Industry related projects

The UK Professional Services Survey (2005/2006)

This survey was undertaken nationally by CIC as a partner in ConstructionSkills.  It contains the findings of a cross section of Construction Professional Services firms (CPS). The survey addresses key issues that the CPSs face with regards to recruitment and skills gaps currently affecting professional services in the built environment. In addition the survey aims to provide an indication of firms’ expectations and concerns with respect to future workloads and skill needs.

Professional Services Survey - Executive Summary

Professional Services Survey 2005/06

Professional Services Survey - Methodology

Built Environment Professional Services Skills Survey 2003/2004

Built Environment Professional Services Skills Survey 2003/2004 Survey Results (1039kb)

The complete report of the survey findings is below; printed copies are also available at a cost of £40.00 plus postage.

Built Environment Professional Services Skills Survey 2003/2004 Survey Findings and Implications (4144kb)
Printed copies are also available free of charge.

Industry Benchmarking

Employer benchmarking within construction professional services - a report carried out in February 2005 by CIC has helped to build a more informed picture of the use of benchmarks amongst construction professional services firms, and to inform future ConstructionSkills work in respect of benchmarking for professionals.

Sustainability - ‘Build to Last’

‘Build to last’ is ConstructionSkills’ industry-wide programme that encompasses what is built, where and why it is built and how it is built. It aims to lead and support the sector’s skills development so that sustainable construction is the industry norm within 10 years. Industry has worked with us to identify priorities for action under four key themes:

• Developing understanding of sustainability – and what it means in practice to all sections of the industry
• Lobbying to create a climate for change – to balance legislative pressures and commercial advantage
• Skills development (across the sector) – to translate words into action – see the Sustainability Skills matrix below
• Creation and communication of best practice – to speed up the change process

Download an Executive Summary of the ‘Build to Last - Reviewing Sustainable Construction’ Report

Sustainability - Skills Matrix

The Sustainability Skills Matrix for the Built Environment is a high level framework that charts the key functional players and the sustainability issues relevant to making their practices more sustainable. Against these, the matrix identifies what each function needs to be able to do, and their level of involvement in those particular actions. The matrix was designed for use by all the main functions working in the built environment - from investors and clients to contractors, suppliers, end users and demolition. It can be used to influence the shape and content of training provision, assist companies in identifying their own skills and to assess your own skills, knowledge and attitudes.

CIC has incorporated the functions identified in the Matrix into the Occupational Standards for Professional, Managerial and Technical Occupations in the Built Environment

Download a copy of the Sustainability Skills Matrix.

Health and Safety

CIC support the development of health and safety competence, knowledge and understanding, in particular how this can be addressed in design qualifications. Read more on this topic.

Standards of Competence to Improve Performance (SCIP) project

The Standards of Competence to Improve Performance (SCIP) project pushes forward the Government and industry’s plan to improve the performance of the industry and the competence of its people. SCIP focuses on examining how Occupational Standards could be used to improve performance by introducing them into procurement processes along with managing the culture and people issues that affect industry performance.

Download The Standards of Competence to Improve Performance project summary