The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is continuing to support members and the wider construction industry during the coronavirus pandemic.
As CEO Caroline Gumble has explained in a letter to members, the CIOB is “working differently” but is still “open for business”.
CIOB offices around the world have been temporarily closed but staff, including the customer services team, are working remotely to deal with questions from members and prospective members.
“The investment we have made in our technology has enabled us to maintain the services, support and information we provide to you, albeit remotely,” Gumble explained.
Below, we set out the CIOB services that are available to support members during the coronavirus crisis, how they can access them, plus information on other useful resources.
Customer services
The CIOB customer services team is working remotely and is ready to help with any questions about membership. Contact them here.
CIOB Academy
The CIOB Academy is continuing to run online courses as normal, which can be booked and accessed through the website. The Academy’s extensive CPD section includes hundreds of free learning packages and courses which can be accessed here.
The Academy team is considering options for rearranging courses that were scheduled for April.
CIOB Library
The CIOB Library is a free online service for members and member applicants and provides a vast resource on built environment topics. The collection covers thousands of books, academic journals, magazines, reports and more.
CIOB Benevolent Fund
All current and past members have access to the CIOB Benevolent Fund. The service is also accessible to the dependent families of our members. CIOB student members are eligible from their second year of membership onwards. The fund offers confidential advice, financial assistance and well-being and mental health support.
CIOB policy work
The CIOB and its policy team is working closely with numerous organisations and employers to ensure the construction industry’s voice is heard as a unified voice when talking to government about the Covid-19 crisis. In the UK, the CIOB is working with the Construction Leadership Council, Build UK and others to provide a central resource for UK members with guidance on construction-specific issues. That resource is updated daily here.
Events and meetings
All CIOB local hub events and meetings have been postponed until the end of April 2020. The CIOB will review the situation at that point and advise on any changes here. Some local events will be adapted so they can run online where possible. Delegates and potential delegates should contact their local CIOB event organiser for further details.
Up-to-date news, advice and guidance
The CIOB’s three specialist industry titles, Construction Manager, Global Construction Review and BIMplus, are tracking the latest news and how the coronavirus pandemic affects the global, and local, construction sectors. This includes news updates, stories of how construction professionals are adapting, plus legal and financial advice.
Craft your future
Those members who are working at home and have children to occupy could take look at the CIOB’s Craft Your Future Minecraft lessons. These are aimed at switching young minds on to the world of construction. More than 50 million young people play Minecraft and the CIOB’s free lessons can inspire the industry’s next generation.
