Securing new work in construction is tougher than ever. With more contractors competing for opportunities, standing out in the tender process is critical. Strong, persuasive bids are the key to success – and the right training can make all the difference.
That’s why we’re thrilled to announce that Thornton & Lowe has joined the CITB Training Provider Network. This partnership means we can now deliver bid training that is 70% funded through CITB. For construction businesses, this makes our training more affordable, more accessible, and more impactful than ever. It’s a chance to sharpen your skills, strengthen your bids, and win more of the work that matters.
What's New with Our CITB Partnership
Through funding with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), members can now access Thornton & Lowe’s bid training with 70% of the cost covered. That means your business only pays 30% of the training fee, with the rest funded by CITB.
Thanks to our partnership with CITB, we can provide training specifically tailored to the needs of your business. We start by reviewing your previous bids and tendering processes, before completing a detailed skills gap analysis. From there, we build a bespoke training package designed to maximise impact.
Our CITB-funded training also includes practical tools that you can put to work immediately, such as:
- Bid/no-bid assessments to help you focus on opportunities with the best chance of success
- Bid templates and frameworks that save time and improve consistency
- Customised guidance built around your team’s real-world challenges
Our training is designed around your needs, helping you to gain the skills that will make the biggest difference to your business. The result? Your team gains the knowledge, confidence, and resources they need to deliver stronger, more persuasive bids that win work.
Why This Matters for Construction Businesses
For many construction businesses, tendering is one of the most time-consuming and high-stakes parts of running the company. A missed opportunity or poorly written submission can mean months of lost revenue. With competition increasing and margins under pressure, it’s no longer enough to rely on technical expertise alone.
By investing in CITB-funded training with us, you’ll give your team the skills to produce bids that are sharper, more persuasive, and more consistent. Strong bid writing is about more than filling out forms: it’s about telling your story in a way that aligns with the buyer’s priorities. That’s where we come in.
We’ve already shared insights on how to improve tender quality and win more contracts in our guide to tendering success for construction businesses. We’ve also seen how changing construction tendering trends in 2025 are creating new challenges and opportunities for contractors. By combining these industry insights with targeted, CITB-funded training, we’ll help your business stay competitive and ready for what’s next.
How It Works
Accessing CITB-funded training with us is straightforward. We’ve simplified the process so you can focus on building better bids, not paperwork. Here’s how it works:
- Get in touch with Thornton & Lowe
We’ll work with you to create a bespoke training course that will provide the best outcomes for your business. - Check your eligibility
Speak to your local CITB advisor to confirm your business qualifies for funded training. To find contact details for your local advisor, visit the CITB in your local area page, click on your region and from there select your sub-region. - Book your training
Once approved, we’ll invoice you for just 30% of the course fee. CITB covers the rest, and we handle the administration directly.
With CITB funding in place, there’s never been a better time to invest in your team’s bid writing skills. To learn more about how it works, read our guide to boosting tender success with our 70% funded courses.
We are delighted to be working as part of the CITB's Training Provider Network to deliver 70% funded bid training! Not only will it make our training more accessible, it will help construction companies to improve their bids, enhance their competitiveness, get onto more frameworks and win more contracts. What's not to like?
Charles Grosstephan – Director of Development at Thornton & Lowe
Next Steps
If you’re ready to strengthen your bids and take advantage of 70% CITB funding, the next step is simple. Get in touch with us and we’ll guide you through the process from start to finish.
You can learn more about how the funding works in our CITB bid training explainer, or explore our construction bid writing training page to see the wider benefits of working with Thornton & Lowe.
Whether you’re looking to improve your success on construction frameworks or want support with producing stronger method statements, our bespoke training will give you the tools, knowledge, and confidence to compete at the highest level.
Now is the time to invest in your team and future growth. With CITB covering the majority of the cost, there’s nothing holding you back.
