Getting the foundations right for construction industry’s key challenges

MORE THAN 240 delegates heard from industry experts at Midlands Construction Summit offering advice on addressing the main issues that negatively impact the future of the UK construction industry.

Skills, image and productivity were the key themes of the third annual summit, which was held at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena.

The Summit was organised by the Built Environment Hub, a membership organisation that facilitates networking and knowledge exchange by providing learning platforms to strengthen improvements throughout the Midlands construction sector.

Adrian Belton, chief executive of CITB and keynote speaker at the Summit, referred to the Midlands Engine as the ‘Northern Powerhouse equivalent’ which is fuelled by construction. Stressing just how important it is for the industry to unite to tackle these pressing issues.

The Summit began with a session dedicated to the challenges presented by the skill shortages which are confronting the industry and predicted to increase.

The speakers within the session, Adrian Belton and Adrian Speller, sustainability director at Speller Metcalfe – both spoke of the need to recruit and retain a raft of talent, with diverse skill sets.

Both speakers also recognised the importance of encouraging young people into the industry by engaging with them at an early stage to highlight the varied job opportunities, particularly with the advancement of BIM.

The second session of the day focused on the image of the construction industry and was led by Mike Petter, scheme director of Considerate Constructors Scheme, Andy Robinson, managing director of Colmore Tang and Jo Morrish, director of HR and training for Pick Everard. 

All three speakers commented on the negative image of the industry with Mike Petter highlighting that “most people are unaware of the wealth career opportunities within the industry and the general perception is that a job in construction is viewed as the last resort”.

To address this perception, Andy Robinson suggested that the industry needs raise its profile with “an all-encompassing brand – bringing the sum of the parts together” – backed by a co-ordinated campaign, which would benefit from the support of an aspirational leader with the skills to engage with emerging talent to promote the innovations and opportunities on offer. 

Productivity was the focus of the final session of the informative day. Different processes were examined within this session and how these can be utilised to create a more productive industry.

Speakers Rudi Klein, chief executive of SEC Group and Ann Bentley, global chairman of Rider Levett Bucknall, discussed the importance of supply chain integration to create a more productive industry.

Darren Richards, managing director of Cogent Consulting, focused on how offsite construction can be utilised to increase productivity and RsM director Paul Underwood spoke about how the construction industry can adopt “lean thinking” to create a more productive industry.

Judy Hart, head of business development at Investors in Excellence summarised how to increase productivity by stating “change is not rocket science, you are capable of changing to become more productive”. 

Andy Robinson said of the event: “The Midlands Construction Summit is a ‘go to’ event for the region’s industry, given the quality and experience of the thought provoking speakers. I have always found with these type of events that you only get out what you put in. Networking with industry experts is a must and helps us all improve our knowledge of key aspects of the sector. You can never have too much information in my view. The exhibitors also play an important role, as their presence adds valuable content and the opportunity to consult with supply chain specialists. The event was well organised and attended, I can see next year being a significant event within the Midlands calendar.” 

The summit speakers strongly emphasised that change must come from within and that everyone has a part to play. Professionals within sector are key to making improvements and crucial in building an even stronger Midlands construction industry. 

Ann Bentley ended the day on a positive note: “We have a great deal to be proud and positive about. In our midst, we have construction professionals responsible for creating some outstanding buildings and by working together, it is not beyond us to resolve these issues to ensure a sustainable future for the Midlands construction industry.”

If you would like more information on becoming involved with the Built Environment Hub or information on attending future events, please visit www.builtenvironmenthub.org