Stroma has announced a significant executive recruitment with Martin Holt joining the Group as its new Chief Executive Officer. It is the latest statement of intent from Stroma during a period where the Group has grown both organically and via acquisition to represent one of the largest niche service providers
Government approval has been secured for the new Trailblazer Apprenticeship. The approval has been given for the apprenticeship standards for arboriculture, forestry, horticulture and landscaping. A number of different employers have been involved in making sure that the initiative gains the correct approvals and have been congratulated on the success
The civil engineering contractor Seymour Civil Engineering has spoken about how important it is that apprenticeship providers work in order to tackle the increasing shortage of skilled workers. The North East based company has said that companies that offer apprenticeships need to make sure that they are working to reduce
Peace Recruitment Group, expert recruiters for the built environment, has just launched new recruitment technology which will pass control of the recruitment process over to both employers and candidates alike. Peace’s new bespoke website, which will include the first ever ‘Trip Advisor-like service for the recruitment industry’, and the first
Sheffield-based contractor JF Finnegan has appointed Heidi Haigh as new Business Development Manager. In her new role, Heidi will develop and manage relationships with new and existing clients to support the continued growth of the business. With a background spanning a mixture of business development and marketing, Heidi joins from
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations announced on Friday 2nd June that they are launching more ambitious plans that will help them increase the number of apprenticeships offered in the industry. The plan that has been published by the Federation is called the Housing Apprenticeship Action Plan for Scotland 2017-2020.
Northampton-based Fusion Building Systems has recently appointed two new team members and advertised for a further seven, in response to new contracts being won by the business as the popularity of offsite construction methods increases. Mark Webb has joined the light gauge steel superstructure manufacturer as a Project Site Manager
Award-winning architecture practice 3DReid appoints Noel Street as Director to its Birmingham studio to develop strategic business partnerships and build upon the firm’s outstanding reputation for design and delivery excellence. A leading national practice providing full architectural services from five studios throughout the UK, 3DReid Birmingham – led by
Costain announced that they have taken on their 4,000th trainee. IPS Communications’ Kieran Campbell will be joining the Supply Chain Academy their 4,000th trainee. The massively successful training academy is thought of as the industry leading academy for the Supply Chain sector. As a demonstration of the training academy’s success,
An innovative scheme to attract more talent into the built environment sector is being extended after a successful first year. Last year Gateshead College teamed up with a powerful partnership of architects, designers, contractors and engineering specialists to launch PlanBEE in a bid to tackle an industry skills shortage. Together
Stroma has announced a significant executive recruitment with Martin Holt joining the Group as its new Chief Executive Officer. It is the latest statement of intent from Stroma during a period where the Group has grown both organically and via acquisition to represent one of the largest niche service providers to the built environment and major UK industries. Martin Holt has more than 25 years’ experience working at executive level in businesses serving the built environment. He has held senior positions with Mitie, Dalkia PLC, Trend and most recently served as Chief Executive of Bellrock Property & Facilities Management. He is highly experienced in strategic planning, business transformation and integration for multi-national corporate businesses and this expertise will be crucial to deliver on the Stroma Group’s ambitious growth and expansion strategies. The Stroma Group celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2017 and they continue to thrive within the built environment industry through the excellent performance of core services, augmented with ongoing new development and service diversification for customers. The Group now serves clients throughout the construction lifecycle from design through handover and into operation for a range of domestic and commercial projects. In recent years the Group has acquired three independent CIC approved inspector businesses in Approved Design Consultancy, BBS Building Control and Greendoor Building Control, as well as HRS Services in early 2017 (to complement the environmental sustainability services offered through Stroma Tech). Martin joins Stroma to spearhead an already extremely strong senior management team following similar executive appointments this year of Chris Whitehead (as Managing Director of Stroma Tech/HRS Services), Steve Horrocks (as Managing Director of Stroma Certification), Dave Allen (as Managing Director of Building Control) and Jo Dobson (as Group Finance Director). Stroma founders, Matthew Ferguson and Robert Coxon, announced the appointment of Martin Holt saying: “We are delighted that Martin has agreed to accept this position as Group CEO and would like to warmly welcome him to Stroma. His track record is extremely impressive and he will undoubtedly deliver on the huge future potential of our Group, create more opportunities for our staff and further improve the service quality we deliver to our clients and customers.” Martin Holt said: “Stroma is at an exciting time in its development; Rob, Matt and the Stroma Group board have built a business with excellent prospects for growth, both organically and through further acquisitions. I’m looking forward to working with the board, clients and colleagues to lead the business through the next chapter in its growth story.” To discover more about Stroma, visit www.stroma.com.
