Skills

Next steps for embedding an inclusive and welcoming culture across the sector were explored at a Construction News roundtable, sponsored by Copper Consultancy. Steve Dale reports

Vicky Savage is group director, development and sales, at L&Q What do you think of when you think of the construction industry? Despite progress in recent years, for many the typical construction worker will still be an older, white male, and the average site a harsh environment fraught with safety…

Scaffolding firms have faced unprecedented challenges and opportunities from Brexit and the pandemic. Chronic labour shortages worsened as EU workers returned home and COVID-19 sent a shockwave through the industry. The cost of timber and steel – the two core materials of the trade – became unusually and unpredictably priced,…

After a pandemic-induced lull in gender pay-gap reporting, and following dramatic changes to some firms’ working practices, James Wilmore explores whether the industry is making progress towards pay equality

Andy Chamberlain is director of policy at self-employment association IPSE   Over the past year, there has been a forgotten crisis affecting self-employed workers in the construction sector: IR35. Introduced in 2000, the aim of IR35 is to prevent businesses from gaining a tax advantage by disguising employment as a…

Ruth Scarrott is head of careers at the National Federation of Roofing Contractors. When I started at the NFRC last year, it soon became clear to me why they created the position of head of careers – the roofing and cladding industry, like the wider construction industry, is crying out…

Simon Harris is senior director of operations at Randstad Construction Property and Engineering In a recent poll, we asked construction professionals who had moved jobs within the past 12 months about whether they would feel confident enough to move to a new job again now. Three-quarters said they would be…

Graham Harle is chief executive of Gleeds Worldwide Surely 2022 should be the year in which the developed world learns to live with COVID-19? High levels of vaccination have helped weaken the link between case rates and deaths in richer countries and, despite spreading at lightning speed and generating record…

Chris Walker is head of health and safety at Napthen Solicitors COVID-19 has had a huge impact on every sector and changed the way many people work. For the construction sector, a strong focus on preventing the spread of the coronavirus on site has sometimes meant a loss of focus…

Adrian Attwood is executive director at conservation specialist DBR A skills assessment undertaken by the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme in recent weeks quantified the number of heritage craftspeople and conservation specialists that will be needed to renovate the whole Parliamentary Estate. The extent of this project presents…