Networking | Benefits of a diverse workforce & innovation in infrastructure
Join us and the I-Construct Network for our regular member networking event. These sessions are an opportunity for all members of the Network, large and small, to meet and talk with like-minded individuals within the construction sector.
Our virtual networking, via Zoom, provides you with maximum exposure to other attendees via our main forum and a mix of smaller breakout rooms for closer conversation.
Each of our networking events are complemented with bitesize sessions from businesses across the sector. At our April event, we are delighted to be joined by two guest speakers.
Recruiting a diverse workforce for productivity and growth
Shelley Lawrence from Women into Construction (WiC) will be sharing how you can recruit and retain a more diverse workforce to deliver real benefits to your business productivity and growth.
WiC supports construction clients and contractors to open up job and apprenticeship opportunities to high quality female candidates, filling skills gaps and bringing new talent to your business. They support women in applying for these opportunities by providing advice and guidance, training, work placements and job application support, ensuring that women are job ready and committed to enjoying sustainable careers in the construction sector.
Read our interview with Shelley ‘How increasing diversity could help SMEs in construction’.
Innovation in infrastructure projects – ‘Project Speed’
On a different note, we will also hear from Richard Smith, Managing Director and founding partner of tusp (The Ultimate Solution Partnership), an I-Construct member, on how the business has been instrumental in the facilitation of ‘Project Speed’ within the rail industry.
The project represents a revolution in the government’s approach to delivering infrastructure projects better, greener, and faster and leads the way for a different way of thinking, opening up routes for fresh innovation and different engagement models for the supply chain. Richard will share how tusp have already found potentially significant time savings through more efficient and focused decision making, which will be accelerated further over the course of the next few years.
Programme:
- 12pm – Welcome, Fred Thomas and Patrick Maynard, Business Support Facilitators, I-Construct
- 12.05pm – Presentation, Shelley Lawrence, Women into Construction
- 12.20pm – Networking via Zoom breakout rooms
- 12.30pm – Presentation, Richard Smith, tusp
- 12.45pm – Networking via Zoom breakout rooms
- 12.55pm – Closing words
- 1pm - End
Meet your speakers
Shelley Lawrence
Shelley Lawrence runs the WiC operation in Cambridgeshire, working in partnership with the 5-star housebuilder Hill, with support from Hill’s supply chain and local employers. The Cambridgeshire programme won last year’s Housebuilder Award for ‘Best Training or Recruitment Initiative’ and has recently been extended until June 2022 due to its success. Shelley has 15-years of experience in Events and Marketing and is a passionate champion for women, having also co-founded a website to support mothers. With two daughters of her own, one of which would like to be an Engineer, Shelley is passionate about breaking down barriers to help support more women into the industry.
Richard Smith
Richard Smith is the Managing Director and founding partner of tusp, and heads up their global infrastructure business. Richard has wide ranging experience at a senior level within rail, utilities, power, and infrastructure, operating and interfacing at board level. With a forte in project management, he is a Fellow of the Association of Project Management and an expert in programme controls. His expertise has been key in tackling deeply ingrained, uniquely framed, project challenges and he has undertaken and delivered numerous industry reviews and subsequent recovery plans. Richard has led and delivered programmes of work in challenging and diverse environments and has been engaged on numerous high-profile and award-winning projects.
Audience:
This event is open to all I-Construct Network members.
If you're not an I-Construct member but are interested in joining, you are welcome to attend one of our events to see what our network has to offer.
Registration:
Registration closes at 12pm, Tuesday 13th April.