Government approval has been secured for the new Trailblazer Apprenticeship. The approval has been given for the apprenticeship standards for arboriculture, forestry, horticulture and landscaping. A number of different employers have been involved in making sure that the initiative gains the correct approvals and have been congratulated on the success of the project so far. Businesses from across this sector have been working to develop a new collection of apprenticeships that would be able to meet the needs of the arboriculture, forestry, horticulture and landscape sectors going forward. The project first started in 2015 and involved more than 40 employers, 8 industry bodies and 18 other training and assessment organisations. This group have managed to successfully work together in order to develop and improve the apprenticeship standards in this sector. The different companies and organisations carried out the work under Richard Trippett, from Bartlett Tree Experts and Geraint Richards of the Duchy of Cornwall as well as Ground Control’s Neil Huck. As well as the developments that have been made to the standards of apprenticeships in the Arborist, Forest Operative Horticulture and landscape areas there has been a new standard created. This new standard sees the creation of a Horticulture and Landscape Supervisor which has been approved and will be a part of the Trailblazer groups assessment plans and specifications laid out while training. Trailblazer Apprenticeships have been supported by the businesses involved in the project from the start, It is hiped that the apprenticeships will lead to more young people getting involved in this sector and training in order to gain approved qualifications and a career path in the landscaping and horticulture industry. Now that the apprenticeships have been developed, the Trailblazer Project are looking forward, an intend to work more with employers and trainers in order to make sure that the apprenticeship positions are filled and the training is carried out successfully in the future.
The civil engineering contractor Seymour Civil Engineering has spoken about how important it is that apprenticeship providers work in order to tackle the increasing shortage of skilled workers. The North East based company has said that companies that offer apprenticeships need to make sure that they are working to reduce the demand for skilled workers in order to support the industry into the future. Engineering UK published research that had been carried out in to the shortage of workers at the minute and has found that companies would need to recruit a total of 56,000 engineers each year, every year, until 2022 in order to cut the shortage that is apparent in the sector. At the moment, the data shows that there is a shortfall of around 28,000 apprentices each year. Another study has been carried out by Adecco which has shown that a quarter of the employees in the UK that contribute towards the apprenticeship levy don’t actually take on and train any apprentices. Therefore those that contribute to the levy could help to support the industry and reduce the demand for skilled workers that is getting worse by offering apprenticeship places. Seymour Civil Engineering has looked at all of the information available and feels that the training of apprentices is vital for the future of the sector and the wider construction industry as a whole. Therefore the business will continue to take on apprentices. The Civil Engineering company has seen great results from the apprenticeship scheme they have in place in the industry as well as the wider community. The business also believes that working with local colleges and training boards is essential to educate students about the different areas and career options open to them. Apprenticeships also help those going through the training, giving them actual work experience instead of theoretical knowledge. This allows them to make more informed decisions about what area they would be interested in starting a career in as well as building connections with businesses and getting hands on experience.
Peace Recruitment Group, expert recruiters for the built environment, has just launched new recruitment technology which will pass control of the recruitment process over to both employers and candidates alike. Peace’s new bespoke website, which will include the first ever ‘Trip Advisor-like service for the recruitment industry’, and the first ever JobCast service, has been specifically designed to ensure that all clients receive gold standard customer service. Peace enlisted the help of its strategic digital partner Bold Identities to design and build this new technology. Bold Identities is a recruitment specific digital agency run by co-founders Richard Evans and Tom Wilde, who combined have more than 20 years of experience in both the recruitment and digital sectors. “From our initial discussions with the Peace Recruitment Group it was agreed that we wanted to come up with something completely bespoke and brand new,” explains Richard Evans. “Having worked closely with Peace to transform its digital brand and online presence it was immediately evident that one of the USPs of the business is its emphasis on customer service. Chris was very keen to build on this value and also incentivise his Consultant’s to deliver the highest possible levels of customer service. To help Chris deliver this goal, we have developed a unique state of the art online platform that works on real-time information, making the feedback process simple, interactive and effective. This allows both clients and candidates alike to record feedback specifically on the Consultant’s performance based on customer service level. “The project also includes various other bespoke technology and systems to help Peace stand out online and deliver a better experience to their customers. Taking into consideration the rise of mobile recruitment and the dominance of smartphones we have worked with Chris to develop “JobCasts” – an audio-based job adverts system. This allows candidates to listen to audio job adverts while on