Construction companies in Worcestershire and Herefordshire are being urged not to miss out on training grants provided by the Construction Industry Training Board.

Last year £7.86m in grants was allocated to 1,850 construction firms in the Midlands region.

All construction companies registered with CITB are eligible to receive cash towards the cost of their training.

"Employers claiming grants can get a grant of £600 for registering a young person on a CITB recognised apprenticeship scheme," said a spokesman.

"Training a new member of staff in a vocational qualification is worth just over £6,000 per employee over three years in some occupations, with the addition in some cases of grants for off-the-job training, travel and subsistence."

This year the scheme also gives increased importance to management and supervisory training grants, with up to £140 available on completion of specific management training modules.

Employers can receive £90 per employee who pass the Certificate of Site Management and up to £1,500 for annual planned work experience.