Adopting digital ways of working maximises the benefits of new technologies and prepares a business for growth.

Today the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) launches a new guide - Summary of Funding and Business Support Available to Scottish Construction Companies.

The guide is just one of the actions from the Scottish Government (SG) funded CLF Recovery Plan  of actions aligned with SG policies and the Construction Scotland Industry Strategy. 

This new guide points businesses to the help they need to go digital. It has been produced by the Forum’s Digital Strategy Steering Group following research by one of its members - Digital Construction Skills (DCS). DCS works to support SMEs on their digitalisation journey. Their research showed a need to help businesses access available support on their digital journey which could help with digital adoption.

Saffron Grant, Managing Director of DCS, said: "We can help, free of charge, any construction business quickly work out what is most relevant to them regardless of whether they are CITB registered or whether it is for digital construction support or more general upskilling or business improvement."

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SMEs in Scotland are encouraged to use the guide to take up these valuable opportunities to build their digital capability and get support to use digitalisation to drive savings and growth for their businesses.  

Introducing digital working, from the basics like booking systems to the more advanced robotics and building information modelling (BIM), could help businesses improve their quality, safety, productivity and profits.

Michael Lennox, Partnership Manager at CITB, said: "There is Grant Eligible Training for all sorts of digital skills including drones, laser scanners, GNSS, robotic total station, 3D mapping and modelling software, 3D machine control and BIM. This means the full costs could be claimed through the CITB Skills and Training Fund."

Lynsey Brydson, Head of Digital programmes at CSIC, said: "The guide maps out different sources of funding including for training, free mentoring and the Digital Development Loan, an interest free loan of up to £100k from the Scottish Government."

The Digital Strategy Steering Group has joined forces with hub South West, Skills Development Scotland, CITB and a number of trade bodies and professional associations to create and promote the guide.

Mark Houston, Supply Chain Development Manager at hub South West, said: "There are over 50,000 enterprises in the construction sector in Scotland which stand to benefit if the digital capability of the supply chain is enhanced.

"We recognise the critical role that Tier 1 contractors can play in driving transformation, and we are pleased that companies such as Morgan Sindall, Kier Construction, Morrison Construction and McLaughlin and Harvey are going to help disseminate this document to their supply chain companies."

The guide is available to download(PDF) at Digital Construction Skills website and will be updated regularly.