the move and apply directly from their mobile device.” Evans adds: “It’s been a pleasure to work with a recruitment business who are not only forward-thinking, but also put their customers at the core of their digital strategy.” Peace’s unique customer feedback platform, likened to Trip Advisor for recruitment consultants, will see its consultants ranked in real time on their performance. Clients will be asked to provide feedback at key intervals via text message or email, and the results will automatically be loaded up onto Peace’s new website. This technology has been specifically designed to ensure all consultants are prioritising service over sales. Chris Peace, Managing Director of Peace Recruitment, comments: “We believe it is in our best interests to give clients an outstanding service every time, and our new bespoke customer feedback platform will ensure that this happens. We want to achieve our business goals by listening to clients and giving them what they need. I have always said to my team ‘if you get the service right the sales will look after themselves.’ I hope I am proved correct, as if we do not make the grade there will be nowhere to hide at the results are real time and published on our new website automatically. The consultants in the office seem to be up for the challenge.” “Our JobCast service is again something completely bespoke and brand new. Time is money these days, and most of us are constantly on the go. This service will let people keep up-to-date via their smart device with what relevant jobs are available no matter where they are, whether they are on a train, in a car, wherever. Also it’s so much more personal, and less time consuming, hearing about the job directly from the consultant rather than taking the time to read another generic job specification. I know personally, if I was looking for a job, this is a service I would find extremely useful.” The launch of Peace Recruitment’s new bespoke website; alongside its re-branding; the double in staff numbers in trades and labour; and the launch of its London operation and new temp division; are all seen as key developments in the recruiters quest to become the recruitment company of choice for the built environment by 2020. Peace Recruitment is still the only recruitment company in the UK to be a member of the Institute of Customer Service. For more information please visit www.peacerecruitment.co.uk<http://www.peacerecruitment.co.uk/>.
Sheffield-based contractor JF Finnegan has appointed Heidi Haigh as new Business Development Manager. In her new role, Heidi will develop and manage relationships with new and existing clients to support the continued growth of the business. With a background spanning a mixture of business development and marketing, Heidi joins from one of the UK’s leading demolition and decommissioning companies, where she was Business Development Manager for five years, working across regeneration and development schemes. Heidi also brings a range of online and offline marketing expertise. Dawa Singh, Head of Preconstruction at JF Finnegan commented “We are delighted to welcome Heidi to the team, bringing a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the company. Heidi will play an active role in promoting our brand and securing new business.” Commenting on her appointment Heidi Haigh said: “I’m extremely pleased to be joining the team at JF Finnegan. I look forward to bringing my current experience to the role and finding innovative ways to ensure growth and development for the company.” JF Finnegan has more than 70 years’ design and build experience on projects ranging from £1M to £40M. The company’s success lies in its ability to offer clients a turnkey solution – from conception to completion – of major projects including distribution, industrial and manufacturing facilities. Over the years JF Finnegan has built up a clientele which includes major blue chip companies such as The University of Sheffield, Harworth Estates, Helical Retail, Costco UK, Argon Properties, Hendersons Global Investors, The Catsby Property Group, XLB Property and Etihad to name but a few.
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations announced on Friday 2nd June that they are launching more ambitious plans that will help them increase the number of apprenticeships offered in the industry. The plan that has been published by the Federation is called the Housing Apprenticeship Action Plan for Scotland 2017-2020. It appears that the title of the plan is fairly self explanatory and with look at the different ways that could lead to the increase of Modern Apprenticeships available in the sector in Scotland. The plan has been released in order to reflect the Scottish Government’s dedication to grow and expand the opportunities for Modern Apprenticeships in the country. The Government are wanting to create an environment that would encourage the formation of motivated employees that are wanting to work in the housing sector. The Scottish Government also want to make sure that they are making the Housing Sector of the construction industry an appealing career path for young people starting out in their working life. The Housing Apprenticeship Action Plan for Scotland will carry on developing the initiatives that were first created in 2014 by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations. The 2014 initiative look to highlight the importance of apprenticeships within the construction industry and especially within the House Building sector during a period where more and more houses are starting to be constructed in order to meet the demand that has built up after a number of years with low levels of houses being built. One of the initiative that has already proved to be successful for Scotland is the Apprenticeship Challenge. This award winning scheme ran for three years and was a competition that was held for young workers. It is hoped that there will be more flexible funding brought in through this plan which should help young people get started on apprenticeships and will then fill the skills gap in the House building sector.
