The autumn statement 2013 and the construction industry

“Britain’s economic plan is working, but the job is not done.”

Yep it’s that time of year again, time for politicians to stand on their soap boxes and tell us what has changed and what changes we can expect to this country’s economy. The Autumn Statement this year informed us that the deficit is down, growth is up, unemployment is down and disposable income is up. Regardless of whether we on the ground are feeling the effects of this it is, apparently, undeniable true.

  So, if things are on the up, how will this affect the construction industry? Can we expect the government to start stamping down even more? Or can we expect kind treatment to grease the grubby pole of recovery?

  According to Chancellor George Osborne it is the latter, and will go something like this:

  In the next two years we will see employers with apprentices being funded directly through HMRC. The Governments is making a £40 million investment in the new initiative, which should see an additional 20 000 apprentices being created over this time. However it is still unclear how this will work exactly, and there is a worry that this will affect SME’s the greatest with complicated and extended routes to payment, not to mention the additional paperwork. However there is a proposed route which does look promising, where a business could potentially calculate how much an apprentice would cost them and claim back linked to taxes, the feasibility of this is still unclear. But with promises of consulting SME’s on the best options things are looking promising.

  There will be reforms to job taxes for young people, with employer National Insurance payments being scrapped for under 21’s. This will effect 1.5m jobs giving a projected saving of £500 to a business employing a young person on a salary of £12 000 salary, and £1000 for a £16 000 salary. This will incentivise companies to take on young staff, it will also help open up the job market to the young, hopefully increasing works capacity for businesses with a slightly reduced financial burden. However these changes won’t come into effect until April 2015 and won’t apply above the upper earnings limit.

 

According to the Chancellor “the latest survey data showed residential construction growing at its fastest rate for a decade." Alongside this we have seen a 35% increase in approval for new developments thanks, he says, to new planning reforms. So this would indicate a growth in the housing market, something we can soon hope to see spread to new sectors, as well as being something that we can hope to endure for at least a little while longer. With the government offering £1bn in loans over six years to unblock sites for large housing developments in Manchester, Leeds and other areas, this will not only ease the housing crisis, but will inevitably bring more construction jobs.

  Alongside this, they are also going to increase the Housing Revenue Account borrowing limit by £300 million, allowing councils a bigger scope in housing development. Not only this, but we will see the ability to sell off more expensive social housing in favour of new developments. So it would seem that there is scope for some movement, and building, of the housing market and that we are at last seeing changes. However there are worries that this may not be going far enough. Not only this but within the construction sector things may seem a little one sided by focusing on the housing market when areas such as schools have gone relatively unmentioned, unless of course you include things like free school meals.

  Earlier we heard that employers with employees under 21 no longer have to contribute to National Insurance, this eases the employer’s burden. Something they will apparently have plenty of time to worry over as the pension age increase has been brought swiftly forward, with the state pension age being increased to 68 by the late 2030’s. The reasoning given by the Chancellor is that as life expectancy increases, so should your working life expectancy. Apparently sound logic in a state where we have an ever growing elder generation that are a continuing burden on society’s financials. However we must raise the issue that although the length of life may be extending, this does not necessarily mean our ability to work longer is also extending. We still feel the effects of our age at times in our lives that will soon far succeed the state pension age. This is particularly true in a sector like construction, where with such a high proportion of manual work, comes such a high proportion of bodily ailments defying our ability to work. Nor does it take into consideration that the average life expectancy in areas such as Glasgow is now 71 for men. For someone born after 1990 this may now mean only one year of claiming pension if we are to follow the government’s plans.

  So as with every announcement from Whitehall there are ups and downs, with many down’s disguised as ups. But either way we can only speculate as to what is to come, and how it will really affect us.

---

BIM - Psychology not Technology is the Key to Success

The UK Government’s chief construction adviser has characterised BIM as unstoppable.  There is no doubt that BIM is certainly the ‘buzz word’ of the moment.  Many polarised views have arisen as to BIMs arrival with some seeing it as the ‘silver bullet’ for construction and others of a somewhat pessimistic outlook.  Whatever your view of BIM there is no doubt that it is rapidly reshaping the construction industry and changing the way construction is carried out.

