Hello Matt, Danielle and Richard...
LtoR: Richard Passi; Danielle Kenneally and Matt Haigh.The institution is pleased announce that three new members of staff have joined the organisation. Matt Haigh joins as the research and policy officer and will be leading on new white papers, developing CICES policy and the knowledge hub; Danielle Kenneally has joined as the new deputy editor working on the institution publications and stakeholder literature and Richard Passi has joined as senior administrator in charge of committee liaison.
... and goodbye Abigail
The institution would like to thank Abigail Tomkins for her dedication and commitment over the years and wish her all the very best for the future.
Abigail has been instrumental in the success of the institution’s publications and developing new policy and leaves after 21 years for a new exciting challenge joining the civil service writing policy for the Ministry of Defence.
Operations Director, Darrell Smart said of the staff changes: “I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of working alongside Abigail for the past 21 years. Abigail’s immense talent and personality have been at the forefront of everything we’ve published throughout her time with CICES.
It’s been an absolute joy to have worked so closely with Abigail and I wish her every success for a bright new future. The new employees bring with them a wealth of experience and new opportunities and I would like to welcome Matt, Danielle and Richard to the CICES family and look forward to working with them in elevating CICES to the next level and delivering on the five-year strategy and three golden threads of equality, diversity and inclusion, sustainability and digital transformation.”
FIG statement on Ukraine
The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), of which CICES is a UK representative, has issued a statement about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
While FIG states that it has received ‘several requests to expel or suspend the Russian members of FIG’, as a non-political worldwide federation it ‘believe[s] in dialogue and peaceful settlement of disputes, and want[s] to keep the international communication channels with our Russian colleagues open.’
However, it has stated that ‘until further notice Russians are not welcome at the Congress 2022’, which is due to be held in Warsaw, Poland in September.
FIG has also issued a request for help finding employment for Ukrainian surveyors leaving their country.
Offers of employment and assistance can be facilitated through the FIG social media platforms: www.linkedin.com/groups/2669121/ or www.facebook.com/internationalfederationofsurveyors or through emailing the FIG head office at fig@fig.net
Delayed awards
President Andy Evans finally received the presidential medal after travel issues prevented him from receiving the award the day he became president. The award was due to be made at a Council of Management strategy day in Milton Keynes on 8 March 2022, however, Dr Evans encountered a delayed flight and found himself stranded in Geneva.
CICES North West and North Wales chair Mark Hudson took on the honour of presenting the medal to Dr Evans at the regional AGM later that month. Past presidents Stephen Slessor and Chris Preston were able to make it to Milton Keynes and both received their past president’s medals. For Mr Preston this was a year late, due to delays in meetings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pictured above are Batsetswe Motsumi, vice president, with Stephen Slessor; Stephen Slessor with Chris Preston; and Mark Hudson with Andy Evans.
CICES welcomes new VP
Alison Watson being presented with the Richard Carter Prize for excellence in geospatial engineering from the then CICES president, Ian Bush.The institution’s Council of Management has appointed Alison Watson MBE as vice president.
Mrs Watson now joins the presidential chain and is set to become CICES president in September 2024. Mrs Watson is a former land surveyor and founder and chief executive of Class Of Your Own.
Alison Watson cares deeply about the future of the construction industry. Her enduring ambition to enable the development of homegrown talent through the Design Engineer Construct! learning programme is now being fulfilled globally.
Alison received the Richard Carter Prize in 2014 and was awarded an honorary fellowship of CICES in August 2019 for her dedication to the education of young professionals in the surveying profession.
In recognition of her commitment, Alison has been awarded a Doctor of Engineering honorary degree from Heriot-Watt University, was nominated to the Board of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, represented Youth and Learning for the Construction Industry Training Board Council and honoured with an MBE for services to education in HM The Queen’s 2018 New Year Honours.
Speaking on her appointment, Mrs Watson said: “It’s a privilege and an honour to be appointed as vice president of CICES. I have a deep and enduring respect for the institution, both as a member and a fiercely passionate ambassador for the profession. I was so proud to be honoured with my fellowship, but this accolade is beyond words. I
look forward to supporting president Andrew Evans and senior VP Batsetswe Motsumi to promote our outstanding industry more than ever and reinforce the golden threads of the CICES strategy; EDI, sustainability and digital transformation, all of which I strive for in my current work with the next generation.”
CICES president Andy Evans said: “I’m delighted Ali has been appointed vice president. She has been devoted to the promotion of civil engineering surveying and supporting education for the construction industry for many years. She brings incredible passion and guaranteed action dedicated to progressing the profession of civil engineering surveying.”
Mrs Watson will follow senior vice president Batsetswe Motsumi, who takes on the presidency from Andy Evans in September 2023.
Cyber security for construction businesses
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has partnered with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) to produce a guidance to help small-to-medium-sized construction businesses protect themselves from cyber attacks.
Recent high-profile cyber attacks against the construction industry illustrate how businesses of all sizes are being targeted by criminals. As the industry continues to embrace and adopt new digital ways of working, it is more important than ever to understand how you might be vulnerable to cyber attacks, and what you can do to protect your business.
This guidance is aimed at small-to-medium-sized businesses working in the construction industry and the wider supply chain (including the manufacture of building supplies, surveying, and the sale of buildings).
Whilst it cannot guarantee protection against all the cyber threats you face, by implementing the steps described, you can protect yourself from most common cyber attacks – and should the worst happen, you’ll be able to quickly recover. You can download the guide as a PDF and no cost and you’re free to print, share and re-use it, freely and flexibly, with only a few conditions.
Download it at https:// www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/cyber-security-for-construction-businesses
New analysis shows increase of women working in engineering
New research from EngineeringUK has shown that 16.5% of those working in engineering are female, compared to 10.5% as reported in 2010. The actual number of women working in engineering roles has increased from 562,000 in 2010 to 936,000 in 2021, along with an overall expansion of the engineering workforce from 5,300,000 in 2010 to 5,600,000 in 2021.
Strikingly, the increase in the number of women in engineering roles continued to rise even when the total number of people working in engineering fell in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some engineering roles have seen higher than average increases in female representation, for example, the increase from just under 19% to over 28% of women in engineering roles classed as ‘science, engineering and technology associate professionals’.
Dr Hilary Leevers, chief executive of EngineeringUK, said: “It’s great to see an increase of women working in engineering roles with almost 370,000 more women in those roles in 2021 compared with in 2010. The fact that women represent only 16.5% of those working in engineering should still be a major concern to the engineering sector.
We need to ensure that engineering is a career choice that attracts the next generation of young women and that we respond to the needs of women who have left the engineering workforce and actively bring them back. I am optimistic that by learning and working together, we can quicken the pace of change and achieve the diverse and insightful workforce needed for the UK to thrive.”
NBS contracts and law survey
CICES members have been asked to take part in a survey from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and its subsidiary business NBS. The Contracts and Law Survey is open to all construction professionals to share their legal and contractual experiences over the last 12 months and is designed to be the most wide-ranging independent review of contractual and legal issues from across the industry.
It is hoped the survey will provide an accurate picture of contracting practice in the UK that will highlight how improvements can be made and support policy positions/decisions with facts. The last day to take part is 29 April 2022.
https:// survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90340072/ Contracts-and-Law-2022