NEWSLETTER • Monday 4th February 2013

What do you call a law student who tries to sue himself? Self tort.


Tweet Button Facebook Like Button So this month there is a little bit of a legal edge with a precedence being set on the definition of disability and the government considering whether the law around hate crime should be extended. Whilst neither are construction specific, they can affect the way we do business, especially if you have staff that speak on your behalf.

Next, we would like your help; we are constantly striving to improve the newsletter and to understand what is useful to you, the reader. So please take a few minutes to complete our survey which will help us cater to your needs.

Also Construction Skills' BE FaIR accredited framework is looking for Main Contractors and Subcontractors to take advantage of the fully funded pilot so please get in touch to find out more. As deliverers of the scheme, we are initally looking for people from industry to train as assessors on a self-employed basis so let us know if you would like to apply. Please continue to support our work by clicking the tweet and like buttons above, forwarding this email and reading our, now weekly, blog.

Happy Building, Chrissi.

Go to our new, easy to use quiz competition page right now to stand a chance of winning a £20 John Lewis gift voucher. It takes seconds to answer the three multiple choice questions online.

Thanks to everyone who entered last month, the winner was Lauretta Winstanley of ConstructionSkills.

This month we have been enjoying the tweets of Emma Hutton ‏@EDFEmma - Human Rights Programme Director at the Equality and Diversity Forum. Passionate about human rights and equality for all. 

Follow us @Constructingeq

or @Cchrissi

 

IN THIS ISSUE
NEWS - Employment Law Update

Disability Discrimination: an update

This article was taken from the JST Lawyers Newsletter and can be read in full by clicking the following link.

In a recent case, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has given helpful guidance as to the meaning of ‘disability’. 

Under the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), a person has a ‘disability’ if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.  An impairment's effect is ‘substantial’ for the purposes of the disability definition if it is ‘more than minor or trivial’. 

Background

The employee worked as a station assistant at London Bridge.  His job required him to stand for substantial amounts of time.  He developed back pain that prevented him from standing for more than 25 minutes at a time and he was ultimately dismissed on the grounds of capability.  He brought a claim against his employer for disability discrimination. 

His claim was unsuccessful at the Employment Tribunal.  The Tribunal held that he was not disabled. 
It accepted that he had a ‘physical impairment’ but ruled that the impairment did not have a substantial adverse effect on his ability to carry out day-to-day activities.  He appealed to the EAT.

To read about how the EAT upheld his appeal please click on the following link.

Image source: Law Gazette.                                          


Hate crime – should the aggravated and stirring up hatred offences be extended?

Recent stories, especially on Twitter, have called into question existing laws around stirring up hatred . You need to pay attention to this if your employees use social media on your behalf as this is criminal law, not civil, which means fines and possibly even jail time. 

This article was taken from The Law Commission website and can be read in full by visiting their website. 

The Commission has been asked by Government to consider whether two existing groups of offences dealing with hate crime should be extended.

At present, various crimes (such as assault or criminal damage) are prosecuted as aggravated offences with higher sentences if the offender demonstrates hostility or is motivated by racial or religious hostility at the time of the offence. The Law Commission is to examine whether the same approach should apply if the offender shows hostility or is motivated on grounds of:

  • disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The criminal law also provides protection against those who publish material that is intended to stir up hatred against people on the grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation. The Commission is to examine whether those offences should also apply to people who act in order to stir up hatred on the grounds of:

  • disability or gender identity.

A crime is recorded as a hate crime if the victim or anyone else believes it to have been motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a personal characteristic. The criminal justice agencies monitor hate crimes related to five main characteristics – disability, gender identity, race, religion and sexual orientation – but not all the existing legislation that protects victims from such crimes covers all five.

The Public Order Act 1986 makes it an offence to intentionally stir up hatred on the grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation; and the Crime and Disorder Act 1988 creates racially and religiously aggravated offences. The Commission’s review will ask whether these two pieces of legislation should be reformed to extend protection to all five groups and, if so, how it should be changed.

