hughes, Engagement Director for Scotland at CITB, said: "It was a great opportunity for us to showcase how NCC supports learners from across the country, including through initiatives like CITB's Travel to Train Grant, which helps apprentices overcome barriers to accessing specialist training regardless of where they live."

The college

National Construction College (NCC) Scotland has delivered construction training for more than 55 years and offers over 140 courses, from one-day health and safety training to apprenticeships, CITB said.

NCC Inchinnan recruited 310 new apprentices in the last year and expects about 290 new starts this year, according to CITB.

NCC Inchinnan apprentice starts	Number
Last year	310
Expected this year	290

CITB said that without NCC Scotland, many Scottish employers would have no domestic training route for several specialist occupations, including plant mechanics, floorcovering, and roofing and cladding.

How rural training is funded

The Travel to Train grant that Mr Hughes singled out is designed to help apprentices reach training that may be far from home. Under the scheme, CITB funds 80% of accommodation costs for eligible apprentices of grant-eligible employers who need overnight stays to attend college or a training provider. Employers can also claim apprentice travel costs where they exceed £20 a week.

In the 2025-26 financial year the grant supported 3,794 learners and 1,217 employers across Great Britain, who received a total of £8.2m, CITB said. CITB's Scotland nation plan commits to retaining the grant to help Scottish employers and learners with travel and accommodation costs.

Across all its schemes, CITB provided £120m in grants in 2025-26, including £68m in apprenticeship grants, and supported 30,837 apprentices. The board offers employers grants of up to £14,500 towards the cost of recruiting a construction apprentice.

CITB Scotland Apprenticeships describes itself as the largest managing agency in Scotland for construction Modern Apprenticeships. It holds a contract with SDS, which administers Scottish Apprenticeships on behalf of the Scottish Government, to coordinate and support apprenticeship delivery across the country. CITB's Scotland plan aims to maximise a contracted allocation of 1,426 apprentices under that contract in 2025-26, and to grow membership of its five local Employer Networks across Scotland.

Workforce demand

CITB's Construction Workforce Outlook, its annual forecast of the sector's workforce and skills requirements, says Scotland needs an average of 2,590 extra construction workers a year between 2026 and 2030. Across the UK, the same forecast puts the figure at 41,200 extra workers a year over the period, with the workforce expected to reach about 2.68 million by 2030.

Frank Quinn, Head of Standards and Frameworks at SDS, said the visit came at a time of significant growth in Scotland's construction sector and that Scotland and Sweden face many of the same challenges and opportunities, particularly in rural communities.

Anders Lundström, Administrative Project Manager – Apprentice of the Future, Adult Education, who was part of the Swedish delegation, said: "We were very impressed by the strong connection between training and real working environments. It was inspiring to see how practical skills, industry needs and education are brought together."

CITB said the delegation intends to use what it learned in Scotland for its own apprenticeship delivery. NCC Inchinnan, at Inchinnan Business Park, expects to take on about 290 new apprentices this year.