Northampton-based Fusion Building Systems has recently appointed two new team members and advertised for a further seven, in response to new contracts being won by the business as the popularity of offsite construction methods increases. Mark Webb has joined the light gauge steel superstructure manufacturer as a Project Site Manager from Stewart Milne Timber Systems, and Ahmed Sharif has been appointed as a Trainee Structural Engineer. Ahmed will combine his role at Fusion with studying for an MSc in Structural Engineering at the University of Surrey. In addition to these new appointments, Fusion has recently advertised seven new positions which require varying skillsets and levels of experience – two Site Managers, an Assistant Site Manager, a Structural Engineer, a Graduate Structural Engineer, a Design Team Leader and a Technical Designer. Mike Fairey, Fusion Building Systems director, said: “We’re clearly starting to see a shift change in the industry as more and more developers are sitting up and taking notice of the opportunity which offsite construction methods and light gauge steel presents. Every part of our business is experiencing this increase in demand so we’re excited about attracting new talent into the team to help us deliver on our promises, and open our eyes to new ideas.” The roles already filled and those being recruited for provide a snapshot of the expertise involved in offsite manufacturing. From creating building designs using state-of-the-art BIM (building information modelling) software, to managing the safe delivery and erection of a panelised, or smart modular, superstructures on site, Fusion is looking for graduate applicants through to those with engineering Chartership status. Mike continued: “Our new Trainee Structural Engineer, Ahmed has a blend of technical knowledge and onsite experience which will be of enormous benefit to our business and strengthen our in-house engineering team. While as Project Site Manager, Mark brings with him an enviable amount of industry knowledge and practical working experience of construction sites. Both are already considered valued team members and I look forward to seeing their careers develop with us.” Further information on the current vacancies at Fusion can be found at www.fusionbuild.com/vacancies or by emailing hr@fusionbuild.com
Award-winning architecture practice 3DReid appoints Noel Street as Director to its Birmingham studio to develop strategic business partnerships and build upon the firm’s outstanding reputation for design and delivery excellence. A leading national practice providing full architectural services from five studios throughout the UK, 3DReid Birmingham – led by Mark Anders and David Burrows – has a number of major projects in Birmingham and the West Midlands currently including Merry Hill shopping centre in Dudley, the redevelopment of the Touchwood Shopping Centre in Solihull and Primark’s new flagship store in Birmingham city centre. A specialist in transforming redundant or poorly performing buildings into distinctive, modern and efficient spaces, 3DReid recently won ‘Refurbishment Architect of the Year’ in the BD Awards 2017. 3DReid appoints Noel from Stephen George + Partners where he was a Director based in their Leicester office and prior to this, Noel was Studio Director for AHR Architects in Birmingham. “I am delighted to be joining 3DReid. I have admired its multiple award-winning architecture, values and proven delivery models over many years and I am excited to now be part of this great team.” Noel Street, Director, 3DReid “Attracting someone of Noel’s calibre into the business is a great endorsement of our strategy and ambition. He brings with him incredibly strong knowledge and experience which will be vital as we continue our plans to expand our regional cross-sector clients and project workload.” Mark Anders, Group Director, 3DReid Noel’s experience with architectural and multi-disciplinary companies in both the UK and Hong Kong ensures a wealth of client-relations expertise. He has successfully controlled and delivered large scale, complex projects and frameworks across the Public and Private Sectors in the UK for office, leisure, education, healthcare, industrial, transport, retail, residential, mixed-use and the MOD. Noel is actively involved in a number of professional organisations and industrial committees including the Construction Industry Council, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and the Royal Institute of British Architects on a regional and national level.
Costain announced that they have taken on their 4,000th trainee. IPS Communications’ Kieran Campbell will be joining the Supply Chain Academy their 4,000th trainee. The massively successful training academy is thought of as the industry leading academy for the Supply Chain sector. As a demonstration of the training academy’s success, it has been used by 127 different Small and Medium sized businesses from the industry. The Supply Chain Academy is a training course that is operated by Costain staff. The training facility also enjoys the support of a number of Costain’s more strategic partners that prove exceedingly beneficial to the Small and Medium sized suppliers that are interested in the training process. The Supply Chain Academy has been structured in order to allow the Small and Medium sized suppliers learn the necessary skills to expand in order to successfully deliver more projects. The Training courses are free and module based and cover a wide range of topics. The subjects looked at as part of the Supply Chain Academy includes BIM, insurance, equality and diversity in the company. In order to deliver projects successfully in is imperative that the supply chain meets the desired standard. Therefore, the academy is vital to develop the supply chain and supply organisations with the skills required. The Supply Chain Academy allows Costain to share their knowledge of best practice within the industry it also means that the industry will have knowledgeably suppliers who are trained to a high standard. The Supply Chain Academy shows how Costain is managing to meet goals from the corporate world as well as making their strategy more efficient. The Academy was first started in 2011 and it is a reflection of how important the training is that the training centre has already taught 4,000 people. The Academy is available to SMEs all around the UK in order to make sure that all different regions have access to the training.