The Commission aims to report to Government in spring 2014.

To find out more information on this you can read the full article here or alternatively visit The Law Commission website. 

 


The 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study - First Findings

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) published the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study on 23 January 2013.

This report is the sixth survey of employment relations in Britain. It collected data from a representative sample of 2,680 British workplaces, from 2,680 workplace managers responsible for employment relations and personnel, 1,002 worker representatives, and 21,981 employees.

Public administration and Construction were the industries with the highest percentages of employees reporting wage cuts or freezes (68% and 50% respectively). Increases in workload were most common among employees in Public administration (48%), followed by Transport and communication (36%) and Financial services (33%)

Official statistics suggest that Construction, Transport and communication, Financial services, and Public administration have been among the worst affected industry sectors, either in terms of output or employment.

More work, less pay? Employees in recession

In times of recession, much attention is focused on unemployment and job losses. But working life may also change for those employees who remain at work. There may be changes to rewards, such as pay cuts or freezes, or reductions in non-wage benefits. Further, there may be changes to the nature of work, such as the reorganisation of tasks or increases in workload.

Examining the perspective of employees, we find that the most common changes they experienced as a result of recession were wage cuts or freezes and increases in workload. Men were more likely than women to experience a change at work as a result of the recession.

Employees’ experiences of recession

The 2011 WERS asked employees if they had experienced any of a specified list of changes ‘as a result of the most recent recession’, while at their current workplace. Here there focus is on the 88% of employees who indicated that they were working at the surveyed workplace during the recession.

The most common changes reported by employees were more work and less pay. Wage cuts or freezes were cited by 33% of employees, and increases in workload were reported by 29% of employees.

Which employees were most affected?

The extent to which employees were affected by the recession will be influenced by the degree to which their workplace was affected. Around half (48%) of employees in the public sector reported wage cuts or freezes, compared with just over one quarter (27%) in the private sector. More than a third (36%) of public sector employees reported an increase in workload, compared with 26% in the private sector. 

Public administration and Construction were the industries with the highest percentages of employees reporting wage cuts or freezes (68% and 50% respectively). Increases in workload were most common among employees in Public administration (48%), followed by Transport and communication (36%) and Financial services (33%). 

 

Credit to the Equality and Diversity Forum for highlighting this study to us.


BE FaIR Framework Pilot

The Construction Skills' Built Environment Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (BE FaIR) Framework pilot is set to be launched in March 2013. In the run up to the launch Constructing Equality Ltd and ConstructionSkills are looking for organisations to volunteer to be part of this exciting and innovative, fully funded, project that will hopefully change the face of the construction industry for the better.

For those who haven’t heard of the BE FaIR Framework, to describe it in simple terms; people generally have a negative view on equality and diversity matters. Some people share the opinion that it’s just another bureaucratic system and some think that it is simply a tick box exercise that has no bearing on their organisation.

What we are trying to convey to the industry, and to the rest of the nation, is that with the BE FaIR Framework, we are trying to improve working conditions for ALL in the industry; whether that be reducing gender pay gaps, eliminating suicide bidding or even just improving on-site facilities. Our passion lies with improving the construction industry for all.

So if you are reading this thinking ‘’these are things I would like to see changed in the industry’’ then think no more, get in touch

An employers information pack is available on our website that explains the BE FaIR Framework


Mental Health (Discrimination) Bill

In September 2012, the Deputy Prime Minister announced that the Government is backing the Mental Health (Discrimination) Bill brought forward by Gavin Barwell MP, which received its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 14 September. 

The aim of the Bill is to reduce the stigma and negative perceptions associated with mental illness. It repeals section 141 of the Mental Health Act, which sets out that an MP automatically loses their seat if detained under the Act for more than six months. It also amends similar discriminatory provisions in legislation concerning jurors and company directors. 

