changed into their PPE. Part of the event was painting and decorating where they did marbling. When the pupils went back to the council offi ces to remove their PPE several went over to a marble pillar and tapped it to see if it was real or painted (it was real). Now they are looking at their built environment diff erently and can see the possible careers open to them. As another example, when delivering


an event in Paisley the apprentice who was delivering the roof slating demonstration asked me if I had been involved in the event in Perth the year before (which I had). He then said that was the fi rst time he had tried roof slating and he was now an apprentice giving mini-masterclasses to pupils in Paisley, plus local MSPs including the Presiding Offi cer. There are many good examples


of school pupils pursuing careers in construction after being involved in the programme but the main focus of the events is to ensure those joining the industry make an informed decision. So what can we do going forward? The


secret is to look for areas we agree on. This was easy with COVID-19 and the industry going into lockdown as all eff orts were focused on representing industry and providing guidance. When we come out the other side, will we still be able to fi nd areas of agreement in priorities and desired outcomes?


There are numerous other such examples where we can work together for the benefi t of the whole industry and the challenge is to identify areas we agree on and desired outcomes. Once you get momentum, it gets


easier. For example, when we delivered


an event outside the Scottish Parliament, the fi rst time we asked for the space the MSP we approached to sponsor it said yes but didn’t think we would be allowed. After three months of discussions with the parliament to outline what we were going to deliver and get approval, they said yes. The next year, it only took one week and at the end of the event they said they were looking forward to seeing us next year! The Parliamentary Events Team has been fantastic in working with us to allow us to run these events within the restrictions which the venue requires. These events only work because a common goal is agreed at the outset. We spread the considerable work between many partners and deliver a tangible output – something I think we can all strive for.


CABLEtalk JUNE/JULY 2020 27


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