Recent reports indicate that the UK is fast becoming the market leader in BIM gaining recognition not only in the UK but the EU, meaning the work opportunities are perhaps far greater than envisaged.  Those wanting a slice of the BIM pie need to put themselves ahead of the game.  With Government mandating all public work to be completed through BIM by 2016, those that don’t may find themselves at a significant loss of business opportunities and market competitiveness.   BIM is not only for the public sector however and Peter Hansford at a recent address at the ARCOM conference held in Reading earlier this month stated that the private sector are following suit, and are even perhaps ahead. Despite ever increasing awareness and the looming 2016 deadline, the majority however are still yet to engage with BIM.

Back in 2012 we reported on research conducted by Room4 on behalf of the NFB which evidenced that whilst most  construction contractors are not engaging, those that are, are noticing considerable benefits.  In some instances, 20% costs savings have been demonstrated as well significant time savings.  The report also identified that whilst there is concern that SME’s will be left behind with only the big contractors being able to afford and carry out BIM, many are actually bucking the trend with the report finding that contractors with 51-100 employees reported working on more projects utilising BIM tools than their larger counter-parts.
 

Across the pond, McGraw Hill conducted an internet survey to gauge the practitioner perception of the value of BIM which elicited 2,228 completed responses from a variety of professions including, 598 Architects, 326 Engineers, 817 Contractors, 118 owners, 73 Building product manufacturers and 296 other industry respondents.  The findings revealed that 77% of users perceived a positive ROI on their investment, 87% were experiencing a positive ROI and 93% believed there is more value to be realised in the future. Given the positive feedback from the US, engaging with BIM might therefore help put us ahead not only at UK and EU level but also worldwide.

Collaboration is Key - Psychology not Technology

There has been a tendency to focus on the technological implications of BIM leading to some misconceptions. Having attended a number of various sessions on BIM during the last few weeks, including a number of research presentations and the BIM Task Group meeting, what is becoming increasingly apparent to me as I try to grapple with the underpinnings of BIM myself, is that it is (not at the moment at least) not just about technology.  It is the knowledge sharing platform that BIM creates that is the key component.  In essence BIM is just a process but one that requires people at the forefront to drive it.  It requires people foremost, process second and technology last. 

Collaborative relationships are vital to the successful delivery of projects and thus the knowledge platform will only be successful if there is mutual adjustment by all parties involved.  This for some may be harder to get to grips with than the technology aspect. Whilst collaborative working has improved within industry in recent years, BIM requires taking this to another level. Trust must be developed and relationships nurtured. This requires a significant change in mind-set.  The silo mentality currently adopted by industry is the biggest barrier to adoption.  It could be said that the business case for BIM has been made.  The biggest challenge is changing the mind-set of industry to get on board.  The industry is on a transformational journey whether it likes it or not and in order to see BIM implementation through, managing change at both cultural and operational level is paramount.  To stay competitive companies have to be mentally prepared for the upcoming transformation. 

BIM will no doubt be a dynamic process, updated frequently resulting in a constantly evolving business environment.  Adopting a proactive approach and ingraining it as part of your company strategy now will ensure minimum impact when and if change does occur and that you are mentally ready for the challenges that lie ahead.

There is no doubt there is still a long way to go with BIM.  Many clients asking for BIM are unsure of what it actually entails and how it can be used to deliver their projects and so for industry this creates further challenges! Those engaging with BIM however will be better informed to inform the uninformed when they come knocking requiring BIM on projects. The earlier companies adopt BIM, the greater their catalogue of evidence demonstrating BIM capability will be. A critical success factor for collaborative working is also early involvement.  In a fast growing market, those wanting to be at the top of tender lists need to start making headway.  This takes more than just technological learning.  It requires a shift in mind-set, not on an individual level but on an organisational level. 

Want to get 'BIM ready'? Why not start by taking our BIM diagnostic ?

The Social Value Act - how will this effect the construction industry?

In January this year the Social Value Act was officially enacted.  The Act aims to change the way that public money is spent ensuring value for money in public service delivery.  This means that all services commissioned by public authorities must now demonstrate social value with this being incorporated into the design of the service.  At a time when government spending is being cut back but the demand for public services is rising, this is obviously an important objective for Government.

Chris White MP who introduced the Act in 2010 stated “The aim of the Act is to support community groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises to win more public sector contracts and to change commissioning structures so that a wider definition of value rather than just financial cost is considered.”

The Act requires authorities to consider: 

• how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area, and

• how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement

So what does this mean for construction?  The Act means that the way public procurement is undertaken will change.  More specifically, the Act applies to the pre-procurement stage of contracts for services because that is where social value can be considered to have the greatest effect, meaning that for the first time the public sector must consider social value ahead of procurement. 

