Miranda Hart, Jack Whitehall and Lee Evans are just a few of the performers who look set to benefit from international management and construction consultancy, Gleeds’, work as cost manager to the £26 million redevelopment of the National Indoor Arena (NIA), Birmingham. The extensive revamp, which has just started, received the full backing of Birmingham City Council as aligned to its ‘Big City Plan’, designed to strengthen its’ international presence. 

Phase 1 of the works is due to complete later this year and will see upgrades to key backstage areas of the venue, including; the control room, medical facilities, production offices, crew catering operations and dressing rooms. The refurbishment means that the venue will be able to offer the latest in technology and first-class amenities for promoters and artists. Phase 2 will include the provision of hospitality suites, expansion to the concourse and improved circulation areas.

Youthbuild UK has announced that Kimberley Beagan of Novus Solutions, Glasgow is the 2013 Young Builder of the Year and the first-ever Scottish winner of the annual award. 

The UK-wide awards, now in their fourteenth year, celebrate the achievements of young people who have overcome personal barriers to train and work for the construction industry. The awards ceremony was held at the House of Commons and the winners were presented with a trophy, framed certificate, a cheque, and tools vouchers.

National contractor Bullock has announced the appointment of Ian Burnett to the role of Chief Executive Officer.

Ian joins the business having acted as an independent consultant to the organisation’s Board for the last 6 months. 

A new technical college providing young people with vital engineering and construction skills was opened by HRH The Duke of York, KG today. He was joined by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Cllr Chris Roberts at the University Technical College, Royal Borough of Greenwich,  where 14-18 year olds can gain vocational qualifications to boost their job prospects and meet a growing demand for technically trained workers. 

With a quarter of London's 16-24 year olds unemployed and the jobs market becoming increasingly competitive, it is more important than ever for young people to have the skills they need to secure employment and forge a career.

The UK’s leading housebuilder, Persimmon Homes, is launching a recruitment drive to find tradespeople across its 24 businesses as it gears up to build more homes across the UK.

The housebuilder is looking for subcontractors, labour only subcontractors and direct employees to help the business meet demand from home buyers.

Firefighters have praised Lanes Group engineers for playing a vital role in rescuing a little dog called Dottie from more than 100 feet down a drain in a public park.

The six-year-old Chihuahua-Jack Russell cross is believed to have dashed after a mouse or rat when she disappeared down the storm drain in Sunny Hill Park, Hendon, North London.

When the fire service realised they could not find Dottie, they put an urgent call through to Thames Water who requested engineers from Lanes Group, its wastewater contractors, to attend.

New Shadow Housing Minister Emma Reynolds viewed a flagship NHBC insured development in her constituency this morning (17th) that will eventually provide more than 350 new homes for the area.

Ms Reynolds MP, who was elected to represent Wolverhampton North East in 2010, attended the Persimmon Homes West Midlands Akron Gate development being built on the former Goodyear factory site to meet with developers, NHBC representatives and homeowners.

RICS has developed the first BIM Manager Certification in response to industry need for a universal standard on which to assess the skills of construction professionals in using BIM (Building Information Modelling).

As BIM continues to dominate processes across the built environment, employers and clients are increasingly struggling to find industry accepted criteria on which to base knowledge of practitioners’ BIM skills. Likewise, BIM competent professionals lack a single indicator that will demonstrate their abilities to the sector. This has resulted in many different assessment methods being used across the industry, with little consistency and reliability for both companies and individuals.

The Structural Timber Association (STA) is engaging with UK housebuilders to encourage greater uptake of timber within construction.  As the UK housing market reports an upturn in activity, the STA is leading the charge in demonstrating how timber has the solution for immediate construction needs.

Through rolling out a series of factory and site tours with industry engagement, the STA aims to engage directly with house builders and increase understanding of the benefits of timber construction.  The Association has invited industry leaders to the factory tours at a number of member locations across the UK, which will support its industry in capitalising on the current upturn.

One of the biggest transformational projects in Doncaster’s history has officially started.

Representatives from the public and private sector partners who have helped the Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS) get to this stage today (14 October) celebrated by breaking the ground on this route to jobs and growth.