Declan Sherry joins as a Non-Executive Director Civil engineering Director, Declan Sherry, has been appointed to Clifford Devlin’s newly established Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) Board. He joins the London-based contractor as a Non-Executive Director with a remit to provide independent governance and oversight of its ownership restructure. “I look forward to using my experience at Board level of various construction and civil engineering businesses to help Clifford Devlin transition to the EOT,” says Declan, “The company has an excellent reputation in the industry and I am convinced the new ownership structure will allow continued stability and help facilitate its further potential.” In February Clifford Devlin announced it was transitioning its ownership structure to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). The restructuring, which saw members of the company’s management team appointed as Board Directors of Clifford Devlin Ltd, with one, Ian O’Connor, also being appointed to the EOT Board of Directors, is designed to provide the company with stability and continuity while existing members of the Clifford family gradually reduce their influence and handover more responsibility over time. “Declan’s experience of managing major infrastructure projects across a wide range of sectors will help develop and enhance our ability to deliver complex, multi-disciplined schemes which has been Clifford Devlin’s forte for many years,” said Managing Director Tim Clifford, “His presence on our new board will provide the additional knowledge and expertise we need to manage our ownership transition.” The company, which specialises in inner-city, enabling works projects featuring demolition, asbestos removal, structural alterations and groundworks packages, recently completed a £7.5m project to facilitate the development of the Euston hub of HS2. Declan Sherry has over 30 years’ experience in the construction and civil engineering industries having specialised in delivering projects across a wide range of sectors from infrastructure to defence, energy, commercial and residential both in the UK and Europe. Most recently he was part of the governance team at the £9 billion project to redevelop the iconic Battersea Power Station. Declan has been a Chartered Civil Engineer since 2000 and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors since 2016. Declan career began in 1989 and spans three family run businesses: O’Rourke Civil Engineering Ltd, Lancsville Construction & Henry Underground & Rail Services Ltd and McGee Group. Declan founded Red Key Ltd in 2016 as a management consultancy. In addition to his work at Battersea Power Station Declan has been involved in the successful delivery of a number of other major infrastructure and nationally strategic projects including Hinkley Point C, Kings Cross, Urenco’s Tails Management Facility, a number of London Underground station and infrastructure upgrades, iconic headquarter projects including BAA Riverside and Bloomberg London as well as several Hospital PFI developments. Declan is a keen advocate of behavioural safety improvement and is passionate about mentoring staff, passing on knowledge and experience to aid staff progression. “I am looking forward to working with the new Board, the greater Clifford Devlin team and of course our clients.” says Declan.

Women in Property has announced its incoming North West Chair for 2021/22. Eleanor takes the role as regional head of the property and construction industry influencer and networking organisation from 1 March, for one year. Eleanor who has been a member of Women in Property for five years, is a Senior Land & Partnerships Manager at MCI Developments, based in Wigan where she specialises in acquiring land opportunities for affordable housing developments with Registered Providers across the North West. The organisation sees the year ahead as presenting a great opportunity for individuals and businesses to build on the understanding, compassion and support evidenced in the industry over the past twelve tumultuous months. “As I take up the role of North West Chair of Women in Property for 2021 it seems likely that, with the vaccine rollout, our industry and our organisation will start to emerge from the lockdown we were in for most of 2020” said Eleanor. “Property and construction will be at the forefront of the economic recovery and there will be tremendous opportunities for our members to contribute to that revival. I look forward to Women in Property returning to in-person meetings and events and continuing to promote the importance of inclusion and diversity in our sector, with more women taking active roles and participating as we rebuild, post-pandemic. My five years as a member of Women in Property has allowed me to grow my network, and the organisation has increased its influence both locally and nationally. I look forward to working with my Committee in growing our membership as more women join the industry, looking to build their contacts with friendly support from fellow North West professionals.” “It’s great to see Eleanor take on the position as North West Chair at Women in Property. As a company, we’re keen to support more women into the industry and Eleanor’s new role is a testament to the crucial work she plays at MCI Developments. I wish Eleanor the best of luck for the coming year and I’m positive she will instigate change in the industry and will be an inspiration for other women looking for a career in construction,” commented Alex Wood, Regional Managing Director at MCI Developments. Since the pandemic started early in 2020, Women in Property has continued to support members, transferring CPD, informal events and mentoring online. The North West branch has run over 30 webinars, ranging from industry related subjects, personal development, CPD and social and wellbeing events, all of which are available across the national platform. Eleanor will hold the role of North West Chair until 28th February 2022.

