A purpose-built construction academy, one of the first of its kind in the UK, has been launched by Berkeley and West London College. The West London Construction Academy has officially opened in Southall Waterside and it aims the tackle the U’s construction skills crisis and address the exodus of talent
The CIOB Academy is launching a brand new course focussed on managing and delivering quality in construction. This follows months of work by a Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Commission of Past Presidents into the issue of build quality, and what practical steps can be taken to support delivery of
A purpose-built construction academy, one of the first of its kind in the UK, has been launched by Berkeley and West London College. The West London Construction Academy has officially opened in Southall Waterside and it aims the tackle the U’s construction skills crisis and address the exodus of talent from the industry. More people are leaving the construction industry than joining it, threatening productivity and growth, according to recent figures from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. With a shortage of homes, it is vital that the sector tackles the skills crisis head on. If it does not the workforce will decrease by 20–25% in the next decade. “The West London Construction Academy aims to address the industry’s skills gap for the long term by inspiring the next generation and preparing them for the world of work, including giving them the best chance of securing a placement at the end of their apprenticeships,” said Berkeley Group Chief Executive Rob Perrins. Berkeley Group, together with West London College and trade partners, have designed a new ‘By Industry, For Industry’ curriculum. Apprentices will gain on-the-job experience alongside classroom and online learning, bridging the skills gap for the long term and allowing students to earn as they learn. The courses available are services vital to the industry, such as bricklaying, plastering, dry-lining and carpentry and are open to anyone aged 16 and above. All apprentices will benefit from individual support from business champions and mentors. Apprentices graduating from the academy will be given the best chance of securing employment at the end of their courses – putting their skills to use straight away. A number of positions will be available with Berkeley and its supply chain at Southall Waterside itself. “West London has a number of major projects either planned or underway, from Southall Waterside and HS2, to Crossrail and Old Oak Common; training local people will be integral to the success and timely delivery of these projects – and will be an incredible opportunity to build experience and establish desirable skills. West London College is thrilled to be in the position to offer such an incredible facility to the industry,” said Karen Redhead, Chief Executive at West London College.
The CIOB Academy is launching a brand new course focussed on managing and delivering quality in construction. This follows months of work by a Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Commission of Past Presidents into the issue of build quality, and what practical steps can be taken to support delivery of quality construction and development projects. The Commission considered what the CIOB could do to promote a culture of quality in construction, focusing on potential solutions. One of the outcomes is the creation of the CIOB’s Construction Quality Management course. Chair of the Commission, CIOB Past President Paul Nash, said: “Last year the CIOB established a Commission to look into the issue of quality in our industry following a series of high profile failures. We urgently needed to understand what was preventing or promoting the delivery of quality at all stages of the construction process so that we could act to bring about the change that was so obviously needed. Our research highlighted that there was a need to raise standards across the industry. But more than this we needed to change the culture of our industry; we needed people to take pride in the buildings and infrastructure that they were creating. To achieve this, the CIOB has committed to provide practical advice and training to our members and the wider construction community. By creating and promoting the right culture and behaviours I do believe that our industry will change for the better.” Adrian Montague, Head of the CIOB Academy, said: “Poor quality is costing the industry annually more than the combined profits of companies in the industry1. Construction quality management can deliver customer satisfaction and value. Setting and meeting quality objectives requires a sound knowledge of processes, legislation and compliance – the core of our new course. We want to see a “get it right first time” approach embedded in the industry, which should prevent these unnecessary costs and improve customer retention. Quality management is as important to a company’s efficiency and reputation as meeting time and cost targets. Our new Construction Quality Management course comes from the extensive research conducted by the CIOB’s Quality Commission, and will cover all the fundamentals of construction quality management.” Those attending the two-day course will gain an understanding of widely-used quality management systems, and will be given the tools to initiate quality management on their own projects and, ultimately, work towards achieving quality on every programme. By the end of the course, participants will be able to: Understand the fundamentals of quality management for a project-based industry Demonstrate knowledge of the theories, principles and processes in quality management Recognise the differences between quality control and quality management Apply quality management best practice in construction in terms of both processes and attitudes The first course dates are 14 and 15 November 2018. Venue: CIOB’s London office, Kingsway, WC2B 6XF. Cost: £549. More information: https://www.ciobacademy.org/product/construction-quality-management/
