Bridget Bartlett, the CIOB’s chief operating officer, has been appointed to chair the Construction Industry Council’s Diversity Panel, taking over the role from structural engineer Jane Wernick.
The CIC Diversity Panel is a forum for representatives of the industry’s professional bodies and external advisers, working to identify and promote diversity policy and activities within the construction industry.
Its current work includes collating diversity statistics from CIC member groups, to update the data published in a CIC report on diversity in 2009.
The group also currently runs a mentoring programme, called Fluid, and evening networking events.
Speaking to CM, Bartlett said: “The industry is still overwhelmingly white, male and able-bodied, so we’ll be looking at how we can attract and retain a variety of people so that construction starts to reflect society at large.
"The industry is still overwhelmingly white, male and able-bodied, so we’ll be looking at how we can attract and retain a variety of people so that construction starts to reflect society at large."
Bridget Bartlett
“We’re working on collecting data to establish a baseline of where we are and what the direction of travel should be. It will also be interesting to see whether the recession has had an impact on the diversity agenda.”
She added: “The panel is going to have some new members and there will be a lot of talent bringing their expertise to the debate.”
Bartlett said she would shortly be meeting the panel’s members, ahead of the first formal meeting in February, to discuss a programme for 2014. “I do like to have achievable outcomes, we will hope to produce something [such as a report or charter] that is helpful for the industry at large.”
Bartlett’s background is in education, progressing from teaching mathematics to becoming principal and chief executive of Bexley College in Kent, where she led 450 staff serving 7,000 students.
She joined the CIOB as chief operating officer in 2008, with a portfolio which includes education, examinations, membership services, international development and IT.
Bartlett also chairs the standards group of the 14-19 Advisory Board for Construction and the Built Environment Education. She is a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Constructors.
Graham Watts, CIC chief executive, said: “I am delighted to welcome Bridget to this new role. Her extensive experience in education and her leadership capabilities will be a great asset in taking forward our work on diversity and access. She will be leading a new panel, which contains a wealth of experience from across the broad spectrum of CIC’s membership.”