The social value act applies to public services, and is not necessarily enforced on public works. However it is undeniable that this will have a knock on effect. Not only in the desire of those choosing the successful bid to show they are using socially valuable construction companies. But we can also see this desire quickly becoming legitimised as criteria for tender.

If we look to Wales we can see that since 2011 they have been pushing community benefits to public procurers through their guidance document, in the aim of establishing maximum value for the Welsh pound.  This takes the spirit of the act and goes a step closer to us in applying it to public works.

With the act placing directives on those that employ us, community benefits increasingly appearing as requirement for tender, and governments issuing guidance on how to deliver, should this be something we are turning our minds to? Regardless of what strictly speaking applies to us in the construction sector, if we as conscious individuals can see a shift in the culture of our larger environment, should we be paying more attention to it? Is this an opportunity to predict how this topic might affect us in the future?

If we believe this as true, there are two ways this may affect us for the better: Getting to grips with these changes now can easily and effectively gain us a competitive advantage. But it also benefits us by ensuring we are prepared for what may be enforced on us in the future. In realistic terms if you can demonstrate securing both best price and meeting the wider social, economic and environmental needs of the community, it may not only  place you higher up the ranks on tender lists, but with this criteria being a growing requirement on tender documents, it will ensure you are able to compete in the first place.

Given that the Act came in without much publicity, many are perhaps still getting to grips with the technicalities of it all.  Government have provided an ‘action note’ however this does  not specifically set out a number of points including how the results of these impacts and feedback from accompanying consultation should shape any procurement which is undertaken.  It does however provide examples of how social value may be considered at various stages of the procurement process. 

With the construction industry just getting back on its feet after the latest economic downturn, implementing and achieving these wider reaching aims alongside price and quality may seem a rather large task.  Engaging with the Act early on and getting to grips with the fundamentals however will help secure a better position in the market when it comes to the bidding process.  

If you'd like to learn more about the Act and what it means for you, join our free webinar on 30th October.

Industry and Academia Collaboration for a Better Future - where are all the students?

In June Constructing Excellence held the Universities and Industry Working Together for a Collaborative Future’ event at the BRE in Watford.  As a PhD student and trying to engage with industry for my research I thought this would be a good opportunity to see the real interface between industry and academia.

The day started with a number of talks from both academia and industry with questions to the presenters at the end. Some strong polarities developed around the room during the discussion, making for interesting listening.  

Workshops were conducted throughout the afternoon of which I attended the two I thought most relevant to myself. The first was the ‘Research and how it can be used to educate inform and inspire’ which was met with both enthusiasm and cynicism in my group (myself being the former).  Anna Scothern from BRE gave a presentation about the development of a community platform via mobile apps where customers can easily engage with aspects such as the Green Deal, BREEAM and receive information from BRE on a range of other topics. Personally I thought this  demonstrated  how research can benefit industry and consumers, although not everyone in the room felt the same questioning where and how some aspects would work. 

The second workshop was with our very own Katy Harris facilitating as part of the Collaborative Working Champions Group. A number of workshops around this topic were conducted and at the end each group presented their discussion results to the room.  The workshops centred around the question ‘what is the industries view of best practice and what modern graduates need to know and is this being reflected in the current delivery of HE?  What are the barriers to improvement?'  A broad ranging question which met with a broad range of diverse answers!

A key theme that emerged from this workshop and those associated with it was that practical experience is important.  The disappearance of the sandwich year was a topic  which met with great interest in my group.  An afterthought that came to me surrounding this was just how on board with this would industry actually be?  Time and resources are scarce especially after the economic downturn and workforces in some cases are operating at two thirds of the capacity.  Would industry really be willing to give up time and resources to engage with students?

In my own research on sustainability I have come up against much resistance from industry.  Comments such as “we will get there but it will be like the health and safety issue, it will take time”.  It doesn’t have to, not if industry adopt a proactive rather than the reactive approach they currently adopt.

A thought that struck me during the day was that I was the only student at this event and there only by default through my position at Room4.  If industry and universities are to have a true collaboration we need student engagement.  The construction industry is a dynamic one and needs dynamic individuals.  Talent and innovation is out there in the form of our graduates.  The graduate pool is not being utilised to the extent that it should be (or indeed the undergraduate pool).  I know from my own research that the construction industry is a resistant one and dislikes change.  Change however is key if the sector is ever to move forward. 

