1. CM’s guide on how to build your new career
For every skills shortage cloud, there is a career opportunities silver lining. Tom Ravenscroft assembles 10 top tips from those in the know. Read more…
2. Shepherd exits contracting to focus on Portakabin
Shepherd Group’s agreement to sell its construction business, its M&E contracting arm and its FM business to Wates Group leaves just the Portakabin brand and two niche engineering services business in its hands. Read more…
3. What’s in the Conservative manifesto and what does it mean for construction?
Infrastructure spending, Right to Buy and a pledge to build 200,000 starter homes, a referendum on EU membership and 3 million new apprentices are just some of the new governmnet’s policies that will affect construction. Read more…
4. Digital hospital acts as BIM training tool for Midlands project
Sandwell Council has three award nominations for its West Midlands Virtual Hospital, a digital 3D representation of a hospital that acts as a BIM learning guide for suppliers, product manufacturers and specialist contractors. Read more…
5. Interserve first contractor to secure Level 2 BIM accreditation
Interserve Construction looks set to become the first contractor to be accredited as Level 2 BIM compliant under BRE Global’s Business Systems Certification scheme. Read more…
6. How the industry voted: CM election survey results
CM’s online survey predicted the election result a week before the polls opened. Of the 265 people that responded, 52% said they intended to vote for the Conservative Party, with only 22% intending to vote for Labour. Read more…
7. 3D views: BIM2050 Group
The new BIM2050 Group of “future gazing” young professionals met for the first time last month. We asked three of its members, architect Alex MacLaren, BIM manager Alex Lubbock ICIOB, and landscape architect Henry Fenby-Taylor, for their thoughts on the future of the industry. Read more…
8. Island life – construction in the Falklands
Colin Summers, director of the Public Works department in the Falkland Islands Government (FIG), describes the challenges of construction in a remote location with limited resources and skills. Read more…
9. Asbestos: the hidden danger buried across UK sites
James Dodgson, chair of the Working Group on Asbestos in Soils at testing compliance specialist ESG, highlights the dangers of asbestos buried within site grounds. Read more…
10. Women managers: our favourite pieces of kit
From remote controlled robots to tower cranes to acoustic sheeting systems, eight female professionals tell CM about the plant and machinery that has most improved their life on site. Read more…
Top in Management
Innovation, new technology and processes in construction
Join the team at CM and the specialist construction law team at Olswang, for a free day of CPD accredited presentations from some of the UK’s foremost thinkers on innovation in construction. Read more…
Top in Agenda
Gearing up for the smart cities revolution
As Bristol prepares to switch on city-wide wi-fi, signalling its intention to become the UK’s first smart city, Elaine Knutt asks if the industry ready to deliver on the “smart cities”. Read more…
Top in Comment
How Germany trains its apprentices
The “dual system” of employer training and college learning characterises vocational education in Germany, discovers Adrian Belton, chief executive of the CITB. Read more…
Top in International
Mongolia considers German plan
This month the Mongolian parliament will vote on whether or not to approve a plan to create a new eco-city, designed almost entirely by German firms, in the steppes that will eventually become the country’s new capital. Read more…
