A new networking organisation is looking to partner with UK building companies to raise awareness among young women of the career paths available to them in the construction industry and help bridge the skilled-labour shortage.

The Artemis Network, set up in April 2014, offers UK-wide coaching, mentoring and networking opportunities for girls aged between 16 and 21 with a particular focus on careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) industries.

SIG – the FTSE-250 listed European construction supplier – has launched a package of financial services for customers. They are a response to the continued economic and political issues that are putting an increased strain on SMEs in the construction industry.

A special training course developed between Merseylink, Riverside College and Halton Employment Partnership is helping local residents gain the knowledge and practical skills required for a career in construction.

Nine local people have completed the general construction operative training scheme, one of a series of pre-employment courses developed by Merseylink.

A new course has been launched to provide trainees with the skills to become the site manager of the future.

Redrow has re-launched its trainee site assistant programme, which now provides participants with formal qualifications and is the first scheme of its kind to be backed by NHBC (National House-Building Council).

Over three hundred people from across the construction sector attended the Structural Timber Association’s (STA) recent series of factory tours – the highest number since the tours were first introduced last year.

The tours, which took place in September and October, saw 338 people attend one of six dates across the country.

The construction industry in London and the South of England has a positive future. Richard Threlfall, Head of Infrastructure, Building and Construction at KPMG UK has noted that for the “first time in many generations the UK has a strong pipeline of construction and infrastructure projects to reinvigorate the economy and drive our future competitiveness”.

Service Management software company, Sunrise Software, today announced that leading building materials and retail group, Nicholls & Clarke, has become the latest company to implement its IT Service Management software, Sunrise ITSM.

Underpinning the group’s impressive ITIL and ITSM best practice approach, Sunrise ITSM will enable the business to enhance IT and customer service, supporting its 550 strong workforce and gaining business insights at Board level.

The Nicholls & Clarke Group is a business dedicated to the manufacturing, distribution and retailing of quality building products. With 24 UK locations and over 550 employees to support, effective support infrastructure was something of a challenge to Narendra Joshi, Head of IT.  “Previously we used a home grown Service Desk system” explains Narendra, “However, in an ITIL compliant environment like ours, where all IT staff are ITIL trained, we felt that we needed to make the investment in a platform that would rise to meet our operational standards and grow with us into the future.”

Following a comprehensive market review, Nicholls & Clark selected Sunrise Software for its technology, its people and for the company’s pragmatic and understated approach. “We liked the flexibility that the software platform’s modular approach presented to us,” adds Joshi. “It means that we can take a phased approach and grow across the business. The browser based interface is ideal for our environment and, coupled with the software’s integration with social media, showed Sunrise to be a really forward thinking company.”

Skanska UK, the world’s leading construction group, has awarded this year’s coveted Supply Chain Green Solutions Awards to Cemfree, the first truly sustainable, structural concrete.

At the 38th BALI National Landscape Awards on 5th December, BALI Registered Contractor Willerby Landscapes took the Grand Award for a record fifth time. This unprecedented achievement comes at the height of Willerby’s professional reputation and recognises their work to take the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, South Park Plaza into legacy.

New mobile ground penetrating radar (MGPR) from Catsurveys Group Ltd is challenging traditional approaches to utilities and other subsurface surveying, saving time and improving accuracy. Catsurveys’ MGPR is an innovative geo-referencing system and unique synchronisation process enabling the combining of data generated using a vehicle towed MGPR system and a Global Positioning System (GPS) for maximum accuracy and detail.