Positive comments however emerged from the day with Giles Price from Heathrow Airport presenting commenting “Give me a graduate with energy and passion and I'll take 'him' above all others!”   Had such a graduate been present in the room might he have landed himself such a position?

My overall experience of the day was that we still have a long way to go in integrating industry and academia.  Links between the institutions themselves are well established but are not utilised effectively.  In addition, and in my opinion, the voice of the students is a missing link here.  A question posed by Katy “where are all the bright sparkly things?” is a very good one and prompted me to write this blog.  A platform where ideas are exchanged and where employers can spot talent and bring it on board is needed.

Is Social Media the way forward?


Social media is a powerful tool and is indeed the very means by which I find myself in my current position as a Trainee Consultant at Room4. I see all the time on Linked in and Twitter students trying to engage with industry about projects they are working on.  Employers need to engage more with students on these platforms as it’s where the ‘bright sparkly things’ are.  You never know what you might find.  It’s where Room4 found me.  My background is not in construction but psychology.  My research area however has crossed me over into the complex world of construction.  Whilst I don’t bring any construction skills to the market I bring people skills, critical thinking along with passion and drive for achieving sustainability in construction (amongst many others!). 

Our latest recruit, Frankie, came in 2 weeks ago fresh out of university and has already assisted our managing director in delivering a workshop on social media in the construction industry as well as transforming our own social marketing agenda. (Check out Frankie’s blog about her experience and the ‘Frankie Challenge’).

Comments from the collaboration event were tweeted throughout the day generating a good stream of conversation and food for thought, again highlighting the use of social media.

Not yet conversant with the world of social media?  Why not attend our free social media and marketing webinar on 16th October?  And if you’re Interested in helping with my research you can complete my survey and request info/feedback to me at michelle.brennan@room4.co.uk 

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=doh5sujab&oeidk=a07e80db6kha5cc311cfree social media and marketing webinar on 16th October?

How BIM ready are you?

If you need to know where your company currently is on the BIM maturity scale or how you can 'get ready' for BIM Level 2, then this is the place to start.


Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the future of construction.   The drivers couldn't be simpler. Unless you are working at level 2 BIM by 2016 you will be ineligible for public sector work.  

In 2012 the NFB published their report BIM: Ready or Not?  The report was based on an industry wide survey which set out to assess the BIM readiness of the contracting sector with a particular focus on SMEs. At the time the survey confirmed that the industry did indeed have a giant leap to make to achieve the Government mandate of BIM Level 2 as a minimum on all government funded projects by 2016. 

As part of the NFB's BIM programme of support Room4 have developed Building Information Modelling (BIM) online diagnostic tool, FREE to organisations looking to implement BIM strategies within their organisations.

Simply click on the link below and answer some simple questions to receive an overview of where you are on your BIM journey and a top level action plan for what you need to do to move forward.

BIM - 2 day Programme

 


The University of Ulster's school of the Built Environment in cooperation with Constructing Excellence Northern Ireland are offering a two day programme held on the 20th and 28th August, to gain an in-depth overview on BIM - one of the increasingly predominant ares of interest within the construciton industry and widely acknowledged as the future of project information.

The two day programme - worth 16hrs CPD- is led by the Schools academic staff Mark McKane, Robert Weatherup and Dr Robert Eadie. All of whom are influential voices in the growing BIM circles of the NI construction industry. As well as Room4's very own Professor Andrew Thomas, considered one of the leading authorities on BIM internationally, as well as co-author of the UK mandated BIM report and a Member of BIM4SME  board.

The two days are split into four modules covering BIM overview, BIM roles and BIM protocols, BIM standards and BIM in practice. Giving you all the information you need on a topic that cannot be ignored, by some of the leading voices in sector.

For more information and for booking click here.

Value Wales Construction Procurement Strategy Survey

 

Value Wales have released a new survey, for both contractors and clients, on behalf of the Construction Procurement Strategy Steering Group (CPSSG).

This survey aims to collate the voices of those effected by the public construction procurement process. The information received will be used to advise procurements staff when guiding and  evaluating tenders. 

This is a valuable and influential process for all involved as it allows industry members a voice on the issues effecting their work winning.

