News CIOB

Chris Blythe

Ending boom and bust — yet again!

It was interesting to hear Ed Milliband declare that Labour had not, after all, ended the boom and bust cycle, as his predecessor Gordon Brown had so often claimed. In doing so, he seems to have consigned many of the things he supported when in government to the history books. This is often the first thing a new

chief executive does when taking over — they clear out all the dodgy stuff and put the blame on the predecessor. It is the other CEO, David Cameron,

CIOB seeks course changes

The CIOB is working to revise the requirements construction courses have to meet to receive its backing. The Institute will expect to see more non-technical “transferrable” skills in accredited university and college courses so that graduates are better equipped for the workplace and are not discouraged from applying for courses. CIOB accreditation officer, Rosalind

Thorpe, said students would be learning fewer of the technical skills, such as setting-out, which have made courses very vocationally-focused in the past. “We are moving away from technical

elements towards other skills,” said Thorpe. “Topics will include the environmental, economical and social impacts of the construction process in a global context, management of the construction process and management of carbon and other outputs.” A CIOB online survey of 560

construction professionals earlier this

year (CM June p8) showed that the wider industry was aware of the mismatch: 65.9% of respondents said that graduates did not have the necessary skills to work in the industry when they left education. Thorpe added that the vocational

nature of courses had contributed to a sharp decline in the number of graduates finding jobs. Figures from the Higher Education Careers Service Unit show that 9.7% of 2009 construction graduates are currently unemployed compared to 8.9% across the total graduate body. Five years ago the rates were 4% and 2.8% respectively. “Because it’s hard for graduates with technical skills to find jobs in other industries, it’s not all that attractive for a student to take up such courses,” she added. The CIOB aims to complete its review

of the undergraduate requirements of the Educational Framework by 2011.

Croudace eight gain MCIOB

Eight employees from Croudace Homes, based in Caterham, Surrey, gained full membership of the CIOB last month. The bumper crop of graduates followed

the company’s establishment of a formal Training Partnership with the CIOB in July 2009, facilitated by Westacott Management. Three graduates

8 | OCTOBER 2010 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

received membership via the Experienced Practitioner Assessed (EPA) programme; one via the non-cognate route, and four via an accredited degree.

“ It’s hard for graduates with technical skills to find jobs in other industries.” Rosalind Thorpe, CIOB

however, who has to strike a balance between a crushing austerity programme, blaming Labour, and ensuring that there is sufficient motivation in our boardrooms, offices, sites and factories for us to keep plugging away. It’s no small task. The Irish

government has just announced its fourth austerity budget as the full extent of the bank bail-out becomes known. That is going to lead to some difficult times for many years to come as the Celtic Tiger now looks more like a dead cat. Judging by the leaks and revelations

in the lead up to the Comprehensive Spending Review, one might expect the worst. Things must be bad if a Conservative-led coalition seems to be at the point of reducing the armed forces to the equivalent of a scout troop. How much of it represents real proposals and how much is just a game to make the actual proposals look less bad we will only know when the review is published. I guess there will be some redefinitions as to what is public sector and what is not — in other words, Cameron will want to play with the balance sheet. What is clear, however, is that the

uncertainty is beginning to unnerve many, creating a sort of paralysis. In Europe there have been protests at the proposed austerity measures being adopted there. People there feel the fault is all down to the bankers and the bankers, not the people, should pay the price. But the bankers and the banks

were not the problem. The real problem was poor government, borrowing recklessly and allowing the rest of us to do the same. Control and supervision of the banking community is a government matter, and governments failed in that respect. As it is, most of those at the centre

of the shambles have gone, be they bankers or politicians. The rest of us have to pick up the pieces. Let’s hope the new CEO gets the balance right.