The former chief executive of the Education and Skills Funding Agency has been appointed as the new chair of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Peter Lauener spent 42 years in the civil service prior to retiring  ESFA last November. Until then, he had served as chief executive of the ESFA, as well as its predecessor organisations, the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), and had been interim chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships.

In January, it was revealed Mr Lauener, currently the interim chief executive at the Student Loans Company (SLC) and chair of the Newcastle College Group (NCG), would donate his £25,000 annual salary associated with the role at NCG’s training provider to the college’s student hardship fund.

Aim: Make construction an exemplar for skills development

Mr Lauener becomes Chair of CITB on 1 May when James Wates steps down from the role he has held for eight years. The appointment was made by apprenticeships and skills minister Anne Milton.

He said: “I am delighted to be appointed as chair of the CITB.  I know how committed the industry is to training and I am looking forward to working with industry leaders, together with Sarah Beale and her committed executive team at CITB to make construction an exemplar for skills development.”

Anne Milton added: “I am pleased to appoint Peter Lauener as the new chair of the Construction Industry Training Board. Peter’s knowledge of the skills industry, along with his experience, will help his work with the CITB to make sure that our country has the construction skills it needs.

“Peter will take over from James Wates in May. I would like to thank James for the contribution he has made to the CITB during his time as Chair, and I wish him the very best for the future.”

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