John Maddams has been appointed as Senior Land & Partnerships Manager by Keepmoat to bolster its South Midlands region. John is bringing with him 16 years’ experience in the property industry, having previously headed a FTSE 250 residential developer where he contracted upon £300m (GDV) of new land opportunities. His primary focus at Keepmoat Homes will be to bring forward new land opportunities and forge strategies to create the best possible scenario for the available sites across the South Midlands region. “We’re delighted to welcome John to our team. John’s proven track record of success and proactive approach to land acquisitions will stand him in good stead to enhance the region to secure more development opportunities and establish new beginnings and partnerships that benefits all parties, to create flourishing communities in the South Midlands,” said Mick O’Farrell, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes. “As a homebuilder, we are always looking for ways to strengthen our presence in the area and with John’s experience and knowledge, we’re confident he will be an asset to the team and contribute to the regions ambitious growth plans.” The appointment comes after the relocation of the regional office from their current premises in Luton to Northampton. The move marks another positive step for the developer’s ambitious growth plans in the South Midlands which will complete in Spring 2021. “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Keepmoat Homes during this important period of growth. I can already see we have an excellent team in place, and I am looking forward enhance the region and bring forward a number of key opportunities across our area of operation,” added John Maddams, Senior Land & Partnerships Manager at Keepmoat Homes.

Yorkshire housebuilder Harron Homes has welcomed Matt Bradwell, 31, to its Highfield Manor development in Fixby as Site Manager. Matt, from Chesterfield, is well established in the construction industry having started as an apprentice bricklayer at the age of 16. He joined Harron five years ago, following a former colleague who recommended the company and from there he quickly progressed to a Site Manager role at Amberwood Chase in Dewsbury. “I was offered an Assistant Site Manager position at my previous company when I was 22, and while it was great to have that potential recognised in me, I’m glad I waited to make that jump. Having extensive experience on both sides of the building site means I’m a lot more confident in my abilities than I was in my twenties,” Matt said. Highfield Manor is the third Harron site Matt has worked on. “It’s been great working with the same team across Yorkshire, I’ve had the same assistant site manager and labourers come with me from Amberwood Chase to Highfield Manor, so knowing how we all work best mean we’ve been able to get stuck straight in.” Matt’s hard work is reflected in the numerous positive reviews he’s received on Trustpilot. “I am proud of the reviews, it’s really good to see the effort we put in paying off. A home is one of the biggest purchases people make, it’s important to me that we go the extra mile to make sure everything is the best quality it can be,” he added. “Matt is a credit to the company, and we’re incredibly pleased to see him receiving those well-earned reviews,” Alison Taylor-Shaw, Sales and Marketing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire said.  The stunning homes at Highfield Manor are found at Gernhill Avenue, Fixby, West Yorkshire, HD2 2HR, where the showhome and marketing suite are available to visit by appointment only to ensure the safety of both employees and customers.

Luxury housebuilder Harron Homes has welcomed a new Sales and Marketing Director, Alison Taylor-Shaw, to its Yorkshire division based in Leeds. Alison, who lives in Wakefield and is originally from Barnsley, joined the company in November 2020. The appointment marks the conclusion of a successful year for Harron Homes despite the challenging backdrop of the pandemic, having launched a new website, several new developments, secured new land opportunities, moved offices and become a member of the National House Building Council (NHBC). Having started out as a Sales Executive, Alison climbed through the ranks, becoming Area Sales Manager then Head of Sales for other leading housebuilders. During her accomplished career, Alison was even involved in the creation of a brand new development company, Derbyshire-based Cameron Homes. In 2017, Alison joined Harron Homes as Sales Director for the North Midlands business, helping to set up the then new region. “Helping to establish the new region for Harron Homes was definitely a career highlight. It was an exciting challenge, a new team with new directors and team. We started on day one in an empty office and we grew the business into the success it is today,” said Alison. Her return to the company sees her take over sales and marketing for the Yorkshire division from its base in Morley, Leeds. In her spare time Alison likes to explore her local area with her fiancé and three dogs. “Yorkshire is a fantastic county to live in,” she said. “Harron Homes is actively buying land in beautiful locations here in Yorkshire, which are perfect for people to live and bring up their families.” “I am very pleased to be back with Harron Homes,” she concludes. “I think we’re one of the most aspirational yet traditional housebuilders – the homes are stylish, they have plenty of space for flexible living for the ideal life in the current climate and beyond. We build in exceptional locations and I really do believe they’re the perfect balance of luxury and practicality.” “We’re delighted to welcome Alison back to Harron Homes,” said Tony Lee, Managing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire. “The team is gelling together as a driving force, building on the foundations that are already there.” “We’re a successful luxury housebuilder and we’re looking forward to seeing more growth – our aim is 500 homes a year by 2022. There’s a strong indication that the property market will continue to be robust and I don’t see why we should see anything to the contrary.” Harron Homes works closely with local stakeholders to develop thoughtfully planned sites that really give something back, helping to support the local economy and its people.