It is based on another Bill with the same title introduced by Lord Stevenson of Coddenham in the previous Session and has cross-party support. It is also supported by the mental health charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, the Law Society, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

In November 2012, a House of Commons library briefing on the Bill was published, which was prepared for the Report Stage of the Mental Health (Discrimination) (No 2) Bill on 30 November 2012. The Bill is sponsored by Gavin Barwell MP, who was fourth in the 2012-13 ballot for Private Members’ Bills. The briefing can accessed by visiting the Parliament website. 

Credit to the Equality and Diversity Forum for providing us with this article. 


BIS: consultation on early conciliation and measures on workplace disputes

This article and consultation was brought to our attention by the Equality and Diversity Forum.

On 17 January 2013, the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) launched a consultation titled ‘Early conciliation: consultation on proposals for implementation’.

Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson also announced plans to reduce the number of workplace disputes that end up at Employment Tribunal.

The following detail of the consultation is provided:

''We announced, in the government response to the Resolving workplace disputes consultation, our intention to introduce an early conciliation process. This process would make it a requirement for most prospective claimants to send the details of their claim to Acas before they are able to lodge the claim with the employment tribunal. This proposal has received broad support from all stakeholders. It will enable Acas to offer the parties the opportunity to resolve their dispute without the need for tribunal involvement. We are taking the necessary primary powers to introduce early conciliation in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill.

''The implementation of early conciliation requires secondary legislation and the development of the necessary administrative process. This consultation sets out how we intend that early conciliation should operate, together with a draft set of rules of procedure, and some questions on which we would welcome views.''

For more information about the consultation, a response form and/or the opportunity to fill out the early concilation survey, please click the following linkAlternatively, click here for the response by Jo Swinson.

This consultation closes on 15 February 2013.


Accenture tops Stonewall's 2013 list of gay-friendly employers

This article was taken from the Stonewall website and can be accessed in full by visiting their website. 

Gentoo and the Co-op complete the top three on the tenth anniversary of key legal changes protecting gay workers.

Stonewall today publishes its Top 100 Employers 2013, showcasing Britain's best employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff. Accenture tops the list; in second place is Gentoo and the Co-operative comes third.

This is the first year that a mutual retailer has entered the top 10 and Gentoo has reached the highest ever position for a housing employer. There was also strong performance from MI5, who climbed into the Top 30 having debuted on the list at 62 in 2012. And London Ambulance NHS Trust climbs over 70 positions to 22.

Goldman Sachs wins the award for Employee Network Group of the Year and Nationwide is named Most Improved Employer. Chief Constable Alex Marshall from Hampshire Constabulary is named Individual Champion of the Year.

Full results of the 2013 Stonewall Top Employers list can be found at the Stonewall website along with the remainder of this article. 


Constructing Equality Ltd. Newsletter Survey 2013

At Constructing Equality Ltd. we are always on the look-out to improve our business and services, as well as the news that we deliver in our monthly newsletter and weekly blogs.

In order to ensure that the content featured within both the blogs and the newsletters is highly relevant to the industry, and of a high quality, it is important to understand what people find the most interesting, helpful and relevant.

Therefore, we ask you to kindly take the time to participate in a short survey to help us better understand what it is people enjoy reading the most and what people find most helpful in furthering their professional careers.

The survey is hosted by Survey Monkey and can be taken by clicking this link.

RESOURCES - Public Sector Equality Duty

EHRC guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty

This article was taken directly from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and can be accessed in full by visiting their website.

In January 2013, the EHRC published technical  guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) under the Equality Act, which will help public authorities encourage good relations, promote equality and eliminate discrimination in the workplace and in delivering public services.

The Equality Act 2010, consolidates protection against discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. It also put in place a new public sector equality duty, which gives public authorities a legal responsibility to provide this protection and make decisions which are fair and transparent, including the allocation of public money.

The guidance gives a straightforward but comprehensive explanation of how public authorities – both as employers and service providers – should comply with the duty, as well as practical advice on how to do so.

For example, the guidance makes it clear that equality should be taken into account in all decision making where the duty is relevant. It also explains that as a matter of good practice, public authorities should keep records demonstrating how they have complied with the duty.

