Industry opinion United we must stand
Emma McCarthy, chief executive offi cer of Ascertiva Group, explains why industry collaboration is the only way to future-proof electrical contracting
I
magine if we were to receive a postcard from the future, written by an industry pundit; how might it read? I have a feeling it would talk about how the industry found common ground in the adversity it faced during the
current climate. That it took the lead addressing the energy crunch, installing new technologies into people’s homes and businesses, and profi ted handsomely, at the same time as maintaining and enhancing standards. It would say that our industry is a diverse and popular alternative to an expensive university education, and that our voice is an important one, which government is listening to. Wishful thinking? I don’t think so. But it will take leadership,
positive action and belief to get there. Our industry is entering a new phase of its life. The economic climate, a fluid political environment, aggressive competitors, the blurring of traditional boundaries and a skills shortage – not to mention the pressure to embrace new renewable technologies – have produced a challenge we must grow up quickly to meet. The last three years have brought huge
change to all our lives and affected our businesses significantly. The fact that nobody predicted the major issues – the credit crunch, the election result, the subsequent depth of public spending cuts, and indeed when they would come – is perhaps most worrying, and a huge lesson to be learnt. There is an overriding feeling of gloom with many business
Contractors, manufacturers and economists have already contributed to the research. This is the fi rst report of its kind and hopefully not the last. We cannot afford to be wandering around in the dark as our new competitors move forward, armed with intelligence as a powerful fl ashlight. The research fi ndings will be premiered at the ECA Electrical
Industry Conference in May and subsequently released to the press and the rest of the industry later in 2011. For those not familiar with our structure, Ascertiva Group,
of which I am the chief executive officer, is the trading company of the charity and owns NICEIC. All of Ascertiva Group’s surplus is passed to the charity so that it can fulfi l its charitable aims, most of which are shared across the entire electrical contracting industry.
We cannot afford to be wandering around in the dark as our new competitors move forward, armed with intelligence
people I meet, and that’s a natural reaction to all that has happened. But, as an industry, we must forge our own path towards recovery, embracing new technology, adapting to changing work practices and kick-starting growth within our sector, while all the time maintaining standards.
Leading the way The responsibility and leadership for this, I believe, rests with the major organisations in our industry, primarily the ECA and NICEIC. The more work we do collaboratively, the more we can fi nd common ground and the more powerful our voice will become. As part of this leadership, the two organisations have
commissioned a collaborative project to look at the issues facing the industry over the next 10 years, the results of which we will share with the entire electrical contracting fraternity.
Moving forward Consumer safety will be increasingly important in the coming years, especially as new technologies are fitted into homes and new installation companies appear. And let’s be clear – major supermarkets and retail chains are entering the domestic energy and renewable installation market. Our competitors and project specifi ers may be very different in just a few years’ time. In January we launched our ‘Jobs for
the Girls’ campaign. Its aim is to encourage more women to enter our industry, whether that be through the traditional apprenticeship route or as a change of career. The industry can’t afford to neglect 50 per cent of the workforce, and women are a very real way of addressing the skills gap. There is now a good business case for employing more women. Many households prefer female contractors, while large tenders for public sector work require a diverse working policy. Women are now seeing the electrical trade as a viable
About the author
Emma McCarthy Emma McCarthy is the chief executive offi cer of Ascertiva Group. For more information on Ascertiva Group visit
www.ascertiva.com
second career. They may have trained in a professional role but, because of the hours involved, it often suits to get retrained. The campaign has had a good deal of success, and I am delighted that the ECA president Diane Johnson has been a trailblazer for the ECA on these matters, too. Ensuring our industry is a diverse one, and ready to meet the skills challenges we all face, is an important task; the electrical contracting industry must be match-fi t for the 21st century.
March 2011 ECA Today 17
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