Latest Local Authority Pipeline: £3.5bn

Here at CEW we continue to pursue the enhanced visibility of the future pipeline of construction work. This is the latest all-Wales 4-year local authority programme, categorised against 10 sectors. This is the fifth annual programme produced in partnership with the WLGA. You will see that the total value of the programme is £3.5bn with the Education and Housing sectors the most dominant with over £1bn each.

Have you entered the awards? Have you booked your table yet? Have you considered becoming a CEW Awards sponsor? It is the biggest night of the year – now’s the time to plan how you will be involved.

The entries are in and the judges are eyes down checking over the entry forms looking for their shortlists and eventual winners. But who are they anyway?

Why not go behind the scenes of the biggest construction industry awards in Wales and find out who the judges are. Then, whilst you’re reading up on the judges why not consider booking your table or becoming a sponsor?

The CEW Awards 2017 are being held on 14th July 2017 at the Celtic Manor and once again set to be the biggest night of the Welsh construction year. The evening is always a great celebration of best practice and Welsh talent – but it cannot happen without the support of our sponsors and the participation of delegates and the award entrants.

There are a range of options available – all of which give you and your organisation the chance to showcase your own projects, services and promote your own people. You can have exhibition space, banners, support specific awards or talk to us about a bespoke package just for you.

One of the best, but unsung things, at the CEW Awards is the charity fundraising on the night. Last year guests at the Celtic Manor last July donated £2,000 to Kids Cancer Charity. The money was used for Compassionate Care Breaks sending 34 children and their families on well-earned breaks around the Welsh coast and seven children could make trips to Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Florida. So, just being part of the CEW Awards adds value right across the construction community.

The CEW Awards dinner is the biggest night of the year for construction in Wales – if you want to be noticed, or you want to remind stakeholders what your organisation does for the industry in Wales then talk to Sue Selkirk about becoming a CEW Awards 2017 sponsor.

Gordon Brown, CEW Director of the Exemplar programme gives a brief update on its projects and lessons to be learned.

The Exemplar programme has always looked to highlight good practice, effective teamwork and collaboration to build on the great work done by the industry in the past. As with any successful program it is the outcome and outputs the truly highlight success and delivery. There is little benefit in having the perfect plan if it is impossible or unlikely to be delivered. To this end one of the cornerstones of the exemplar programme are the KPIs used. These needs to be robust, simple, and insightful and based upon questions that may or may not be asked in the future. A little crystal ball gazing is required and until the projects are finished and the data collected, interrogated and dispersed throughout the industry then these questions can and should be raised. The intention is that through the KPI collection of data we can answer those questions with a strong degree of certainty. The kind of project that fits the bill has been announced recently following the Welsh Government releasing funding for five primary schools in Powys. Evidence from these schemes will be invaluable.

Wales is still wasting too much material and resource, particularly in construction. We know that from the evidence produced by Welsh Government and CEW’s waste team, we also know that good work is being done to address the problem. What’s more, if we embrace the principle of a circular economy we can move forward with confidence.

What are the specifics? What is going on right now about waste in Wales.

The answer is here: 4th July at the Policy Forum for Wales seminar Policy on waste in Wales - next steps for management, energy generation and the circular economy. The seminar will include a keynote address from Andy Rees, Head of Waste Strategy Branch, Welsh Government. Further planned sessions focus on managing waste to deliver the target of recycling 70% of waste by 2025, developing the circular economy and progress so far in gaining energy from waste and the potential for further action.

Download: Agenda

The latest scheme to aspire to Exemplar status is the South Wales Metro and Transport for Wales has already set out how it wants to make the project one of the best in Wales. 

Like all major projects, the South Wales Metro’s, key to making sure that everyone benefits is the procurement and planning. That means focusing on outcomes, linking what we do now to what occurs in the future. That is why the Well-being of Future Generations Act is central to all Welsh Government activity. 

The Rail service and Metro development must be procured by applying the sustainable development principles of thinking in the long term: taking steps to prevent problems occurring, working with others and involving people in making decisions. The good news is that the team behind the Metro, Transport for Wales (TfW), has applied for the scheme to become a CEW Exemplar. 

