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CIC Cascade14 September
1. CIC announce re-launch of the Standards Training and Education for Progression Manual CIC are pleased to announce the re-launch of STEP (Standards, Training and Education for Progression) the fully interactive information and guidance tool for the industry’s higher level Occupational Standards and National Vocational Qualifications/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (NVQ/SVQ’s) and potential links and progression between different education, training and qualification routes. It provides information for those new to Occupational Standards, as well as dedicated guidance for individuals, employers in the Built Environment sector, education and training providers and professional bodies. STEP brings together guidance developed through 12 years of Occupational Standards related projects and research led by CIC and the former CISC. The latest version has been updated by CIC with input from representatives of sector skills council partners as well as academic and professional experts. The Progression Pathways Project was funded by the Sector Skills Development Agency, led by CIC as a partner in ConstructionSkills The latest version contains a myriad of information and guidance on a wide variety of aspects of standards and qualifications and their application to organisations and individuals across the industry. New and updated sections include information on the emerging qualification frameworks and processes being developed at European, national and sector level, including the work of the Sector Skills Councils. Other new material includes information on professional body involvement including CPD, new Occupational Standards user applications for clients, employers, education providers and individuals and information on the costing of NVQ/SVQs. STEP has been developed to provide easy direct access to the information, supplemented by links to further information on other websites. STEP had been designed to be explored in a non linear way so that you can choose which information you want to access as you need it, and links are provided to relevant external websites. Therefore, whilst it is possible to download STEP to save onto your hard-drive, or to print it, it is advisable to view STEP whilst online to enable the interactive links to be used. STEP is accessible from the CIC Occupational Standards Panel website at www.cicsc.org.uk For further information on the STEP guidance, please contact David Cracknell , CIC Director of Lifelong Learning, on dcracknell@cic.org.uk 2. An Introduction to Lean Project Management Workshop This one-day workshop (Discounted for CIC Members) will give you a hands-on introduction to the principles and practice of Lean construction – and get you thinking about how to apply Lean within design offices, supply chains and on construction sites. Lean construction has been proven to deliver substantial reductions in project time and cost by minimising waste and reducing variability. Lean construction focuses effort where most significant business gains will be made – the constraint and value stream, which is the most business critical process. The principles of Lean are at the heart of Rethinking Construction. Sir John Egan challenged the construction industry to adapt and apply Lean principles to its fragmented supply chain and realise win-win collaborative benefits for all those involved in project delivery. Richard Biggs, CIC Operations Director & Registrar, attended one of these workshops and said afterwards, “I found this to be one of the most enlightening experiences in my entire construction career and feel that if every construction professional was exposed to these principles, the industry would make a giant step forward!” For more information and to reserve you place click here 3. CIC Publish Updated Occupational Standards online CIC has completed the 2005-6 updating of the higher level Occupational Standards for the Built Environment and has published them on the web i n order to provide the optimum access for potential users. They can be found at www.cicsc.org.uk CIC manages the Framework of Occupational Standards covering the Professional Managerial and Technical occupations in the built environment, on behalf of Constructionskills and other related Sector Skills Councils. The Framework has been developed over the past 16 years and covers all of its main disciplines (including planning, transportation, design, building and civil engineering, building services engineering, property etc.). The latest review has incorporated feedback and input from sector practitioners and experts on changing practice that impacts on individual competence. Changes include a wide variety of detailed updates that reflect different sector occupational roles and also best practice in relation to issues such as sustainability, energy use and lean construction. The Occupational Standards represent a benchmark of industry-specified best practice of competent performance and underpinning knowledge and understanding. They are designed to improve the performance of Industry, by enhancing the performance of people in the workplace and by helping to inform training and vocational education about contemporary industry needs. They provide a powerful multi-purpose tool for industry employers, individuals, professional institutions, learning and training providers, as well as being a potential strategic planning tool. There is a long term strategy to introduce Occupational Standards into the life of the industry so that value is added by enabling the industry to use the Occupational Standards as a ‘common currency’. This will provide a mechanism for forging progression links between academic, vocational and professional qualification systems, as well as providing individuals, employers and the industry at large with tools for developing and measuring the performance of people and enabling the industry to use the Occupational Standards as a ‘common currency’. Users accessing the Occupational Standards on the web will have free access to:
