Caroline Gumble (centre) pays a visit to Galliford Try’s Carnegie School of Sport research centre site
The Leeds Hub welcomed CIOB chief executive Caroline Gumble for a full day of meetings and site visits recently as part of a worldwide tour she is making.
The focus of the visit to Leeds was to promote the image of the industry as well as broadening the appeal of construction.
Key to this was a meeting with Zoe Price, chief operating officer of ISG’s UK construction business, in which they discussed the benefits of diversity in the industry and attracting the “brightest and best” to construction.
Gumble had a chance to learn more about ISG’s commitment to developing young talent when she met Anna and Ben, apprentices on the city’s Yorkshire Post redevelopment site.
She also met education professionals from Leeds Beckett University and Leeds University Technical College to find out more about the barriers to attracting the right talent to construction and how the CIOB can support this.
A new relationship was also built with STEER, an initiative which matches undergraduates with mentors in the industry.
Gumble also spent some time at two interesting local builds: the Carnegie School of Sport teaching and research centre by Galliford Try and the Leeds Building Society head office refit by Graham.
Both sites showed innovative construction methods, unusual design considerations and an excellent relationship between contractor and client.
