The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is embarking on the biggest consultation the organisation has ever undertaken, with all in-scope employers being asked to give their views on the Levy proposal for 2018.

According to the CITB, the Levy is designed to be fair to all employers, and generate enough funding for developing the skills that the industry says it needs. The 2018 proposal would see the Levy reduce from 0.5% to 0.35%, with net CIS payments for subcontracted workers remaining at 1.25%.

Employers from across the sector, large and small, federated and non-federated, from across England, Scotland and Wales are being asked to take part.

The consultation has been launched to get industry’s views on the Levy proposal but CITB is also using this opportunity to share with employers its future offer from 2018 – including improvements to the Grants Scheme.

Up to 70,000 in scope employers will be invited to take part in the consultation. Employers can visit the dedicated part of CITB’s website to find out more. For the first time they can also give feedback using a simple online form, accessible on tablets and mobile phones.

Nationwide workshops will also take place, giving employers the chance to share their views. Dedicated webinars have also been created with further details on the Levy website.

This website is now live, with the consultation running until May. All responses from employers will be used to inform the final Levy proposal, which will be put to industry from July.

In mid-2017, independent market research will be conducted with thousands of non-federated in-scope employers who pay the Levy. This is to find out their views as to whether they consider the final Levy proposal necessary to encourage adequate training in the industry. The final result is expected in October.

Sarah Beale, chief executive at CITB, said: “This is a vital consultation, because we want to know what the whole industry thinks of our Levy proposal and future plans.

“This proposal has been developed by an industry-led working group, with input from a whole range of employers. We believe this proposal offers good value, and supports a plan to deliver real impact for our industry over the next few years. But this Levy proposal and the way we are improving CITB must work for all, particularly the smaller employers which dominate our industry, so it’s critical that as many as possible have their say.

“There are lots of different ways to take part – by going to a consultation event, joining a webinar, or simply rating our current proposal on your tablet or phone. It needn’t take more than a few minutes to understand the offer and let us know what you think. So please take part. It’s your industry, and your CITB, so have your say.”