With the World Cup into the knockout stage and Wimbledon getting under way, Victoria Hills reflects on the common links between construction and top-level sport
Following last month’s column about seizing opportunities, I’m excited about the summer of sport ahead – the World Cup, Wimbledon and the Commonwealth Games among the highlights – but also reflecting on how some of those opportunities for our sports stars might not exist without construction professionals.
CIOB has history with members being involved in high-profile sporting projects; members have been involved in Olympic Games around the world, including London and Beijing. To give an example, 10 years ago Peter Jacobs was president of CIOB and his career included heading up the team delivering the London 2012 athletes’ village.
I’ve also been thinking of conversations from my recent trip to Australia and the event in Brisbane on stadium construction, a hugely significant project in advance of the 2032 Olympics.
Discussions around stadium building and sports infrastructure touch on some key themes, not least the importance of linking the wider business community and the construction industry with the local community.
In Brisbane, it was pointed out that it’s the businesses that are prepared and ready to engage with commissioners, specifiers and government bodies to get the right intel at the right time and give themselves the best chance for successful bids. An integral part of success is also a clear legacy strategy; construction isn’t just about building structures, it’s about building communities – residences, businesses and spaces for sport, as they all have an important place in society.
This chimes with my long-held view that construction should have a place at the top table of government and business, advocating for our role in creating jobs, driving the economy in a sustainable way and positively contributing to communities everywhere.
“Construction isn’t just about building structures, it’s about building communities – residences, businesses and spaces for sport”
This is also a terrific opportunity to talk up construction as a career choice, confident in the knowledge that those in our industry can be part of building things that could have positive impacts for generations to come. Our members take pride in their work and the joy that takes place inside sporting arenas provides a sense of pride and emotional attachment to the buildings our members deliver.
Which leads to my final thought: sport and construction have much in common – they can both be great unifying forces. I’ve said before now that the built environment has something to offer everyone, even those who may not be interested in the construction process. It’s the same with sport – watching it or playing it, there’s no doubt it brings people together who, perhaps, would otherwise never find themselves on the same team. So for now, back to our summer of sport.
Victoria Hills is CEO of CIOB.