The closing date is 30th August so if you wish to influence how you may be engaged in the bidding process in Wales in the future you can fill in the survey and gain more information here for contractors and here for clients.

social media in the construction industry - a newbie's perspective

For those of you who aren’t aware, Room4 consulting has a new marketing assistant. Me. Frankie Thomas. After finishing my degree two weeks ago I have been with the team at Room4 working on their marketing campaign. For this reason two days into the job I was offered the opportunity to travel down to Crawley to help managing director Tim Whitehill deliver a workshop on social media marketing in the construction industry.  

My job at the event was much to act as ‘teaching assistant’ and help out where I could. This enabled a balance between Tim’s years of experience in the construction industry and my new found degree as well as my considerable experience of using social media. This is something I hope and believe worked well as it gave us a rounded view that could relate and offer opinion on all ways of thinking in the room. 

Other than piping up with my opinion every so often we ran the ‘frankie challenge’. The aim being to show in practical and realistic terms just how simple growing a social media network could be. We took twitter and created my corporate twitter account @room4frankie. Beginning with a blank profile we encourage tweets within the room using the hashtag #frankiechallenge. I tweeted and added people from the industry and soon #frankiechallenge had participation outside the 11 (but growing) tweeters in the room. Not only this, but by using #socemedsecbe, we received ebooks (from @pauleycreative) and multiple links of interest from various sources keen to have their say on the topic such as @RSSprojects and @SuButcher.

The delegates were a good mixture of people, from the newbies of the companies (much like me), to the directors themselves. Although at different stages technologically everyone seemed willing to learn. Many were already aware of the importance of embracing social media to not only their businesses and careers, but also to the industry itself, whilst a few were less convinced. However the best part was that everyone was open minded and willing to listen to other people’s side of the story, as well as to share theirs.

Even as a relative outsider I’m aware that for one reason or another construction is a largely male dominated industry. Considering this I was pleasantly surprised to see the presence of quite a few women, in the room. However this presence in some senses revealed the dynamics of the construction industry’s relation to social media. There was one young lady in particular who described the difficulties she faced in her work. She had been sent as representative to learn how social media can be applied to their business, whilst the sceptics were unwilling to participate.  Although the willing to engage in some part is admirable, this is an area that we cannot leave to the ‘youth of today.’ Yes it may be that they, for the most part, are the ones ‘plugged in’, but it also the youth that will one day be in charge. It is the youth that will be left with your hard work in their hands to do with as they wish, and if your hard earned work is not compatible with the modern day, I’m afraid to say you may well be left in the dark ages.

This may sound all doom and gloom, but it is in fact an incredibly exciting and positive eventuality, it is not the case that it is too difficult, laborious or extensive to comprehend. You don’t have to cover everything out there, if anything that is counterproductive. Decide on what you want to achieve through social media, select a few choice platforms to amplify your message, and with it the route to those aims. If you manage those few well (and there is software and tactics readily available to help in this) by amplifying a consistent message, and the message that you want people to see – don’t be daft and forget the world can see it- then you will not only be ‘down with the kids’ but you will find, most probably, that success in those aims far outstrips the labor involved. 

By the end of the session I had 40 followers, all in the industry, some valuable resources, an entire online conversation created and some convinced sceptics. Success.

Enabling our clients to be the Best

Winning Work

Our clients have had  a number of successes recently.  In particular a huge congratulations to Liquid Roofing Ltd who were successful in their bid to get a place on the City West Framework.  A major success for a small specialist contractor working in the public sector!

Winning Awards

We have also been busy supporting our customers with their awards entries and were delighted to hear recently of Seddon’s success.  With support from our Bid Support expert Katy Harris they are now the proud owners of the Bolton and Bury Business Award for Best Company for Apprentice Development and UKCG Employer of the Year.

Rod Sellers from Seddon Group(2nd from left) with UKCG Employer of the Year award.

“Room4 have been working with us for a number of months providing their support and skills to produce a number of applications for various Industry Awards.  Katy Harris has provided great advice and hands on support to produce a number of high quality documents which have enabled Seddon to show off our accomplishments. As a result of this successful partnership Seddon were delighted to have been successful in a number of Awards and are still waiting for the results of the rest!” 

TonyCostello, Training Manager at Seddon

Thought Leadership: Construction 2025

In 2011, the Government published its Construction Strategy which set out clear objectives to promote efficiency and reform in Government construction, alongside innovation and growth in the construction sector.  The strategy called for profound changes in the way government and industry work together to achieve these aims.  In response to this, Government has worked with industry to develop a long term vision resulting in the publication earlier this month of ‘Construction 2025’, a strategy which is billed as a partnership between Government and industry setting out a vision and plan for long-term strategic action by Government and industry to continue to work together to promote the success of the UK construction sector with focus on key growth markets in smart technology, green construction and overseas trade.

