Female construction students topping out in class

Female construction students at New College Lanarkshire, are beating the boys in the Construction Pre Apprentice course.

Females are topping out in the Construction Pre Apprentice course, with five out of only six females currently on the course at New College Lanarkshire, appearing in the top 15 students on the taster course for a career in the industry.

Wishaw student Kait Finnan, aged 19, has notched up 100% from all her tutors during the training programme, above all of the 90-plus trainees.

The programme runs throughout the year, and covers painting and decorating, plumbing, joinery, technical drawing, brick and block-laying and health & safety.

Antonia Collins, 18 from Holytown, Dainah Smith, 18 from Hamilton, Shannon Docherty, 16 from Wishaw and Sophie McRobie, 17 from Lanark, followed closely in the top 15 fellow students.

Kait, a former pupil of Clyde Valley High School, said: “I think I put 110% into tasks, and have a good work ethic. I’m also fairly critical of myself, so I always look for ways to improve my standard of work. Perhaps the lecturers have noticed this, and that’s maybe helped with my ranking.

“It’s great that the other girls have done so well. Feminism is really important to me, and with so many of us doing so well I feel like we really are showing that women are just as capable as men, if not more.”

Kait says that painting and decorating is her favourite topic, and recommends the course.

At the beginning of May, Kait will be among the 60-plus students who are heading out for a six week placement with firms and businesses. She will be working in the technical department of the Bothwell Branch of international weather and water protection firm Seal Eco, where she will study building design, and visit sites.

Martyn Campbell, Curriculum and Quality Leader in Construction, said: “Kait has done magnificently well to achieve this status in her own right but for a young woman to have done so in this sector is little bit more special.

“These students have proved that females are more than capable and hopefully many more apply for the courses we are currently recruiting for.”

 

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Transport manager qualifications launched by FTA

New qualifications for fleet managers have been launched by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) with the target of “professionalising” the industry and defining a structured career path for the role.

The Commercial Vehicle Fleet Management Qualifications (FMQs) will provide fleet management professionals with a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) framework and are the first national vocational qualifications in the sector created in partnership with industry to deliver the necessary skills in people management, vehicle procurement and fleet maintenance.

The qualification would be suited to people looking to advance in the logistics industry and for existing fleet managers with no formal qualification.

The qualifications would also provide employers with the nationally recognised qualifications with the ability to identify the competencies and abilities of fleet managers when recruiting and training staff.

The FTA has also worked in collaboration with City and Guilds to establish a new Transport Manager CPC qualification.

FTA Head of Training Keith Gray said: “We are delighted to be able to offer qualifications that provide a structured career path for logistics professionals.

“In terms of professional development, the CPC has often been the destination for Transport Managers. Now, with the introduction of FMQ, there is a development pathway along which CPC is an important milestone.  Our aim is to create a portfolio of qualifications that give those working in the industry nationally-recognised, transferrable skills.”

The qualifications have been created with City & Guilds and are registered with the Office for Qualifications and Examinations Regulation.

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Government will take a 25% stake in rescue of Tata Steel

The government is willing to take a 25% stake in any rescue of Tata Steel UK operations, it has been announced.

The UK government will prepare to make a support package “worth hundreds of millions of pounds” available to potential buyers, willing to take a 25% stake in rescuing the industry.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid said last week that the government would provide financial support to a credible buyer, to help the UK steel industry that has been hit by falling prices, high energy costs and cheap Chinese imports.

There have been two points of interest shown in buying the business. Stuart Wilkie, Chief of Tata’s Port Talbot factory, the UK’s largest steel operation, has canvassed workers about joining a bid by investing £10,000 of their own money in a management buyout.

Steel company Liberty House, owned by Sanjeev Gupta, has also expressed interest in buying parts of the business.

The UK and Welsh government have said they are willing to consider additional grant funding support where needed. This could include money to support the development of power plant infrastructure, energy efficiency and environmental protection measures, R&D and training.

The government will be working with the pension scheme trustees of Tata Steel and British Steel to minimise any pension impact on the purchaser.

Tata Steel is giving the government and potential buyers the time to arrange a rescue package, but has made it clear that it does not want to prolong the uncertainty for customers and workers.

The Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman said: “We would work alongside a potential buyer to make sure that the government is doing what it could to support a viable sale.

“If we were to take an extra stake it would be a minority one with the aim of supporting the purchaser in delivering a long-term future for the business, we are certainly not seeking to be controlling the company.”

The government have said that the investment is offered on commercial terms, and that they would not take any control over the business, insisting that nationalisation is not the answer.

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Reaction to the RICS UK Construction Market Survey

The Vinden Partnership says that the construction industry may to wait until after European Union referendum before the sector picks up.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has released its UK Construction Market Survey revealing that the private housing sector is at its lowest rate since the second quarter of 2013.

The government has pledged to build 200,000 new homes by 2020 and “tackle the crisis of home ownership”.

The survey shows only 36% more respondents saw an increase rather than a drop. In comparison, the figure was closer to 50% in the first quarter of last year.

Looking at the construction industry as a whole, the report showed that 33% more reported a rise in work than a fall during the fourth quarter of 2015. The first quarter of 2016 saw the figure drop 5%.

Confidence in the construction industry appears to have been shaken with those respondents predicting an increase in work over the next 12 months outweighing those forecasting a decrease by 55%. The same period last year saw 79% more respondents expected to see a rise in workload.

Peter Vinden, Managing Director of The Vinden Partnership – a leading multi-disciplinary consultant company to the built environment – said: “Anybody following the recent surveys and analysis of the construction industry, will know the European referendum is creating uncertainty within the sector.

