Institution News
To ensure delivery of these three fundamental commitments to our members, a recent and comprehensive review of all staff job descriptions has been undertaken. There were four key objectives – ensuring clarity and precision in the job objective, that role responsibilities flow in priority order from those objectives, with responsibilities aligned with core business objectives and with job titles that accurately reflect the focus of the role. This will ensure we are in the ideal position to provide the best possible level of service to the membership, accompanied by a clear and well-defined marketing and communications plan through a newly formed and dedicated marketing communications team.
Underpinning this is a comprehensive five-year plan into which are weaved our three golden threads; equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), sustainability and digitisation. To support this we have appointed, after a formal interview process, Simon Navin from Jacobs as chair and with Neil Coker from BAM Nuttall as vice chair of the CICES EDI Council to take forward our ambitions, which include ensuring the construction and engineering industries benefit from greater diversity within their workforces. As an international professional body, CICES has a diverse membership and, although in line with the construction and engineering industries’ national averages, there is a large underrepresentation of women. Our Royal Charter bestows on CICES a duty to society and the institution to operate to the best of its abilities with a membership and governance that reflects the society we serve.
In parallel with this important work on EDI, we are undertaking an ambitious exercise in developing a sustainability white paper that will be critical in how we, and the wider industry, addresses the immediate and longer-term effects of climate change and, in turn, consider how best to develop and deliver more sustainable ways of working.
The members are the institution, and we will strive to maintain the highest integrity and ethical standards in all that we do on your behalf. Please remember to keep in touch, take care and contact me at any time on +44(0)7927 132964 and at simon.hamlyn@cices.org.
Have a fantastic and relaxing Christmas and a safe and warm new year.
While most members of CICES are familiar with our membership competencies, few will be aware of the effort required to maintain their currency and relevance in today’s rapidly changing environment. The Geospatial Competencies Steering Group (GCSG) has been set up to take overall responsibility for the competencies, ensuring that they are kept up to date, revisions published and report its progress to the Education, Professional Development and Membership committee.
The GCSG has appointed working groups with owners to cover each specialist competency, they advise the GCSG on any changes to skill/knowledge requirements and develop the amendments, additions and deletions accordingly. There is a rolling programme of updating the competencies and the GIS specialist competencies were relaunched in 2021, with the land surveying and hydrospatial soon being finalised, followed by the utilities and subsurface mapping.
The GCSG is now looking for further support from members and fellows with experience and expertise to establish some new working groups with around three members each as well as a lead for each. Meetings will be by conference call or face-to-face depending on requirements.
The working group specialisms are:
- Core geospatial engineering.
- Engineering surveying.
- Geospatial information management.
- Machine guidance (new specialism).
If you are interested, email Katie Holt at kholt@cices.org by 27 January 2023 with your specialism preference(s), brief details of your expertise and relevant experience.
The Engineering Council has announced the formal signing of new agreements with Spanish professional bodies Asociación de Ingenieros Profesionales de España (AIPE) and the Agency for Qualification of Professional Engineers (AQPE), which will facilitate the mobility and recognition of engineering professionals between the UK and Spain.
Above left: John Fraser with Brian Whiting. Left: John Fraser with Matt Baddeley.
Huge congratulations go to South East region chairman, Brian Whiting FCInstCES, and Matt Baddeley MCInstCES who both received an award at the SCCS London Survey Awards dinner which was held at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) earlier this month.
Brian received the ‘outstanding contribution’ award for his significant contribution to the industry. It was presented by regional director (UK & Benelux Region of EMEA) for Hexagon Geosystems, John Fraser FCInstCES, who acknowledged Brian’s many achievements during his distinguished and long career.
Matt Baddeley received the ‘best use of technology’ award, recognising his initiatives in implementing and utilising technology to deliver outstanding advantages on a project.
Matt was very touched by the number of nominations he received: “This award is only made possible through the hard work and dedication of the Skanska Costain STRABAG JV engineering surveying team.
So, I also thank those individuals that have helped me on this journey of establishing and maintaining a robust survey control network for the 26km stretch of the HS2 main works project.”
George Parslow of Safedigging Ltd receiving the CICES award for TSA surveying course best assignment.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has called for a shake-up of the UK’s national policy to decarbonise the built environment and reach net zero goals. RICS’ ‘Decarbonising UK real estate’ report, says urgent action is needed from the government to address gaps and meet climate targets. This includes a modernisation of the EPC scheme, the establishment of a UK-wide retrofit programme, and a whole life approach to measuring and regulating carbon emissions with metrics and benchmarks in line with climate targets. Find the report at https://bit.ly/3VH2zrs.
The Institution of Civil Engineers has also launched its State of the Nation 2022 report and an associated toolkit to help improve productivity throughout an infrastructure lifecycle. Its aim is to show how infrastructure productivity can be transformed, while delivering carbon reduction goals. Find the report at https://bit.ly/3W1GljD.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our recent winter webinars programme. This includes Birketts’ ‘Construction and engineering law’ from Derryn Rolfe, James Humphreys, Rebecca Childs, and Stefan Harris-Wright; Built Intelligence’s ‘Training and support tools for construction professionals’ from Zaied Sabti, and Russell King; CMS for a construction round up; ‘Termination of construction contracts’ from Rhiann Storey of HKA and Joseph Hale of Eversheds-Sutherland; and ‘Costs inflation – what are the options’ presented by Edward Quigg of Quigg Golden.
Keep an eye on our events page for the latest webinars at www.cices.org/events.