While this guidance is not a statutory Code of Practice, it can be used as evidence in legal proceedings. The courts have said that a body subject to the equality duty that does not follow non-statutory guidance such as this will need to justify why it has not done so. However, such guidance does not in itself impose further duties to those set out in the statute.

To read the remainder of this article and to find out what Ian Acheson, Chief Operating Officer at the EHRC said please visit their website

Credit to the Equality and Diversity Forum for providing us with this article.


EHRC guidance and research on pre-employment questionnaires

This article was taken from both the Equality and Diversity Forum and the EHRC website.

In January 2013, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published guidance and a research report on pre-employment questionnaires.

The research focused on the recruitment practices of employers relating to collecting information about a job applicant’s health prior to any offer of work being made. Such health inquiries are prohibited under Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 unless they fall under a prescribed set of exemptions.

Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 makes it generally unlawful to ask questions about disability and health before you make a job offer. The Commission can take legal action and job applicants may have claims of discrimination where these legal requirements have been breached.

Section 60 complements other legal requirements in the Equality Act 2010 designed to remove barriers that disabled people experience in securing jobs.

The purpose of Section 60

The purpose of Section 60 is to prevent disability or health information being used to sift out job applicants without first giving them the opportunity to show they have the skills to do the job.

What and who does Section 60 apply to?

  • Any job recruitment process in England, Scotland or Wales involving internal or external applicants, and also to selecting a pool of candidates who may be offered work in the future.
  • Employers, employment agencies and authorised agents.
  • All applicants for work and all individuals and organisations offering work.
  • Contract workers, partnership positions, pupillages and tenancies (including Scottish equivalents)
  • Appointments to personal or public office.

Click here for employers’ guidance.

Click here for job applicants’ guidance.

Click here for research report.

Picture source: The Houston Chronicle

EVENTS - Women of the World

WOW - Women of the World Festival 2013

WOW is Southbank Centre’s annual global festival where women and men of all ages and backgrounds celebrate women’s achievements and discuss the obstacles they face across the world.

Throughout the festival people will be presented with the very best of recognised and emerging female talent across all fields including politics, the arts, economics, fashion, science, health, sport, business and education.

On Friday 8 March the WOW weekend kicks off with a day of talks and seminars by leading businesswomen, award-winning entrepreneurs and key policy-makers. The sessions on Saturday 9 March cover sex, religion, and politics, while on Sunday 10 March we’ll be running a special event for the youngest feminists, interviews with inspiring women, and discussions about gender.

WOW also celebrates International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March with free mass speed-mentoring.

If you want to hear more about the events coming up in WOW 2013, Southbank Centre's Artistic Director Jude Kelly and the programming team are holding a special free preview on 21 January.

Check back at the WOW website as more exciting events and full day-pass programmes are announced.

Listen to some of the musicians playing at Women of the World 2013 on Spotify.

OPPORTUNITIES - Call for BE FaIR Framework Advisers

Call for Advisers for the Construction Industry!

Constructing Equality Ltd. is the author and deliverer of the BE FaIR (Built Environment Fairness, Inclusion and Respect) Framework for the Sector Skills Council for Construction (ConstructionSkills).

Position

We are looking to bring on-board self-employed Advisers, to work on a drop-on / drop-off basis, on the Framework pilot supporting and assessing Main Contractors, Sub-Contractors (largely small and medium sized enterprises) and Housing Associations who subscribe to BE FaIR. 

Entry requirements –

  • A good grounding either on-site or in an industry facing role (e.g. Joiners, Bricklayers, Site Engineers, Architects, QS etc.)
  • Ability to support and advise Main Contractors, Sub-Contractors (particularly small and medium sized enterprises) and Housing Associations through the accreditation process.
  • Previous equality and diversity experience is desirable, but not an essential requirement, as full training will be given on the Framework.
  • Able to work flexibly – substantial travel, mobile-working, self-administration, both independent and team working and meeting strict deadlines, whilst supporting all the needs of your clients.
  • High level data recording and report writing skills will be critical to your success alongside your finely tuned people skills.
  • Able and willing to give full professional commitment to BE FaIR alongside any other roles.