In their brief, they want the Rail Service and Metro development including its design, construction, operation and maintenance to:

• Provide opportunities for good quality employment, made equally available to people from all parts of society and from a diverse community
• Be accessible to everyone
• Improve connectivity to increase the ease with which people can access employment opportunities and help emerging entrepreneurs and small and medium sized businesses.
• Provide opportunities for local companies to win business throughout the supply chain
• Safeguard our environment by reducing harmful emissions, reducing waste and improving biodiversity
• Enhance the culture and language of Wales. 

The approach the team is taking to exemplar is that:

• It is being procured through collaboration with Network Rail, Cardiff Capital City Region and other stakeholders
• We are seeking Operator and Development partners (ODPs) and Infrastructure Development Partners (IDPs) to form an alliance with us to deliver our long-term vision
• The procurement process and programme outcomes are underpinned by the sustainable development approach to social, economic, environmental and cultural issues, which will be delivered during and after the procurement, creating a legacy
• The procurement is using the Competitive dialogue method, which is not normally used for a UK rail franchise.  This method allows us to develop innovative solutions with potential partners
• The intention is to future proof the solution so it can be extendable and adaptable
• The contract award decision will embed the goals of the Well-being of Future Generations Act
• The end user i.e. the passenger, is central to the delivery of the service and is being consulted throughout
• The quality of the solution is the main criteria for contract award and there is a clear focus on people both in delivering and receiving the service. The use of the Competitive Dialogue process to appoint the ODP enables TfW to undertake the procurement in an innovative and collaborative manner. 

Gordon Brown, CEW Director said “It’s great that the South Wales Metro are open to sharing their Learning, Knowledge and understanding with the Exemplar programme and the country as a whole and to Watch this space.”

One of the best ways to celebrate what is great about Welsh construction is capturing some its magic and maybe attract fresh talent to the industry is through photography. That’s why CEW is supporting ICE Wales and its annual photographic competition.

Why not join us in celebrating civil engineering in Wales by entering our annual Photo Competition

The 2016 Photo Competition and Exhibition at Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay was a huge success with a record number of entries and visitors and we invite you to help make the 2017 Photo Competition equally successful.

The competition is open to all schools, colleges, photo clubs, members of the public, as well as industry colleagues so please encourage your colleagues, friends and family to enter and help us to raise the profile of your profession.

More information about civil engineering for children and non-members can be found at www.ice.org.uk/thisis

Prizes: Winner £200, Second Prize £100, Third Prize £50; Under 16s prize and Fairness/Inclusion/Respect e.g. the photo that best captures/promotes diversity in civil engineering (i.e. disability, gender, religion etc.)

How to enter:

1.    Choose your best image(s) of any aspect of civil engineering in Wales (only 2 entries per person)

2.    Check Conditions of Entry on the flyer or on information the web page

3.    Send your digital photograph(s) to wales.cymru@ice.org.uk by 31st August 2017 (with Photo Competition 2017 & category as the subject)

Qualifications Wales is currently reviewing the range and quality of qualifications in the construction and built environment industry in Wales.

The sector includes a large number of diverse careers including, but not exclusively, carpentry, plumbing, surveying and bricklaying, electrical work and civil engineering. There are dozens of other careers that require learners to pass these qualifications before they can take up employment.

The review will identify how effective the existing qualifications are in meeting the needs of learners and their future employers.

As part of our review, we are asking employers, learners, learning providers and others to complete a short questionnaire on whether qualifications in this sector are meeting the needs of learners and employers.

You may have already been interviewed by one of our colleagues at Qualifications Wales, but feel free to complete the survey if you would like to add any other comments that you may not have included in the interviews.

For information on the review, and to take part in the survey, please visit the website: http://qualificationswales.org/qualifications/vocational-qualifications/construction-and-the-built-environment/?lang=en

If you have any questions about this survey or, if you would like to get in touch with us about the review, then please contact us at constructionreview@qualificationswales.org