Construction National

Fareham College’s construction apprenticeship scoops second award

Fareham College, the TES 2018 FE College of the Year, has been named Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the FE Week and AELP ACC Apprenticeship Awards 2019. 

The College received the award for its unique and pioneering Civil Engineering and Groundworks Apprenticeship (CEGA) and Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC) in Lee-on-the-Solent, which together demonstrate a shining example of a successful employer-led, co-designed apprenticeship programme that is addressing workforce skills gaps and supporting the needs of employers.  

Read more: Fareham College’s construction apprenticeship scoops second award

Mick George Ltd provide concrete foundations for world-class training centre

Work to create one of Europe’s most advanced football training facilities is making progress, with Mick George Concrete the latest supplier contributing to the new Leicester City Football Club development.

The Company has secured a £1.2m agreement to supply 16,900m3 of Concrete, on behalf of Gallagher Group, employed by principal contractor; McLaren Construction.

Read more: Mick George Ltd provide concrete foundations for world-class training centre

Queen’s graduate collaborates with The McAvoy Group on offsite housing solution

Queen’s University Belfast Civil Engineering graduate Hung Phung Quang is already making an impact on local industry as he joined a team at The McAvoy Group to collaborate on the structural design of a new offsite housing solution.

The first application is the first affordable housing scheme to be built offsite in Northern Ireland.

Read more: Queen’s graduate collaborates with The McAvoy Group on offsite housing solution

Construction to get more efficient with new pre-qualification system

Build UK and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) have announced the launch of the first phase of a new pre-qualification (PQ) system designed to reduce inefficiencies that are costing the construction industry up to £1 billion a year.

The existing PQ system is complex and repetitive and a major barrier to improved productivity. The multitude of schemes currently in operation sees around 180,000 specialist contractors producing over two million pieces of paper every year for 5,000 contractors.

Read more: Construction to get more efficient with new pre-qualification system

ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award 2019 now open for entries

Entries are now open for this year’s ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award, which aims to showcase the very best talent across ECA’s member businesses.

Now in its 43rd year, the award is widely recognised as the premier training award in the electrotechnical and engineering services industry. The three finalists will not only have good technical skills but will also be role models for others in the industry.

Read more: ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year Award 2019 now open for entries

National Apprenticeship Week 2019: Attending an apprenticeship workshop

Guest blog by UCEM's Events and Communications Manager, Hannah Peck

On Tuesday (5 March) I spent the day in London at one of our Surveying Technician Apprenticeship workshops. In my job as Events and Communications Manager I don’t often get to speak to apprentices face-to-face so it was lovely to be able to spend the day with some of them, particularly during National Apprenticeship Week.

Read more: National Apprenticeship Week 2019: Attending an apprenticeship workshop

Students ‘step’ onto major construction sites in Leicestershire

Twenty ambitious construction and trade students from in and around Leicestershire have been welcomed onsite at five high-profile building projects.

Stepnell is delivering several multi-million-pound projects across the county within the commercial, conservation, education and health sectors and has been offering hands-on work experience to college students.

Working in partnership with Leicester Employment Hub and Leicester College, budding, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers and painters have taken part in up to 60 days of work in the last three months.

Read more: Students ‘step’ onto major construction sites in Leicestershire

Demolition to kick-start new housing estate

The former warehouse facilities of Ridgeons building merchants on Cromwell Road, Cambridge will shortly be demolished, making way for a large new housing neighbourhood, as Cambridge City Council looks to increase council homes in the region.

Local construction firm Mick George Ltd will imminently complete the demolition works on behalf of Hill Partnerships Ltd. 

It is understood that Mick George Ltd have made considered efforts within the scope of the works to recycle much of the demolition materials for re-use, minimising traffic congestion within the area.

Read more: Demolition to kick-start new housing estate

Help with buying a rainwater system - and finding a local installer

Rainclear Systems, the specialist metal rainwater system stockist and online retailer, can help with selecting, costing and buying your rainwater system. They offer a free ‘Take-off’ from architect’s drawings to ensure you have a list of all the components you need, and using a rainwater flowrate calculator, they will work out what size guttering & downpipes will be required on your project in your particular geographic location. 

Then they can let you know the cost of buying all the components from them. 

If you need a special colour or a bespoke item fabricated for your project, they can help with that. 

Read more: Help with buying a rainwater system - and finding a local installer

FIS extends helping hand to Paragon Interiors Group staff facing redundancy

FIS, representative body for the £10 billion finishes and interiors sector in the UK, has extended its hand to help the 75 staff being made redundant at Paragon Interiors Group.

Iain McIlwee, FIS CEO said “Paragon Interiors Group is a time served Gold award winning member of FIS and it’s tragic to learn the deal with Red 7 Property has collapsed. We care deeply about our membership base and recognise that staff are the most valuable asset of any organisation. We have worked with our colleagues at Paragon Interiors Group for a long time and for this reason we would like to help them secure employment in other organisations through our contacts and networks”

Read more: FIS extends helping hand to Paragon Interiors Group staff facing redundancy