In our last newsletter we made the plea for construction to stop thinking and working in straight lines and embrace the circular economy. We make the argument again in this issue and this time we are linking the discussion to how we consider the recruitment, development, retention and leadership of our workforce. On 3rd May CEW is holding an event that asks the question: ‘How we will build the Wales we want?’

As an industry, we have a major task facing us. Wales has made a commitment to the future in law, through the Future Generations (in Wales) Act. The Programme for Government establishes the objective of being low in carbon, with energy efficient homes and better schools and a built environment that delivers benefits for local communities. It is the Welsh construction industry that will make this happen. We will get this over the finish line. But only if we totally commit to best practice, collaborative working and integrated teams.  It must embrace the circular economy and holistic thinking must forsake short-termism. That also means investing in our people. It requires us to work together to promote the industry to school leavers and graduates. It obligates us to develop the people in our existing teams; to motivate them, to lead them and enhance their skills. If we do that then we have a chance of building a Wales that is fit for the future.

That’s why you need to back what CEW is doing. It is also why you need to sign up to the event on 3rd May that is going to address the challenge head on and give you some answers.