Small and medium businesses in Gwent are being urgend to claim their share to reduce skills shortages and boost productivity.

In 2012, eligible SMEs in Wales claimed around £3m in grants for skills and training in the construction industry – but there is more available to be claimed, say CITB, the Industry Training Board and Sector Skills Council for the construction industry.

CITB is calling on construction employers to claim their share of the grant as they believe many more are potentially missing out on valuable financial support and have increased the value of specific grant to support the sector.

All successful applications mean that employers can receive a contribution towards the cost of training, business improvement courses, and apprenticeship recruitment, essential for boosting productivity and ensuring long term growth for UK industry.

The grant is available to support a wide range of training initiatives, which include: apprenticeships, health and safety courses, card schemes, management and leadership training, as well as in a whole host of other areas.

Wyn Prichard, CITB Wales director, said: “At CITB, we are investing the levy we receive from the industry into skills and training to make businesses competitive now and in the future.

“The grant is an important way of ensuring we have a world-class workforce that is internationally competitive and future proof.

Getting an application form is as easy as visiting our website or contacting our company development advisers at a local CITB office.

“I would strongly urge all employers to take advantage of the grant, in order to benefit their employees, their business and the industry at large.”

All employers who are registered with CITB can claim a grant. Applications can be made using the forms which can be downloaded from the CITB website. The site also has details about the application criteria, and the contact details for the local CITB offices.