Please note –

  • These posts will be appointed across England, Scotland and Wales, and we have a particular interest in London and the South East.
  • These roles are NOT currently full-time and carry no guarantee of fixed hours.

The posts may suit individuals who are already self-employed, between industry positions, returning to a study programme from industry, seeking a career change, or even planning for reduced hours. As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from everyone who meets the specifications of the role.

You can request an application pack, incorporating a full job description and person specification, by emailing patrick@constructingequality.co.uk or by calling Patrick on 0151 706 8132. 

Alternatively, you can make an application online to us directly through our website.

Salary – Starting at £10 / £14 per hour with the prospect of rising to a maximum of £30 per hour by the end of year one.

The current deadline for applications is Friday, February 22, 2013 at 12 noon.  Any applications received after this time may be held over for future rounds of recruitment, but will not be kept for longer than six months.


Voice for construction professionals – BIM 2050 launched

This article was taken from the Cabinet Office website and can be read in full by clicking the following link.

BIM 2050 brings together young professionals working in the construction industry, from architects, engineers and contractors to legal professionals and surveyors, to have their say on the future of digital technologies, including Building Information Modelling (known as BIM). The group, formally launched 16 January 2013, will be forward–looking and will consist of professionals working in 2050.

The 2050 Group has met informally and decided that their priorities will be education and skills, developing a culture of integration and exploiting new technologies.

Cabinet Office Parliamentary Secretary Chloe Smith said:

''We are taking great strides to make Government construction faster, cheaper and more innovative. We have already saved £179m for the taxpayer by stripping out waste and are trail-blazing the use of digital technologies such as BIM, a pioneering UK-led ICT solution that shares building plans with multiple contractors working on a building project.

"It is imperative we pass the baton of reform to the next generation of engineers and architects and the BIM 2050 group will help do this – it provides young construction professionals with a voice to challenge existing ways of working and deliver better results for the public and UK plc. We are in a global race and there is a real opportunity for our BIM know-how to be used more at home as well as exporting our technology expertise."

To read the remainder of this article please visit the Cabinet Office website.

RESEARCH - TED Talks

Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders

This article and video was taken from the TED Talks website.

Sheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. Time Magazine named her in its "Time 100" list for 2012, the magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. From 1996 to 2001, she was the Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Bill Clinton and from 2001 to 2008 she was Vice President of Global Online Sales & Operations at Google before going to Facebook. Sandra Sandberg is a leader. Sandra Sandberg is also a woman.

Long before Sheryl Sandberg left Google to join Facebook as its Chief Operating Officer in 2008, she was a fan. Today she manages Facebook’s sales, marketing, business development, human resources, public policy and communications. It’s a massive job, but one well suited to Sandberg, who not only built and managed Google’s successful online sales and operations program but also served as an economist for the World Bank and Chief of Staff at the US Treasury Department.

Sandberg’s experience navigating the complex and socially sensitive world of international economics has proven useful as she and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg work to strike a balance between helping Facebook users control privacy while finding ways to monetize its most valuable asset: data.

In this video, Sandberg looks at why a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions -- and offers 3 powerful pieces of advice to women aiming for the C-suite. As the COO at the helm of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg juggles the tasks of monetizing the world's largest social networking site while keeping its users happy and engaged.

STUDENT SURVEYS

Surveys - women in the construction industry

Please take the time to fill out the following student surveys surrounding women in the construction industry.

1. Breaking the glass ceiling of construction.

The questionnaire is based on three main topics:

  • Women in the UK construction industry
  • Barriers women face in the UK construction industry
  • Initiatives in place to encourage women into the industry and overcome the barriers

The questionnaire should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete and your responses will automatically be sent back to the CIAT and will remain strictly confidential.

Women should take this questionnaire.

Men should take this questionnaire.

2. Is the Construction Industry really 'female friendly'?

With more women joining the construction industry, why does it still seem to take them longer to reach a senior position?

This survey is hosted by Survey Monkey and can be accessed at the following link.