Cyfle Building Skills, on behalf of the Region, is set to launch an innovative new programme in 2021 that will offer 780 fully funded onsite work placements within the construction industry over the next three years. Funded by the Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Onsite Experience Commission, the programme is designed to help tackle the skills gap within the construction industry and will allow Cyfle to develop the first construction training hub in South West Wales.  Programme delivery will take place across the five Local Authority areas within the Region, which includes Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.  Due to commence in March 2021, the programme will offer construction opportunities to 780 individuals over the three-year funding period.  This includes onsite experience placements and associated training, and reskilling opportunities. A mentoring programme designed to help individuals take the next step into a career in construction, ensuring they benefit from the onsite experience, will also support the programme. The programme is open to individuals of any age considering a career in construction either as a first job or by retraining from a different profession. It will look to promote social mobility and provide opportunities to those under-represented within the industry, as well as those not currently in education, employment or training (NEET). Cyfle Building Skills Ltd is an innovative South West Wales initiative and registered charity enabling young adults to gain sustainable employment within the construction industry through shared apprenticeship training, mentoring and meaningful work experience opportunities. The South West Wales Onsite Hub involves an extensive partnership, which includes the Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC), The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Regional Training Groups, Local Colleges, Construction Contractors and Local Authority Schemes.  Onsite opportunities within the Hub will be linked to construction projects through Regional Housing Associations, Local Authority Frameworks, South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework and the Swansea Bay City Deal. Anthony Rees, Regional Manager, Cyfle Building Skills, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured the funding to develop the first construction onsite training hub in South West Wales. This is an important initiative that will make a big difference to the lives of hundreds of individuals while also encouraging many more people to consider construction as a career, tackling the industry’s skills gap in the process. “Over the next three years, 780 individuals will be given the opportunity to have a real-life taster of what they can expect from the construction industry and whether they should consider the industry as a longer-term career choice. We would now encourage companies interested in participating in the scheme to contact us.”

If you’re using the internet to look for a job then you’re a very small fish in an incredibly large pond. With so many people on the internet these days, any listing on a popular job site is going to get swarmed with thousands of applications. Whether or not these people are qualified doesn’t matter–it’s more applications that will end up competing with your own. There’s even a chance that the company is just going to pick the first person that seems qualified enough for the job. They’re not going to comb through every single cover letter and there’s a small chance that they’ll contact you. Sadly, things have gotten even harder due to the pandemic. Finding work certainly wasn’t easy before and it’s definitely getting harder as the days go by. Thankfully, there are a couple of golden rules when it comes to finding work on the internet that will help you uncover new opportunities. Look at job boards for specific industries Instead of just looking at a generic job board, it’s a good idea to look at job boards for specific industries as well. For instance, if you’ve got experience in driving trucks and logistics, then you can search for trucking work on specific websites instead of a general job board. The same goes for writing and other creative talents. You can look on job boards that are made specifically for creative freelancers, or you can even look at the careers page of various businesses to see if they’re recruiting. Consider using social media to search for opportunities These days, there are many businesses that use social media as a free way to get exposure for new job openings. If you follow specific types of businesses or people on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, then there’s a good chance that companies will post about job listings. You can follow the links that they post, or you can contact them directly on the social media platform or via email to enquire about the job opening. You don’t get opportunities on social media every day, but it’s a great place to set notifications and alerts so you can check it every now and then. Don’t just sit and wait for opportunities to come to you You need to be a lot more active when it comes to finding work. Don’t just post your resume on a website and hope that someone sees it. Don’t just post a listing on a website like Fiverr then hope that work comes in. You need to be more active and you need to start pushing yourself out there to get noticed. If you market yourself as a competent worker, then you’re more likely to find job opportunities. There are lots of different flexible working opportunities these days and it’s important to understand where you can find work. Don’t just look at typical job boards–there are hundreds of other places to search for work and it’s up to you to be more active when looking for a job.

An employee of Mansfield-based Rippon Homes has celebrated having transitioned from the developer’s sales team to its land department. Sophie Hopkinson, who lives in Lincoln, moved from her role as Sales Negotiator at Rippon’s Roman Meadow development in Welton to take up her new position as an Land Buyer. Having worked for the housebuilder for the past three years, Sophie has previous experience as a Valuation Manager for an estate agent in Newark.  “I decided to transition into the land department because I was eager to progress with Rippon and a build a career within the industry,” she explained. I saw that the job was being advertised and I applied for it in the normal way, following the standard interview procedure.” Now settled into her new role, Sophie says she is really enjoying the challenges she must face on a day-to-day basis, and the level of variety that comes with her responsibilities.  “Working in land is completely different to being in my previous position on site,” she continues, “and though there is a lot to learn, I’m finding the experience of doing so really interesting. What I’m most looking forward to is having the chance to see a site grow and following that journey from start to finish – from first viewing it as a field, to gaining planning permission, then seeing the houses being built and ultimately watching our purchasers make it their forever home. There are so many opportunities in land and I really like that Rippon is so keen on helping people to learn and progress within their careers,” she added. In her spare time, Sophie enjoys spending time on the family farm, which is just a mile away from where she lives, socialising with friends, and going on walks in the countryside. “I congratulate Sophie on her successful transition from our sales team to our land department. Sophie has shown true dedication and skill in her work ever since joining us, and I am confident that she will continue to flourish in her new position,” commented Ian Dyke, Managing Director of Rippon Homes.