2. Israil Bryan, Diversity and Social Programme Manager, Skanska UK

3. The benefits of diversity and inclusion
Israil Bryan Diversity and Social Programme Manager

4. Industry context 33% lower costs 50% faster delivery
targets
33% lower costs
50% faster delivery
50% improvements in exports
50% lower emissions
Construction industry context
The Construction 2025 industrial strategy sets out a vision and a plan for long-term strategic action by government and industry to continue to work together to promote the success of the UK construction sector.
Construction is a growing industry, although Brexit has led to uncertainty
There is an industry skills gap and shrinking pool of talent
We’re recruiting to deliver on major projects – but competitors are too
Useful statistics:
Construction accounts for 6 – 7% of UK GDP. About 2.1 million people are employed in the industry (6.1% of UK’s workforce, 10% at peak). Top 20 companies account for c % of £135bn market
March 2017

5. Diversity and inclusion
How serious are we as an industry?
We need to change how we are perceived
Main business drivers for diversity and inclusion
Diversity and inclusion in engineering survey report 2015 including trends, similarities and differences with the highways and transportation sector
Tackling skills shortage
Innovation and creativity
Demonstrate diversity to clients
Competitive edge when bidding
Retention and turnover
Better reflecting our community
Better reflecting our customers
Employee engagement/performance
Avoiding legal action
Reducing absence
As the survey indicates, its clearly a commitment of business and the core driver is skills.
Do we truly believe in transferable skills or MUST we have that PM with 25 years of highways experience???
Diversity shouldn’t alienate anyone…but include EVERYONE
Construction is seen as traditional, white, male
As we grow and recruit new talent we have a fantastic opportunity to create a very different industry
Looking at the top 4 reasons on the survey…it should be a given.
March 2017

6. Diversity and inclusion
How serious are we as an industry?
We need to change how we are perceived
Tackling skills shortage
Innovation and creativity
Demonstrate diversity to clients
Competitive edge when bidding
Retention and turnover
Better reflecting our community
Better reflecting our customers
Employee engagement/performance
Avoiding legal action
Reducing absence
As the survey indicates, its clearly a commitment of business and the core driver is skills.
Do we truly believe in transferable skills or MUST we have that PM with 25 years of highways experience???
Diversity shouldn’t alienate anyone…but include EVERYONE
Construction is seen as traditional, white, male
As we grow and recruit new talent we have a fantastic opportunity to create a very different industry
Looking at the top 4 reasons on the survey…it should be a given.
Main business drivers for diversity and inclusion
Diversity and inclusion in engineering survey report 2015 including trends, similarities and differences with the highways and transportation sector
March 2017

7. Diversity and inclusion
How serious are we as an industry?
We need to change how we are perceived
Tackling skills shortage
Innovation and creativity
Demonstrate diversity to clients
Competitive edge when bidding
Retention and turnover
Better reflecting our community
Better reflecting our customers
Employee engagement/performance
Avoiding legal action
Reducing absence
As the survey indicates, its clearly a commitment of business and the core driver is skills.
Do we truly believe in transferable skills or MUST we have that PM with 25 years of highways experience???
Diversity shouldn’t alienate anyone…but include EVERYONE
Construction is seen as traditional, white, male
As we grow and recruit new talent we have a fantastic opportunity to create a very different industry
Looking at the top 4 reasons on the survey…it should be a given.
Main business drivers for diversity and inclusion
Diversity and inclusion in engineering survey report 2015 including trends, similarities and differences with the highways and transportation sector
March 2017

8. Training and skills
How can we encourage young people to consider our industry in the first place?
Long-term partnerships with UTC’s
Start thinking/leveraging the skills for tomorrow e.g. offsite manufacture, robotics
Hair and beauty
1 job
Construction
4.5 jobs
Why isn’t our industry and industry of choice? How do we change the preconceptions
44000 people are needed in the construction industry every year we are currently only bringing in 9000 through apprenticeships.
We need the change to be broader – with the supply chain who are so important to the way we deliver work.
Better utilise Supply Chain Sustainability School – to upskill supply chain and industry.
Long-term partnerships with UTC’s
Peterborough
Bucks
Silverstone
Huge mismatches of supply and demand
CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey 2015
March 2017

9. Training and skills
How can we encourage young people to consider our industry in the first place?
Long-term partnerships with UTC’s
Start thinking/leveraging the skills for tomorrow e.g. offsite manufacture, robotics
Hair and beauty
1 job
5 people
Construction
4.5 jobs
2 people
Why isn’t our industry and industry of choice? How do we change the preconceptions
44000 people are needed in the construction industry every year we are currently only bringing in 9000 through apprenticeships.
We need the change to be broader – with the supply chain who are so important to the way we deliver work.
Better utilise Supply Chain Sustainability School – to upskill supply chain and industry.
Long-term partnerships with UTC’s
Peterborough
Bucks
Silverstone
Huge mismatches of supply and demand
CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey 2015
March 2017

10. Gender balance by sector
79%
human health and social work
72%
education
57%
real estate activities
49%
public admin and defence: social security
48%
wholesale, retail and car repair
46%
all employment
44%
financial and insurance
44%
administrative and support services
40%
professional, scientific and technical
29%
information and communication
Gender has long been an issue of our sector, but the dials aren’t turning quickly enough. We need to change in order to attract diversity.
What do the industries at the top of the scale have that we don’t?
- Flexibility/Agility
- Work life balance
Returners programes addresses this by looking at mid to senior levels
We say we need to encourage girls to chose STEM, but they are is there is 40% representation in Scientific & technical…they just aren’t choosing us!
25%
manufacturing
27%
agriculture, forestry and fishing
19%
transport and storage
20%
mining, energy and water
12%
construction
ONS data on % of women in each industry
March 2017

11. How can we attract into EEH?
Cambridgeshire
Peterborough
Northamptonshire
Oxfordshire
Buckinghamshire
Luton
Central Beds
Bedford
Milton Keynes
East of England heartland
What do our communities want?
Large scale infrastructure projects in our back yard
Apprenticeship levy – we have to think differently about our Talent pipelines
Even BREXIT – there is uncertainty use the opportunity to drive the investment in the local workforce
Our communities are changing, but their needs are the same.
We need to truly reflect these communities if we want to open our doors to them
Apprentices don’t have to be year old school leavers, they can be 40/50 year olds retraining or securing a specialism
BREXIT is very uncertain, our risk is the reliance on migrant labour at both ends of the scale. It is important to create inclusive environments, especially in context of the foreign and European labour that we employ on our sites (particularly with c.80% of our work delivered through the supply chain)
Lets use the opportunity to upskill the local work force & broaden diversity to include social mobility with offender programme, military, NEETs etc
What do our communities want?
Skills – Jobs – Connectivity
Large scale infrastructure projects in our back yard
HS2 – A14 – East/West rail
March 2017

12. March 2017