AWARDS - Put forward your First Women of 2013

First Women Awards 2013 - nominations now open

Nominations are open until April 5, 2013 for the First Women Awards.

Created by Real Business and the CBI in 2005, the First Women Awards recognise pioneering UK women who have opened up opportunities for others.

Previous winners include trailblazing, often unsung, women across UK manufacturing, science and technology, as well as iconic leaders such as Nicole Farhi.

The awards aim to unearth women whose achievement and individual actions have helped and are helping to remove barriers and open up opportunities for others to follow.

Nominations are now open. For more event information please visit the First Women Awards website. Highlights from the 2012 event can be seen in the video below.

First Women Awards 2012 from Caspian Media on Vimeo.


Construction’s Young Achievers shortlist revealed

This article was taken from The Construction Index and can be read in full by clicking the following link.

The Construction Youth Trust has named the finalists for its second annual Young Achievers Scheme 2013.

The Duke of Gloucester's Young Achievers Scheme is an opportunity for exceptional young professionals in the construction industry to be commended and celebrated for their achievements.

The scheme is intended to promote the construction industry to young people of all social backgrounds and, as a result, increase the number and diversity of entrants into the sector.

Shortlisted candidates will now make a presentation to industry executives in early February. The winners will be announced at an awards dinner on 13 March.

Winners get a one-year mentoring programme with one overall winner also taking home an iPad.

There are four categories in this awards scheme: Architecture, Engineering, Project Management and Surveying. The finalists in each of these categories can be viewed by visiting The Construction Index website.

If you are interested in signing up to one of The Construction Youth Trust courses, please visit their website at the following link.


Nominations open for the 2013 AWA Awards

The Asian Women of Achievement Awards, in association with The Royal Bank of Scotland, champion the contribution made by Asian women across British business, public, cultural and political life.

Over their 13-year history, the Asian Women of Achievement Awards have recognised, and provided a platform for an exciting generation of Asian female groundbreakers - such as comedy actress Nina Wadia; civil rights activist Shami Chakrabarti; and Ruby McGregor-Smith, the first Asian Woman to lead a FTSE 250 business.

The recent Census results reveal a rapidly changing Britain. Two million households in England and Wales (that’s 12 per cent of the total) say they have members of different ethnic groups. We are seeing the emergence of “a melting pot generation”.

The Asian Women of Achievement awards have also evolved over the past 14 years. Back in 1999, the majority of our candidates and winners came from the Indian subcontinent. At the 2012 awards, for the first time, a majority of winners and special commendations hailed from east Asia – we celebrated amazing women from Korea, Afghanistan, China, India and Malaysia. The “Asian community” in Britain is itself becoming more mixed, more confident and outward-looking.

So this is a great time to launch the 2013 Asian Women of Achievement awards, held on May 15, 2013 at The London Hilton on Park Lane.

You can make nominations online, email Katie Allner at Caspian Media or call 020 7045 7600.

''We will, I assure you, give their achievements a real platform and, I believe, boost their confidence and future prospects.''

Please note: the nominations deadline is March 13.

AWA awards 2012 from Caspian Media on Vimeo.

BEST PRACTICE - Altogether Construction

Altogether Construction community projects

This article was taken from The Housing Forum website.

Altogether Construction is a 'not for profit' Social Enterprise dedicated to promoting Corporate Social Responsiveness within the industry that’s getting disability into construction.

Mainly working with mental health clients, Altogether Construction delivers community projects within North East London, working in partnership with the Shaw Trust, the North East London NHS Foundation Trust and JobCentre Plus, for supplying mental health job brokerage and training provision.

Keeping abreast of building innovations and its environmental initiatives, Altogether Construction is assisting and training severely disadvantaged people to recognise and approach innovative opportunities that can be forged in construction and its supply chains. The company is achieving outcomes that compliment government programmes, Green Deal and retrofit initiatives and BIM strategies involving mental health.

Altogether Construction will continue it’s good track-record of providing customers and members with construction opportunities, having been supplying  employability consultancy solutions and local labour services to public sector organisations, local authorities, FE colleges, training providers, the prison services and charities.

