This week has been all about Modernise or Die and reviewing how far construction in the UK (not just Wales) has come since Mark Farmer’s review was published a year ago. There has been coverage in Building magazine and our own event held this week. Whilst Mark Farmer is not downhearted, the consistent message remains: we must work more closely together.

Modernise or die is one very good headline grabbing phrase. But collaborate or else, might be its partner. The industry needs to reform itself from what is currently a labour intensive, highly wasteful (despite great progress) and siloed delivery model. Behind that is the worry of the skills gap – hence the piece in our newsletter reminding you to review your learning and development. As Mark Farmer writes in Building last week: “We have fewer people with the right skills, in the right roles, being deployed in the right way.”

In Wales we are pursuing some of the themes espoused and championed by the Farmer Review. There is a lot of work to be done and we must pull together as an industry. The efforts to develop a cohesive strategy for construction that can be presented to Government will become critical in the next few months. We need to plan together. We must draw closer and break down the silos and barriers that have persisted despite the arguments against them from Latham and Egan to Farmer.

Mark Farmer is optimistic about the future, but he does have one or two caveats. One is that not all existing businesses or organisations, or the individuals that want to protect the status quo, will survive the change and evolution that is coming. “If we are to move to a different place, we must accept that there will be winners and losers. That is what the Modernise or Die challenge is all about.”

That’s a sobering message. So, stick with the change agenda as championed by CEW. Don’t be a dinosaur. Don’t be left behind. Build a better Wales.Together.