1. Welcome & Apologies – Julia Coak (JC)
Julia Coak, Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and confirmed the house keeping rules. Apologies had been received from Laurence Stone, Darren Lawrence and Hazel Thompson from CITB; Kelly Marsh & Sammie Price of Brymor Construction; Andy Campbell of Kier Highways; Steve Hale of Parchow Groundworks; Clare Bartlett & Michelle Hartley of R W Armstrong; Clare Isaac & Ray Simms of Raymond Brown and Stuart Burne & Vicky Lucas of Reside Construction.
Attendees list
HCTA Committee & Members:- Julia Coak of Lynx Construction (Chair); Eileen Bird (GTO); Estell Guest (Treasurer); Lena Coffin of Cousins and Campbell Smith; Paul Barton of L A Kattemhorn & Partners; Jacqueline Mansfield of Wendage Pollution Control; Jason Woodward and Nicki Trant of PTC; Vicki Boulton of Ahmarra; Dave Shaw of Blanchard Wells; Maggie Stefaniak & Nicky Stock of bmJV; Chelcey Douglas & Tony Bodycombe of CDS Group; Gary Mann of Comserv UK; Andrea Parker of Dyer & Butler; Sean Holdway & Jo Wilkinson of Gregory Brothers; Mandy Phelps of Hexley; Lori Noble of Hughes & Salvidge; Sharon Hobbs & Julie Binney of JCM Groundworks; Sharron Hampson of PMC Construction; Wayne Musselwhite of Parchow Groundworks; Shelley Baxter of R Collard; Janet Hutchinson of R & W Civil Engineering; Lizzi Richardson of Richardsons (Nyewood); Sarah Groves & Melissa Douglas of Selwoods; Becca Brown & Nicola Bunyan of Trant Engineering and Graham Alexander of Welbro Project Management.
Speakers and Guests:- Ian Jenkin of Plymouth City College; Stephen G Shaw of Essential Teaching UK; Liz Steel of CITB and Michelle Scott of IWCTG.
2. HCTA Update – Eileen Bird
EB confirmed the recruitment process for the Group Training Officer was now at interview stage and an update would be announced to the Group in due course. The successful applicant will hopefully have a handover period with Eileen before she formally steps down after the AGM in March 2020.
EB thanked the group for attending and supporting the various CITB events and any feedback is welcomed to the CITB directly.
Social media for the group has been increased and now the HCTA has a LinkedIn page. Individuals are encouraged to like and follow.
CETC have now opened their new building and courses will be run there from 2020. EB will be organising an update from them at an HCTA meeting in 2020. Action: EB
CSCS – Gordon Jenkins who has attended HCTA meeting in the past is leaving CSCS and moving to pastures new.
CPCS card changes have been a concern for some HCTA members when booking the renewal of the CPCS test. The CPCS test needs to be booked directly with NOCN and the H&S test via Pearson Vue. Both tests can be booked for the same time. Other changes to CPCS have since come to light e.g. the removal of Validator requirements since August, the removal of log books as and when the new electronic NOCN system is up and running and increases to costs for tests and cards.
Please email Eileen Bird for any further information on the above or other topics which were promoted at the back of the meeting room. eileen.bird@googlemail.com or info@hcta.org
Innovations within Construction – EB encouraged individuals to share and discuss at their individual tables any innovations within their own companies.
Training providers – EB confirmed a variety of discounts on courses have been offered from partnered training providers. These will not be promoted on the group’s website but are available from EB directly and will be emailed.
EB confirmed that a bid had been submitted to the CITB, based around today’s Lego activity with Essential Training UK. Anyone wishing to involve individual school across the Hampshire County or who want to participate more themselves should contact EB directly.
Jason Woodward from PT Contractors provided an outline on a proposed bid by HCTA from CITB to involve school children in a construction related event where children will talk with companies represented and research and provide a presentation on the building of a new hospital. This proposal was received very well by HCTA members and questions were asked to assist in some way on the 2-day event and the logistics. Jason explained that a variety of companies are required from construction to finishing trades and asked for any interest from individuals or companies wishing to get involved to email him directly on: Jason.Woodward@ptcontractors.co.uk Further information will be provided in the coming weeks as meetings are being held with other interested parties
3. Immersive Learning Project – City College Plymouth (CCP) by Ian Jenkin
Presentation by Ian Jenkins on the Immersive Learning approach at CCP. Innovation within construction presentation on how to engage with young individuals and to promote construction and make this a career of choice. HCTA members were encouraged to “have a go” with the Virtual Reality headsets.
For further information and how this approach can benefit our businesses please contact:
IJenkin@cityplym.ac.uk (HE Lecturer or LChatfield@cityplym.ac.uk (Academy Manager)
4. Career Activity – Lego Challenge – Stephen G Shaw
Interactive presentation by Stephen on what can be promoted and achieved within schools to encourage teachers and pupils to apply construction-based Lego building challenges. For further information to contract via https://essentialteaching.uk/ or telephone 02392 983981
5. CITB Update – Liz Steel
Liz informed the Group that the Ambassador programme for the CITB has been transferred and would now be run by STEM from 2020.
The CITB continues to move through a number of changes and a number of employees would be leaving at the end of December. This is as a result of a number of functions having been outsourced.
More courses will be claimable via grants from April 2020 and an example of this being the Defect Management course which is currently going through the Recognised Standard process. Information is available through Eileen.
6. Member Information Members had been asked to share information about their own companynew initiatives during 2019. Most were too shy to share, but we heard examples such as L A Kattenhorns’ success with their first Skills and Training Fund Bid; Ahmarras’ use of micro chips in their fire doors to track production from the factory floor to installation in properties; bmJVs’ work in a number of areas promoting Construction and assisting care leavers and women in considering Construction as a career; PTCs’ joining the employer group at CETC; Lynx Constructions’ foray into Apprenticeship; so with these and recent mergers and acquisitions within member companies lots has been happening!
7. 2020 HCTA Meeting Dates
The following dates have been confirmed for future meetings:
11th March 2020 – Southampton including the AGM
10th June 2020 – Basingstoke
16th September 2020 – Portsmouth
9th December 2020 – venue TBC
8. Christmas Raffle winners
The HCTA member gifts planned for distribution had not arrived so will be issued in March. However, as per tradition the HCTA held the usual raffle based on meeting attendances and Congratulations to the following winners:
1st Prize – Lena Coffin, Cousins Limited
2nd Prize – Lizzi Richardson, Richardsons (Nyewood)
3rd Prize – Julie Binney, JCM Groundworks
Thanks to all who attended – Happy Christmas!