 

The overall objective of the strategy is to put the UK construction industry at the forefront of the global market in an effort to achieve and deliver significant growth. With the global construction market forecast to grow by over 70% by 2025, the strategy sets out its vision for the industry to exploit its strengths in the global market to ensure British companies are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities being created by changes in the international market.  

Construction 2025 does not replace the 2011 Construction Strategy but rather supplements it, building its foundations and the Government’s Plan for Growth giving it a broader momentum to drive lasting change through reform.  It outlines the vision for a more attractive and technologically advanced industry that through integration and collaboration will allow the construction industry to grow sustainably and make a long-term contribution to growth in addition to mapping out an action plan for delivering this.  The Strategy envisages clear benefits for industry from the realisation of these aspirations by delivering better, faster, cheaper and greener products for the industry’s clients. 

However, the aspirations are lofty to say the least and the ambitions for 2025 are deliberately stretching. Through Government working in partnership with the industry the strategy is built around achieving four headline objectives by 2025:

• Lower costs: a 33% reduction in initial costs of construction and the whole life cost of built assets
• Faster delivery: a 50% reduction in the overall time from inception to completion for new build and refurbished assets
• Lower emissions: a 50% reduction in greenhouse gases emission in the built environment
• Improvement in exports: a 50% reduction in the trade gap between total exports and total imports

While the drive towards lower costs is nothing new, a 20% reduction by the end of this Parliament having already been identified in the 2011 Government Construction Strategy, the industrial strategy stretches the target to 33% albeit over a longer period of time. 

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is inevitably a key thread running through the strategy and is one of the mechanisms by which the Government hopes its efficiency targets will be met. The strategy reiterates the move to BIM Level 2 by 2016 as well as targeting Government and industry moving to Level 3 BIM between 2016 and 2025. The commitment to supporting the industry in implementing BIM remains. 

Achieving a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to meet the strategy’s low carbon and sustainability objectives relies heavily on a successful delivery of the Green Deal to improve the existing housing stock. There is no doubt of the potential of Green Deal to reduce emissions and to provide employment over a significant time period but the Government’s own figures on its take up are not encouraging. Much will also depend on the work of the Green Construction Board, which has identified the areas of greatest potential opportunity for the industry. However, moving towards the 50% reduction target in the strategy in addition to the longer term targets of the Climate Change Act will require clear leadership from Government and private sector construction clients.

The strategy acknowledges the important role clients must play in transforming the construction industry thereby aligning it with the commitments made in the Government Construction Strategy in 2011. It is perhaps surprising therefore, that the proposals in this area are not more robust, although the Government is pressing on with a number of trial projects assessing three new models of construction procurement (Two Stage Open Book; Cost Led Procurement; and Integrated Project Insurance.) 

Allied to this is ensuring the industry retains a diverse and resilient supply chain and it won’t come as any surprise the strategy identifies access to finance and cash flow as significant ongoing issues for the industry. Project Bank Accounts and Supply Chain Finance Initiatives are two key mechanisms that the strategy champions to address these issues. 

It is encouraging that the strategy recognises the need for investment, both financial and political, in training and development activities. After all, the industry needs good people and a robust framework to attract and retain new entrants. The strategy will be followed by the publication of the Government’s implementation plan for apprenticeships later in 2013 which should provide further impetus along with proposals for a more strategic approach to Continuing Professional Development. 

The ultimate test of the success of the strategy will be whether it delivers against the challenges is sets for both industry and Government. This will be predicated on strong leadership. Driving the delivery of the “Construction 2025” action plan and its strategic priorities will be the Construction Leadership Council, a joint Government and industry body. The Leadership Council will take the reins in driving forward the changes although actions will be owned and delivered by industry bodies with accountability for their implementation to the Council.

Clearly, some of the responsibility lies with the industry itself. After five years of being buffeted by the global economic storm there are growing signs that the outlook is becoming more favourable. In this respect the strategy can be seen as a real opportunity for the industry to grasp and what the sector looks like in 2025 will come down to how industry embraces this roadmap for change.

More Information

The Industrial Strategy: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/construction-2025-strategy


You can join our webinar to learn more all about the strategy here 
You can follow authors @room4andya and  @room4michelle on twitter.