For further information on the Occupational Standards, please contact David Cracknell, CIC Director of Lifelong Learning, on dcracknell@cic.org.uk 4. Important News - CSCS Product Office As a result of the new contract between CSCS and CITB-ConstructionSkills all product support services will be provided from the CSCS offices with effect from the 1st September 2006 . You should contact Gordon Jenkins, CSCS scheme manager gordonjenkins@cscs.gb.comwith any enquiries regarding the scheme. Card application enquiries should be made to the CSCS helpdesk on 0870 4178777 or through the enquiry link on the CSCS website at www.cscs.uk.com Please note, as a result of these changes, the CSCS product office will no longer be operated by CITB-ConstructionSkills from its Bircham Newton offices. 5. ACE further strengthens sector representation with new private buildings group In a move which further strengthens its growing industry representation and influence, the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has announced the creation of a new group for the private buildings sector. The ACE Private Buildings Sector Interest Group will be chaired by Michelle McDowell, who leads the civil and structural engineering group at Building Design Partnership. The new group includes representatives from leading consultancy players in the sector and will ensure that ACE can pre-empt and proactively address issues and concerns of members in the private buildings arena. The group will also set an agenda to deal with key issues in the area, open and maintain dialogue with major clients and key stakeholders and ensure that ACE members are engaged with and able to feedback on ACE activities in the sector. Commenting on the setting up of the new group, ACE economic, policy and regional director Irum Malik said: “The private buildings group further strengthens ACE’s influence in the industry. Our sector interest groups enable ACE to better represent consultancy and engineering across all the main industry sectors. As well as private buildings ACE now has groups covering roads, rail, sustainability, energy and water and sewerage. Further groups scheduled to be up and running before the end of the year include procurement, public buildings, aviation and maritime and telecoms.” All ACE sector interest groups are comprised of sector champions from key consultancy and engineering firms in the relevant industry sector and where appropriate include key sector stakeholders including experts and clients. All groups are chaired by leading representatives from ACE member companies. ACE, which represents over 800 member firms that employ over 45,000 staff, is the leading business association for consultancy and engineering in the UK. 6. IStructE unveils top engineering awards shortlist for 2006 The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) has unveiled the 2006 shortlist for its prestigious Structural Awards. The annual Structural Awards, which have been held by the Institution of Structural Engineers since 1968, are the world’s pre-eminent awards for structural engineering excellence. They recognise and reward the work of the world’s most talented structural designers and their indispensable contribution to the built environment. The 2006 Structural Awards have seen the introduction of new categories in order to better reflect the breadth of projects for which structural engineers are responsible. IStructE sees the Structural Awards as a truly international design competition open to projects and consultancies of all sizes and actively encourages entries from around the world. With 15 of the 38 shortlisted projects located outside the UK , the 2006 Structural Awards are representative of structural engineering excellence on a global scale. The winning and commended projects, along with the IStructE Supreme Award – given to the most outstanding winning project – will be announced at the Structural Awards Dinner, which takes place on Wednesday 8 November 2006 at East Wintergarden , Docklands. Michael Dickson, President of IStructE, said of the Awards: “ The role of structural engineers in providing safety, value, creativity and innovation in the built environment in which we live is often overlooked. The Structural Awards seek to highlight and celebrate excellence in this sector and the important contribution its engineers make to the design process of a building or structure." IStructE Chief Executive Dr Keith Eaton added: “We’ve had some absolutely fantastic entries this year all of outstanding quality and from around the world. The shortlist truly reflects the best of what structural engineers can contribute to the built environment.” To view the Structural Awards shortlist for 2006 visit: http://www.istructe.org.uk/structuralawards 7. CITB-ConstructionSkills welcomes new Board member Martyn Price, Managing Director of Bedford-based CMC Ltd, has been appointed to the Board of CITB-ConstructionSkills. Martyn has also been invited to sit on the Learning and Skills Council’s Apprentice Ambassador Network, representing the construction