Their specialised Construction Awareness Sessions and CSCS training have been especially successful for their partners in achieving ESF, LSC & LDA outputs and outcomes for unemployed people.

In 2010, the organisation was a shortlisted finalist for the Customer Service Award in Barking & Dagenham’s Business Awards.

To find out more information about Altogether Construction and their wonderful industry benefiting work please visit their website or email them at info@altogetherconstruction.co.uk


The Prince’s Trust Scotland’s Get Into Construction Course

This article was taken from the CIOB weekly De Havilland Report - 21 January 2013 and can be read in full by clicking the link.

Working with construction industry leaders, The Prince's Trust have developed the Get into Construction course – a two to four week work experience programme for young people aged 16-25.

The parliament and Constructing Equality Ltd. congratulates the 13 young people who recently completed The Prince’s Trust Scotland’s Get Into Construction course in Strathkelvin and Bearsden, 12 of whom, we understand, have now gained apprenticeships in the construction industry as a direct result.

The Get Into Construction courses are two to four week sector-specific employability programmes for people up to the age of 25 in which they aim to gain the personal and vocational skills needed to enter employment in their preferred sector.

Constructing Equality Ltd. commends the fantastic work of The Prince’s Trust Scotland in supporting around 7,000 people in 2012-13, and believes that the Trust makes a massive difference to young people’s lives all over the country by giving them the skills that they need for the future.

To find out more information about these courses, please visit The Prince's Trust website.


CIC NW Initiative - The Learner Voice

This article was taken directly from the CIC website.

A consortium of universities from the ‘north-west’ have designed a workplace mentoring scheme to give their 2nd year Built Environment undergraduates the opportunity to share the experience of successful professionals in a similar career path in the construction industry to the one to which they are aspiring.

We are seeking professionals in employment in the construction industry to act as mentors.  Having people who are prepared to act as mentors provides a great opportunity for a student and has the potential to make the difficult transition from study to work both easier and more successful. We hope that this scheme will support us in developing graduates who have enhanced employability skills for the construction industry. Similar schemes in other regions have found that acting as a mentor has enhanced the continuing professional development of those who have taken part.

We are seeking professionals in employment in the construction industry who are able to spend a short amount of time meeting with one or more students and sharing their experience of working in the industry with them. We are looking for potential mentors who are:

  • Employed in the construction industry in a graduate role or similar.
  • Have at least two years’ experience in this type of role and would be willing to talk about this to students.
  • Are keen to support the development of students coming into the industry.
  • Are able to meet with one or more student at their own workplace at least once a semester, together with other forms of contact, and attend one session at the end of the process at a university campus.

If you have employees who you think might be interested in being mentors, we would be delighted to hear from you and can give you more detail about the experience mentors will need to offer and the time they will need to commit to the scheme (a briefing document and/or mentor training event will be provided).  In the first instance, please contact CIC NW Chair Aled Williams for an informal discussion and if you are an interested employer please you could indicate:

  • A link person
  • Number of mentors that you are able to deploy
  • Contact details of link person / mentor

It is hoped that acting as a mentor will provide your employees with the opportunity to reflect on and enhance their own continuing professional development.

Aled can be contacted on enquiries@heacademy.ac.uk or 01904 717500.


Constructing Equality Ltd. Quiz: This Month's Winner and Questions

For your chance to win a £20 John Lewis gift voucher just answer the following question and email Kyle. 

Alternatively, go to our new, easy to use quiz competition page right now to enter.

1. What year was The Public Order Act put into place?

   - 1979

   - 1986

   - 1988

2. What does BIM stand for?

   - Business Innovation Methods

   - Building Information Modelling 

   - Business Innovative Machinery 

3. Which organisation is Constructing Equality Ltd. working with on the BE FaIR Framework?

   - ConstructionSkills

   - Construction Industry Council

   - Chartered Insitute of Building

Thanks to everyone who entered last month’s competition, the winner was Lauretta Winstanley of ConstructionSkills.