Developing training films, lesson plans and learning resources for CITB’s SkillBuild Academy

Helping experienced tradespeople become more effective educators.

SkillBuild, delivered by CITB, is the UK’s largest construction skills competition, helping apprentices and trainees develop their technical ability, confidence and professional standards.

As part of a wider initiative to support further education providers, CITB commissioned a series of learning resources designed to help new construction tutors develop their teaching skills and confidence in the classroom and workshop environment.

Challenge: Many construction tutors enter teaching after successful careers in industry. While they bring extensive technical knowledge and practical experience, teaching and learning techniques can often be new territory.

CITB wanted to create a series of engaging resources that would help new tutors develop effective teaching approaches, improve learner engagement and create better learning experiences for construction students.

Solution: Working alongside subject matter experts, experienced trainers and education specialists, we helped identify the key challenges faced by new tutors and the practical techniques that could make the biggest difference in the classroom.

The project involved research, stakeholder interviews, workshop planning, storyboard development and the creation of supporting learning materials. By comparing the perspectives of experienced educators with those new to teaching, we were able to focus on the areas where additional support would have the greatest impact.

We developed a series of short-form educational videos covering topics including classroom and workshop setup, learner engagement, demonstrations, questioning techniques, observation and feedback. Alongside the video content, we helped shape lesson plans and supporting resources to ensure the learning could be applied in real-world teaching environments.

Outcome: The finished resources provide construction tutors with practical guidance, proven teaching approaches and greater confidence as they move into education roles.

By combining industry expertise with effective learning design, the project helps support the development of skilled educators who will, in turn, help shape the next generation of construction professionals.