women and ethnic minorities will make up half of all recruits into the building industry by 2005 the Construction Industry Training Board pledged this week.
The ambitious figures are disclosed in its 2001 business plan, which says that the CITB plans to increase the intake of women and ethnic minorities from only 10% this year.

The CITB says it will also work with the industry on a "positive image" campaign for women and ethnic minorities.

A national conference for women working in construction will be launched, along with a database of female role models and mentors.

A pilot career development programme for members of ethnic minority groups will also be introduced.

The business plan says the CITB will have to work flat out to achieve the targets. It says: "The tough new targets set out represent a major challenge if significant improvements are to be made in these areas."

The plans will require the CITB to work closely with the Construction Confederation and other interested groups to improve the image of the industry.

The tough new targets set out represent a major challenge if significant improvements are to be made in these areas

CITB 2001 business plan

The CITB has also set itself tough targets on safety: it aims to raise the number of trainees passing its health and safety test to 450,000 by 2005. This represents a massive increase on the number trained this year, when 35,000 passed.

In addition, the CITB aims to more than double the number of people placed on competence-based registration schemes, setting a new target of 400,000, up from 192,700 this year.

The report says that as well as working with a range of industry partners to promote the Health and Safety Executive's Working Well Together campaign it will bring in its own measures to improve safety training.

The CITB has also set out plans to introduce an across-the-board rate of training levy from the industry, which could be introduced as early as 2003.