More Focus – Page 384
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Lead times
There may be few changes this quarter, says Rob Darrow of Mace, but you should brace yourself for what’ll happen next year. Over the page, Gavin Murgatroyd of Gardiner & Theobald casts a spotlight on structural steel
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Planning: the American dream
John Prescott and Prince Charles want to borrow a US idea – new urbanism – to make sustainable communities function as urban spaces. But some UK architects fear design codes and community consultation could result in the Poundbury vision taking hold.
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Whose deal is it?
When it comes to training and skills, the industry has bet the house on the success of CSCS cards. Now a report has revealed that the scheme is hobbled by arguments over who controls it and whether it is working.
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Vague visions Vegas
Kerrching! The prospect of supercasinos cropping up across the land is putting pound signs in the eyes of construction firms. We talk to key players to find out how good the odds are of winning that jackpot – and to discover the rules of the game …
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Kerry leans on AMEC in her time of need
Kerry McFadden is the latest C-lister to chivvy a builder in the name of celebrity/charity telly.
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Bexhill's North-South divide
Residents of a Sussex street are being divided by one-sided plans to redevelop their road.
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Our golden opportunity
Over the past five months ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø has run the Action for Skills series, with ConstructionSkills, to kick-start a debate about training and the new sector skills agreement. Now, to round off the series, this supplement – a constructor’s manual, if you will – offers an overview of training needs ...
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The ideal partner
John Rackstraw, chief executive of Pearce Group and a devotee of the Egan message, explains how he’s putting the principles of partnering and integrated supply chains into action
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Step 1: educate the people - Young hearts and minds
Can a child of seven appreciate great buildings? Will a 15-year-old see the career opportunities construction has to offer? Well yes, but only if construction firms go to schools and actually talk to young people
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A sure way in
Construction apprenticeships are as popular as ever with young people, but employers are less enthusiastic about the costs involved. So what can be done to give young people a secure path into the industry?
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A collective task: training for local people
Whitefriars Housing Group is a collective of three housing firms that formed in September 2000 to manage more than 19,000 former Coventry council homes.
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Crème de la crème
A degree and a pile of debt – the net result after several years of hard study and student nights out. But how prepared are graduates for the tough world of work and the particular demands of construction?
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A mature influence
Stories of posh plumbers – city bankers who swap pinstripes for overalls – may be exaggerated, but it is true that an increasing number of people in other professions want to learn construction skills. So how can the industry meet their training needs?
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Step 2: equip the workforce - A matter of life and death
Construction sites are always going to be dangerous places to work – despite efforts to improve health and safety attitudes. Here’s how government, unions and contractors are trying to minimise accidents
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Where credit’s due
Talent, skill and hard work characterise most of construction’s 2 million workers, yet in the past the industry has not formerly recognised their contributions or helped individuals develop their careers. Now companies are waking up to the value of staff and are investing in lifelong training
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A better deal for migrants
Foreign workers play a vital role in construction, and to protect them from exploitation more needs to be done to regulate pay and conditions as well as improve health and safety training
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Step 3: integrate the supply - We’re only as strong as our weakest link …
Construction’s worst flaw is said to be its supply chain, which is why so much work is going into improving relationships between suppliers, contractors and clients. Here are some examples of joined-up thinking
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Appendix 1: regional skills roundup - A nationwide skills hunt
Employers across the country complain of a skills shortage, but has it hit some regions more than others? And could we be experiencing the effects of a North-South divide? Some researchers intend to find out …
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Appendix 2: the government’s role - Friends in high places
Public spending is on the increase – which means construction and government need each other more than ever before. Here’s how the two of them are coming to a mutual understanding …
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Bovis hits number one with £171m work in October
£140m PFI cancer centre in Leeds helps it take monthly title – and consolidate lead in annual table