An innovative scheme to attract more talent into the built environment sector is being extended after a successful first year. Last year Gateshead College teamed up with a powerful partnership of architects, designers, contractors and engineering specialists to launch PlanBEE in a bid to tackle an industry skills shortage. Together they developed a unique, flexible training programme designed to attract and retain the brightest new talent in the region, plug skills gaps, and create a more flexible workforce capable of working across various construction disciplines. An initial cohort of 13 students enrolled on the scheme last September and all have been retained having completed a Higher National Certificate (HNC) qualification. They will now work towards a Higher National Diploma (HND) in year two and an honours degree in year three and these qualifications will help them secure a guaranteed job on completion of the programme. Now a recruitment drive has begun to hire a second tranche of students, who will start on the programme this September. Rather than follow a traditional training model where students complete their qualifications while working in one company, PlanBEE gives trainees the chance to work across several companies and therefore gain a more rounded understanding of the built environment industry. Working with Gateshead College, the group has created a bespoke higher level skills programme that provides budding professionals with study and off-the-job training at the college’s construction facility on Team Valley, along with a job working with some of the region’s leading companies. It has been tailored specifically for and by the North East construction sector, providing students with a starting salary of £10,700 per year, a professional qualification and a guaranteed job opportunity on graduation. Established by Ryder Architecture, the scheme has already attracted some high-profile names, including Brims Construction, Sir Robert McAlpine, Xsite Architecture, Robertson, 3e Consulting, Cundall, Arup, FaulknerBrowns, Sadler Brown Architecture and Tolent. Matthew Hardman, 19, from Gateshead, initially spent time with Cundall and has been with Sunderland firm Brims Construction for the last few months. He said: “I was keen on a career in construction but was not sure what discipline I wanted to pursue and did not want to get to the end of university and realise I hadn’t really enjoyed my choice, while having amassed £30,000 of debts. “So I’m really pleased to have secured a place on this course through Gateshead College. My first placement was mainly office-based, learning CAD drawing and BIM and I’ve really enjoyed the site engineering experience with Brims including the quantity surveying side. This has definitely been the right choice of course for me.” Brims director Richard Wood said: “We are a fast-growing business and realise how important it is to play our part in nurturing the talent of the future. Matthew is the second placement we have had from PlanBEE and has been a great addition to our team. We look forward to welcoming more students to the company. “We initially became aware of and involved with PlanBEE following discussions with Mark Thompson of Ryder and so far it has been an excellent programme, which we hope inspires a new generation of bright, talented individuals to consider a rewarding career in construction. It is a real alternative to full time education; one that offers a future with no debt and a job offer on completion.” Chris Toon, deputy principal at Gateshead College, said: “Employers across the built environment industry have expressed a need for a greater convergence of skills that traditionally sit within the disciplines of architecture, urban planning, engineering, surveying and landscaping. The PlanBEE programme has been designed to equip students with valuable experience in all of these important subject areas. “This will help to provide industry with a pipeline of work-ready talent that enables companies to become more productive and competitive now and in the long run.” It will also assist the industry’s attempts to overcome a crippling skills shortage. A lack of skills is hindering construction firms’ efforts to service contracts, according to the latest Construction Market Survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Meanwhile, the Construction Skills Network’s most recent ‘Insight’ report has highlighted a growing skills shortage in the industry. The study identifies that an additional 179,000 UK construction jobs will need to be filled from 2017-2021 to meet rapid growth in demand for infrastructure and housebuilding across the country. Many of these new jobs are graduate level roles in technical, professional and management occupations, rather than traditional craft trades – and the need for higher-level skills is a challenge that PlanBEE aims to tackle. For more information about the programme, or to get involved, visit http://www.gateshead.ac.uk/planbee/ or contact Helen Whitfield at Ryder on 0191 269 5454.