“The ONS recently reported a record increase in housebuilding but there can be little doubt that construction projects are being delayed as investors wait to see how the result of the referendum affects the industry. It may be that we see a glut of project starts later in the year but, in the short term, we can expect the construction industry to remain in this state of flux.”

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5Bn of extra mortgage lending in March after stamp duty rise

Landlords aiming to beat the stamp duty rise, has led to up to £5Bn worth of extra mortgage lending in March.

There has been a “late surge” in gross mortgage lending, as it hit £25.7Bn last month, 59% higher than the previous March, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).

This is due to the 3% stamp duty surcharge, announced in the Autumn Statement by Chancellor George Osborne and introduced on 1 April, for purchases of homes that are not the buyer’s main residence (second home or buy-to-let).

The impact of the change in tax is expected to continue to ripple through the housing market for the next few months, although the CML said it now expected sales to drop off after the extra tax came in.

CML’s analysis suggests there were £4-5Bn in extra lending than what would have usually been the case, which translates to about 30-35,000 more transactions as a result.

CML Economist, Mohammad Jamei, said: “The distortion caused by this stamp duty change appears to be larger than any previous stamp duty change we have seen.

“As a result, we expect there will be about 10,000 fewer mortgaged transactions each month in the second quarter of 2016 than would otherwise have been the case, offsetting the increase in activity seen in March.”

HM Revenue ad Customs (HMRC) also recorded the surge in property sales, with a total of 161,990 properties sold in the UK during the month.

The Bank of England has announced plans to subject landlords to a series of affordability tests, where their personal income and expenditure could be scrutinised by lenders before they decide to give them a mortgage.

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Queens Awards celebrate Queens 90th birthday

More than 240 British businesses celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday today with Queen’s Awards.

In celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday, 243 businesses across the UK have received a new Queen’s Award for Enterprise, which recognises their contribution to international trade, innovation and sustainable development.

JCB won three awards, with JCB Power Systems winning for both Innovation and International Trade, while JCB Compact Products also won for International Trade. The awards keep JCB in the position as the UK record holder of the Queen’s Awards, winning a total of 30 since its first in 1968.

Wates Group won the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development, due to their commitment to relationships with customers, partners and communities, particularly supporting education in deprived areas, engaging with social enterprises and positive support for helping unemployed people into work. The company also work to reduce carbon emissions by 10%, and 98% of waste is diverted to landfill.

The British Land Company PLC also picked up the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development, due to their particular focus on green building, transparent reporting, community and supply chain engagement. It demonstrates strong internal and external sustainable development leadership, including a high level sustainability committee.

AJ Power Ltd won the Queen’s Award for International Trade, offering its customers increased responsiveness supported by engineering innovation, to create globally competitive products, along with JCB Compact Product Ltd, for their micro, mini and midi excavators, which sell in large volumes around the world.

Independent Cement Consultants Ltd won the Award for International Trade, with over 80% turnover overseas along with Polypipe Ltd for their outstanding growth is overseas sales over three years.

Other construction –related winners include Excalibur Screwbolts Ltd, Ground Control Ltd, Aqua Fabrications Ltd and Blok N Mesh UK Ltd, all winning awards for innovation.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The Queen’s Awards are a great way of celebrating the best of British business. Whether you’re a disruptive start-up making life easier for your customers or a large company with a blockbuster product, these awards recognise your contribution to enterprise.

“We are a country full of exciting and innovative businesses that deserve to be celebrated. I’d like to commend all the winners for their hard work in creating jobs for people and driving our growing economy.”

In addition, five people nominated by their peers have been recognised for their efforts to encourage entrepreneurship in the UK with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion.

The winners of the Queen’s Award are to be visited by a Royal Representative and presented with a crystal bowl, along with an invitation to attend a reception at Buckingham Palace. They are also able to use the Queen’s Award’s emblem in advertising, marketing and on packaging for five years.

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Welfare facilities on construction sites Whats required?

When the CDM2015 regulations came into force a year ago, they placed a stronger emphasis on the provision of welfare facilities on construction sites. UK Construction Online take a look at what this means for those responsible for construction projects.

Clients and contractors share the legal responsibility to provide these facilities on all sites, regardless of their size, and must provide enough facilities to cover the number of employees on site and suitable for the type of work being undertaken.

Before any construction begins on a project, the pre-construction information organised by the client should contain the arrangements for the provision of welfare facilities. On notifiable projects (those that are longer than 30 days and involve more then 20 workers on site at any one time or more than 500 person days) the client must make sure construction doesn’t begin until they are satisfied that adequate welfare facilities will be provided.

Although the size of facilities will depend on the size of the project, facilities include toilets, washing facilities, changing areas and lockers, facilities for rest, plus drinking water.

The contractors must maintain the facilities throughout the project lifecycle.

Drinking water must be provided at easily accessible spots and have cups available unless the supply is from a drinking jet.

Toilets provided must be suitable for use, ventilated, lit and kept clean and tidy. Washing facilities must be available to use immediately after using the toilet, even if they are located elsewhere.

Ideally, separate male and female facilities should be provided. If this is not possible, then lockable toilets should be provided.

Similarly, facilities for washing must be fit for purpose and maintained to the required standard. Clean hot and cold running, soap and a suitable means of drying must be provided and sinks need to be large enough for people to wash their face, hands and forearms.

Showers should be provided if the work is particularly dirty or if decontamination is needed. As with the toilet provisions, separate male and female should provided if possible.

If workers are required to wear protective clothing due to the nature of their employment, changing rooms should be provided with seating and facilities to keep clothing and personal property secure.

Rest areas need to be supplied with enough tables and seating where workers can eat and rest. There should also be boiling water available and arrangements for the preparation of meals. Heating should also be available in the event of cold weather.

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