A LinkedIn post from the CEO of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) calling on people to stop abusing his team has been met with criticism from those in the construction industry, after the skills and standards body put a stop to all training fund applications until April.
Tim Balcon’s post on the platform detailed a number of angry and abusive voicemails received by members of his team following publication of an article about the training fund application shutdown.
Rachele Garrod, training and development consultant at 4 Construction Group, criticised Balcon’s post stating it was “inappropriate” to be posting on social media. “No person should have to take that sort of abuse under any circumstances; however, frustrations are running high and this post could be inflammatory.”
CITB is an “employer-led and funded skills and standards body” for the construction industry in Great Britain, according to its website. It is a charity and non-departmental public body in charge of its own budget and activities, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions.
The organisation’s primary funding comes from a mandatory annual tax on construction employers in Great Britain, based on their wage bills. For 2025, rates were 0.35 per cent for PAYE and 1.25 per cent for Net CIS subcontractors. Companies with wage bills under £120k are exempt, with 50 per cent reductions for those between £120k and £399,999.
Comms failures
An article from Roofing Today two and a half weeks ago revealed that all construction training funding applications were now being refused by the Employer Network, run by the CITB, and that the organisation would not be reviewing any new applications until the start of April.
Balcon has been criticised for failures in communication, with many people in the industry wondering where the money they have been paying out has gone.
“Evening Tim, nice to finally hear from you!” said Dean Crowe, health and safety director at Alliance Groundworks. “Abuse to anyone isn’t warranted in any walk of life. As someone else has mentioned, they sound like companies and people who have had all their funding removed without any consultation, no warning nor any consideration for businesses.”
He then added: “Your last post on LinkedIn was a year ago, maybe as the CEO if you clearly communicated the decision-making process that has affected the whole industry rather than leaving your staff to explain after companies have heard the news via third parties you wouldn’t come across clearly frustrated people.”
Balcon has made six posts on LinkedIn since becoming CITB CEO four years ago.
Another criticism of Balcon’s post came from outside the construction industry. Adam Nichols, creator of The Job Hunt Academy, said: “I don't know much about you or your business, but shouldn’t the immediate concern be ‘Why are so many of our customers so angry?’ Don't get me wrong, the abuse and the language is wrong, and totally unnecessary, but why are many of the team reporting similar messages?”
Mel Evans, director of Midland Plant Training and Testing, explained that much of people’s frustration was rooted in the fact that people “are not being consulted and their businesses are going to go under due to this”. “If nobody is getting back to them that will make them even more frustrated,” he added.
This view was echoed by Jo Niblett, managing director of engineering consultancy business Pragmatic Consulting, who explained that while there was “no excuses for the behaviour”, the construction industry wasn’t feeling supported.
“People don't respond or answer calls within CITB and the industry in parts is on its knees and some companies are going under. Their unacceptable behaviour is frustration and venting. I think everyone just needs to communicate more,” she stated.
A day after the post Balcon responded to the comments with one of his own, stating: “Thank you for all the likes, loves and comments. I've made my point and I hear you!” He went on to link to a LinkedIn post from CITB, a video of himself explaining the recent funding changes.
Balcon declined to comment when contacted by In.Comms.