Tuesday 20 March

10.45 – 12.15        Skills scarcity within the built environment sector

UK based organisations are finding it increasingly difficult to secure the right level of skills to enable them to compete when tendering; especially on an international level. There is now a perception that consultancies are not able to resource themselves effectively as there are a limited number of skilled professionals in the Built Environment sector and a lack of new entrants coming into the sector through the schools and universities.

This session will address:

• The role of the professional bodies in equipping the sector to address these skills shortages
• How the engineering community should help itself to improving skill levels at all career stages
• Whether companies need to invest more in internal training

Chair: Simon Robinson, Technical Director WSP Group, IET BE Sector Executive

Speakers:
Huw Blackwell, Hoare Lee, IET BETNET Chairman
Jeremy Whitlock, HurleyPalmerFlatt, BETNET Executive
Marjan Sarchar, Trent University, IET BE Sector Executive
Martin Burton, Past President, Building & Engineering Services Association
Mike McNally, Client Development Director, Hays Corporate Accounts
Trevor Dorling, Assistant Director, Employment and Skills, Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise and Skills, Greenwich Council (invited)

In partnership with

12.30 – 14.00       Professional institution knowledge sharing – can the sector benefit?

This is an interactive panel discussion involving several Professional Institutions aimed at exploring the benefits of knowledge sharing between the Built Environment engineering community, and how it might be brought about.

Can these organisations enable the supply chain and aid delivery of sustainable solutions through collaborative knowledge sharing? What would success look like? The wider debate will look at how shared knowledge networks and improved use of information technology can help engineering businesses overcome their resource and skills challenges as and when the economy improves- in particular, the principles of BIM and its ability to manage knowledge around projects.

Chair: Andy Ford, Technical Director, Mott MacDonald and President, CIBSE

Speakers:
Bruce McLelland, Head of Sector, IET
David Warriner, Construction and Building Services Division Chair, IMechE
Deborah Pullen, Director of Knowledge, BRE
Johnny Dunford, Global Commercial Director, RICS
Alan Shingler, Chair of RIBA Sustainable Futures Group and RIBA Council member
Martin Burton, Past President, Building & Engineering Services Association

In partnership with

14.15 – 15.30     The IET Wiring Regulations, preparing for Part 8

A panelled Q&A discussion with the publishers of the IET Wiring Regulations. What are the key energy efficiency factors to be considered for sustainable building electrical installations.

Panellists:
Geoff Cronshaw, IET Chief Electrical Engineer, IET
Carolyn White, Director of IET Standards Ltd
Richard Townsend, Senior Engineer, IET