Main News Feed Archives - Page 66 of 211

Government not moving to ‘Plan B’ but public urged to remain vigilant

by Clair Mooney | 21 Oct, 2021 | Main News Feed

In light of rising COVID‐19 case numbers, Health Secretary Sajid Javid gave a press conference on Wednesday and urged people to get vaccinated and take precautions against the virus, including meeting outdoors, wearing masks in crowded enclosed spaces, and taking regular lateral flow tests. Whilst acknowledging that the pandemic is not over and the virus will be with us for the long term, he confirmed that the Government would not be moving to ‘Plan B‘ at this stage but would remain vigilant.

Construction sites should continue to minimise the risk of COVID‐19 and the Site Operating Procedures remain available as a reference document. There is also the Use of Face Coverings in Construction and sites may wish to maintain workplace testing programmes. The Build UK COVID‐19 flowchart is regularly updated on the actions to take if a worker has the virus or needs to self‐isolate, and FIS Associate Member Citation has published guidance for employers on the key questions to think about when developing and implementing a vaccination policy for staff.

Long Covid safety-critical roles checklist

by Clair Mooney | 21 Oct, 2021 | Main News Feed

The CICV Forum, in which FIS is actively involved, has produced an advice document offering a practical checklist that will help employers identify and help safety-critical workers who may be suffering from the ongoing effects of Long Covid.

Long Covid is a condition that, at the time of writing in October 2021, currently affects approximately 60,000 people in the UK – and numbers will inevitably continue to rise as we move through the pandemic. It is defined as “Signs and symptoms that develop during or following an infection consistent with COVID-19 which continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis.”

Sufferers can require practical, medical, and emotional support similar to that already offered by employers for conditions such as cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME) and diabetes..

As some of the symptoms of Long Covid could have an impact on safety-critical roles, it is important to consider any new conditions that may have developed. Health issues or conditions that affect an individual’s performance or present a risk of sudden incapacity could have serious consequences.

The practical checklist is available to download at https://cicvforum.co.uk/downloads/

Government announces free adult training courses to begin

by Clair Mooney | 15 Oct, 2021 | Main News Feed, Skills

Thousands of working adults will be offered free courses to rapidly upskill in STEM sectors including engineering, digital and construction.

65 short and modular courses will start to roll out from later this month at 10 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) across England in sought-after STEM subjects. This will include courses such as Digitisation of Manufacturing and Digital Construction.

The courses will be a blend of classroom and remote online study, and will vary in length from 50 to 138 hours – giving more adults greater flexibility in how and when they learn, so they can fit it around their lives.

The government’s network of Institutes of Technology – collaborations between leading employers, further education colleges and universities – specialise in delivering high-quality Higher Technical Education and training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, such as digital, advanced manufacturing and engineering, providing employers with the skilled workforce they need.

A total of £6.4 million is being invested to support IoTs to offer the free courses, which will support up to 4,000 working adults to get on the path to a new, rewarding career and will plug local skills shortages.

Boosting the uptake and quality of Higher Technical Qualifications – that sit between A levels and degrees – and supporting adults to study more flexibly throughout their lives is a key part of the government’s landmark reforms to post-16 education and training.

A major review of higher technical education revealed these qualifications can unlock the skills employers need and lead to well paid jobs. However, it also shows that the quality of qualifications on offer at further and higher education providers can be variable and it can be hard for students and employers to find the ones that are right for them.

From September 2022, the government will start rolling out newly approved Higher Technical Qualifications, beginning with Digital, and followed by Construction and Health in 2023. A full suite of qualifications will be available by 2025.

Higher Technical Qualifications will provide a natural progression route for both young people taking T Levels or A levels, and adults looking to upskill or retrain – enabling them to take the next step up and gain higher technical skills in key subjects like STEM.

Inspiring change in construction

by Clair Mooney | 14 Oct, 2021 | Main News Feed

Has your business or project created a more open and inclusive culture where everyone feels valued?

Has it:
• Attracted new employees from a wider talent pool?
• Helped address gender or racial inequality in the industry?
• Removed barriers to inclusion, enabling all employees and potential employees to have the same opportunities?
• Increased employability rates in the community?
• Helped tackle issues in today’s society?
• Built collaborative relationships with stakeholders and suppliers?N

Now in its fifth year, the Inspiring Change Awards and Conference highlight and reward organisations within the construction and infrastructure sector that have created a more inclusive culture. Creating open and inclusive workplace cultures in which everyone feels valued, and respects colleagues, is recognised as key to business success. Increasingly, employees want to work in companies that recognise the importance of fairness, inclusion and respect and clients are focussing on diversity and inclusion within their procurement policies.