sector. A carpenter by trade, Martyn began his career with an apprenticeship at Bedford College , in the employ of MJ Hillson Limited. After successfully completing his apprenticeship, Martyn continued his training and completed an Advanced Craft Certificate and a City and Guilds first line supervisor course, followed by an ONC and an HNC. He set up CMC Ltd, which specialises in carpentry, in 1989. The company is recognised as having Investor in People status and now acts as a mentor for other organisations in the UK . CMC has won several highly regarded awards for its training practices including Contract Journal’s National Training Award, Construction News’ Quality in Construction Award, the East of England’s Skills Forum for Outstanding Contribution to Training and, most recently, they have been accredited with Investor in People champion status, joining an elite of 24 such firms throughout the country. The Learning and Skills Council’s Apprentice Ambassador Network aims to:
CMC Ltd currently employs 25 apprentices and has taken on about 100 apprentices over the past years. Martyn joins employer representatives from Carillion and MITE to strengthen the construction input to the Network. He is also Chair of the BACH Senate, which brings together CITB-ConstructionSkills and the British Association of Construction Heads, and is a member of a range of skills and training groups at local, regional and national level, including the CITB-ConstructionSkills Training Committee, the East of England Skills Forum, Skills 4 Site and the Bedford College Built Environment Consultative Committee. 8. The Women Into Science, Engineering and Construction (WISE) Campaign Annual Awards Each year the WISE campaign presents three prestigious awards. The WISE annual awards are given in recognition of companies and individuals who have actively addressed the issue of promoting science and engineering to young girls and women, and who have supported the aims of WISE. All awards will be presented by HRH The Princess Royal, The Royal Patron of WISE. The WISE Excellence Award is open to all women engineers, scientists and those working in construction who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to the profession and to the promotion of science and engineering to girls and women. The winner of this year’s award will receive a cheque for £1000 and an engraved solid silver business card holder. The WISE Ambassador Award is an annual award for a company or organisation from either England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, most supportive of WISE and the promotion of women in science, engineering and construction in their country. The Investor in WISE Award is an annual for a national company or organisation most supportive of WISE and the promotion of women in science, engineering and construction in the UK. Applications close on 29 September. For more information, or to apply, please visit: http://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/NewWise.nsf/webpages/WISE%20Awards or telephone Helen Walker, Campaign Officer, at WISE Campaign on 020 7227 8421. 9. ConstructionSkills pilots a Free Undergraduate Development Programme for Placement Year Students In response to employer feedback, the CIC-ConstructionSkills team is piloting an Undergraduate Development Programme in the CIC North West region, to commence in October 2006. This free programme aims to develop the skills which employers are looking for in graduates entering the industry, and to ensure students get the very best experience from their placement. A similar scheme has operated in Northern Ireland for the past 4 years, with much success. Professional employers had previously raised concerns about the need for undergraduates of different disciplines to work more closely together, and the lack of ‘soft skills’ (e.g. communication, time management, teamwork) in some graduates. To address these issues, CIC-ConstructionSkills are piloting an Undergraduate Development Programme in Autumn 2006. Initially, ten students will undertake the programme over 8 days in October. The course will cover the following subjects:
The programme is open to undergraduate students who are undertaking a placement of at least 12 weeks as part of a built environment degree. All built environment disciplines are eligible, thereby giving vital experience of pan-professional working at the very start of the students’ working careers. A grant will also be paid to the undergraduates’ employers on successful completion of the full eight day programme. The scheme is initially open only to companies based in the North West region. For more information on the Undergraduate Development Programme, or to enquire about enrolling a placement student, please contact Fiona McGregor at the CIC-ConstructionSkills Team (email fmcgregor@cic.org.uk or telephone 0161 295 5076). 10. Discover London 2012 Business Opportunities London 2012 has launched a new initiative for businesses seeking information about working with the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The website (www.london2012.com/business) now offers a free registration service which will allow businesses to register their interest in finding out about new Games opportunities. Companies who sign up will receive an automatic update from London 2012 whenever there are key announcements, including tender opportunities and updates on other key areas of progress. 11. Events The events page of the CIC website is frequently updated visit the events page for details. |
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