Submissions to the 2021 Awards are asked to provide evidence that the organisation recognises the value of employee and/or community engagement and that they have introduced initiatives that have achieved benefits for both the business and the community. Entries needed to show how initiatives are aligned to company goals, made a sustainable and positive impact on the workforce or community in which it operates and have delivered positive results.

Judges are looking for innovative interventions that are aligned to company strategy and will inspire other employers to follow their lead. The awards recognise businesses that improve the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.

Categories
The following categories will be awarded:
• Inspiring Change in the Workplace – Company and Project
• Inspiring Change in the Community – Company and Project
• Inspiring Change in Education – Company and Project
• The FIR Inspiration Award
• Inspiring Change SME Award – SMEs entering one of the three main categories will automatically be entered for this Award

Eligibility
The Inspiring Change 2021 Awards are eligible for all those working in the construction industry and build environment in the UK. There are awards for SMEs and project-based initiatives. The deadline for entry is 22 October 2021. For more information visit www.inspiringchangeawards.com or contact brionywickenden@ceca.co.uk.

Help develop future talent for your business

by Clair Mooney | 14 Oct, 2021 | Main News Feed, Skills

Construction T-Levels are now available for the following areras of our sector:

Design, surveying and planning
Onsite construction with an occupational specialism in plastering which includes drylining

T-Levels are two-year courses with a 45 day industrial placement for 16 to 19 year olds. Designed with employers, each T-Level is an alternative to three A levels, and can lead to an accelerated apprenticeship. They also help young people develop the knowledge, attitude and practical skills to thrive in the workplace.

At the heart of each course, a 45-day industry placement will give you early access to the brightest talent entering your market. Employers that are interested in offering an industry placement, can get help to find a local college, school or training provider to partner with. They will support you at every stage of the industry placement so you can focus on getting the most out of your placement student.

Over the autumn, the Department for Education and SDN are hosting a series of online sessions to help employers explore, plan for, and host T-Level industry placements. They’ve started a new series to give employers a more in-depth understanding of placements for particular T-Levels. They’re also covering specific topics to support employers and their teams. Topics covered include:

The role of the line manager and mentor in industry placements (27 October)
Introduction to industry placements – supporting your workforce development (9 November)
Hosting industry placements in construction roles (18 November)
A longer two-hour industry placement workshop, to start planning for industry placements and talk with other like-minded employers (30 November)

You can find out more and register here

Candidates are available for work placement now, if you would like more information please see: https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/ If you need information, advice and/or guidance please call FIS on 0121 707 0077 or email info@thefis.org

Get your complimentary ticket at the Workspace Design Show

by Clair Mooney | 8 Oct, 2021 | Main News Feed

FIS is proud to partner with the first ever Workspace Design Show which will take place on 4-5 November 2021 at the Business Design Centre in London. This event is a must-attend for anyone in the sector – and it is free to attend!

After all the recent disruption to the workspace industry, there is huge change underway in how we are designing our office interiors to improve the employee experience. The Workspace Design Show will be a great chance to listen to the latest thought leadership, check out the newest and most innovative interiors products, and network with your industry peers again.

The Workspace Design Talks conference will feature top level A&D speakers from Gensler, Grimshaw, Perkins&Will, AECOM, Arup, Areen, MCM, tp bennett, MF Design Studio, BDP Architecture, and end-user clients such as HMRC, PwC, BBC, McCann, Aviva, The Office Group, Co-space, DLA Piper and more. Panel discussions will open up challenging debates to uncover the latest thinking in how design can influence employee wellbeing, engagement, creativity & productivity, as well as the latest workspace design trends in sustainability, flexibility and inclusivity.

The attendee list includes delegates confirmed from Government Property Agency, Oktra, Unispace, Vodafone, Barclays Bank, NHS Property Services, Crown Commercial Service, Faith and Gould, We Work, CBRE, British Land, Morgan Lovell.

Your complimentary guest pass will give you access to the exhibition as well as all the talks featuring the above speakers, the Leisure Area to use as a co-working space or a meeting space or just a place to relax/ work from during the two days as well as free coffee, tea, hot chocolate throughout the 2 days at 3 dedicated coffee stations.

The Show floor will also feature re-creations of commercial interiors such as the Design Talks Lounge designed and curated by The Furniture Practice, The VIP Lounge designed by Rainlight Studio, built by AASK US and curated by Obolife. Spaces Taylored and Seven Hills Workspace collaboratively designed and curated the leisure area and the exhibition area will include leading brands such as Humanscale, Spacestor, Tarkett, Interface, Actiu, Zumtobel, Andreu World, Benchmark Furniture, Buzzispace, and many more.