The Building Podcast with Mark Wakeford

Construction Skills - Government is trying to help - Get involved to secure your legacy and the future of your business

Send a Text - Feedback Welcome [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2394957/fan_mail/new] Construction skills remain a challenge for the industry.  Construction is recruiting fewer new recruits, and our average age of tradesperson continues to increase.  Where and how is our sector going to find the people with the skills to provide a service?  The Government's solution for England is the ten Construction Technical Excellence Colleges scattered throughout the country.  These FE Colleges have already proven that they are exceptional and can act as regional training hubs for the industry.  There is some money to facilitate better courses with good lecturers and money to support SME engagement.  The industry is characterised with many small businesses, through which much of the trade training is delivered.  These jobs are relatively immune to Artificial Intelligence, yet the high cost of recruitment and employment is deterring many from making this investment in their workforce. Sam Egan is the Group Director of CTECs at the Bedford College Group which has the responsibility for steering the ten CTECs.  She has the responsibility to make this investment work and to help solve the developing construction skills crisis.  Listen to this podcast to hear what is planned and why this time this initiative has the authority and breadth to make a difference. Listen to hear how and why construction employers of all sizes should get involved.  Listen to hear the role of trade federations in assimilating knowledge and expectations from their members and distilling it in support of assessing curricula and demand.  Listen to hear about the support on offer for small businesses to employ apprentices and improve their competencies. Sam Egan | LinkedIn [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fsam-egan-67711531%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7Cab56a4c8d84b401c2c8008ded60b6fd5%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639183541770274029%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=IDMCdHj3t8oZ0spUKYjqKEEyQm%2FUV0MtjHIB5Ybq81s%3D&reserved=0] Find a CTEC - The National CTEC Hub [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnationalctec.co.uk%2Ffind-a-ctec%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7Cab56a4c8d84b401c2c8008ded60b6fd5%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639183541770304869%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=itvEOwiIrYSjriYfaMoteOni4VsmXW79KLNFoSDIUdE%3D&reserved=0] Bedford College Group | The Bedford College Group | Further and Higher Education [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbedfordcollegegroup.ac.uk%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7Cab56a4c8d84b401c2c8008ded60b6fd5%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639183541770326578%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vbSjC17CQA7E%2Fq%2BzFiIWPXVzX72f%2BkBALnsHkHHjWjQ%3D&reserved=0]

Decentralised and Democratised Energy - How to get your Community Energy scheme off the ground and onto site

Send a Text - Feedback Welcome [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2394957/fan_mail/new] Community Energy is heralded as the best way to mobilise communities to develop and invest in their own energy schemes, the easiest being wind or solar.  A project starts with the germ of an idea and a group of keen and curious individuals who want to form the nucleus of a diverse team to bring cheaper and secure energy to a community.  Great British Energy is here to support these schemes with an aspiration that every person in the UK will have access to a community scheme by the end of the decade.  They have a £1Bn budget to support 1000 schemes.  You can see the attraction to generating energy in the location that it is going to be used to reduce transmission costs and to increase the security of supply in times of heightened security risks. Kirsty Shanahan set up Buckingham Community Energy with colleagues some six years ago.  She is also a Project Manager for Community Energy Pathways, an organisation that supports community groups to become successful community energy companies.  She has the knowledge and experience to know what, when and how to make a success of community energy! Listen to this podcast to find out how the process works and how nearly anyone can create a community energy scheme with the right people, opportunity and support.  Listen to hear about the skills needed and the importance of good communication skills and governance within the organisation.  Find out about the wide range of support available and the opportunity to be one of the successful schemes that will help the UK achieve its net zero ambitions. Community Energy schemes can be sophisticated energy providers that can fund battery, solar and wind.  Other models can exist for the imaginative, as Community Energy tends to provide a solution where the commercial market cannot.  Community Energy's super-powers include patient and kind capital, deploying locally raised funds within their own communities.  It is also possible to incorporate training for large schemes that can mobilise the local community further, providing careers as part of the "Just Transition". Kirsty Shanahan | LinkedIn [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fkirsty-shanahan-1664b11%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7C71e1bb11d8834eb075f908ded60f1839%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639183557474343439%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x%2FoxpE7ZSqDP4g8WI0JMSXd1HKAqjbzQ6HV0b2LfjTg%3D&reserved=0] Community Energy England - The voice of the community energy sector [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommunityenergyengland.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7C71e1bb11d8834eb075f908ded60f1839%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639183557474371375%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0lwttndX2m%2FNy%2BsC9x86qt2Tk4xDoYdXCOorZSkMRQE%3D&reserved=0] Community Energy Pathways working to accelerate the growth of the community energy sector - Community Energy Pathways [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommunityenergypathways.org.uk%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7C71e1bb11d8834eb075f908ded60f1839%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639183557474387839%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qopxo3w51nDpVju08gAXUWVnjzXDpgywk0tYaiYpXfE%3D&reserved=0]

GB Energy – Driving an energy revolution through community energy schemes

Send a Text - Feedback Welcome [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2394957/fan_mail/new] GB Energy has been created to drive the renewable energy revolution through out the United Kingdom.  One element of this is the near £1Bn fund for 1,000 community energy schemes to be delivered nationally by 2030.  This fund will generate jobs, investment opportunities and cheaper and more resilient energy generation, where local communities can own and benefit from the asset.   Done at scale and at pace, this initiative has the capability of driving changes in consumer behaviour and of de-risking our national grid. Fraser Stewart, Head of Local Energy Strategy for GB Energy, talks about the new institution and the ideas behind community energy schemes.  Listen to this podcast to find out how it works, how to get engaged with the programme and what the constraints are likely to be.  Listen to hear how the programme is being developed and where the opportunities for community groups, solar businesses and other stakeholders might lie.  Listen to hear the focus on skilled UK labour and the ideal of using UK produced materials and products. There is huge opportunity in this programme, as GB Energy seeks to make a return on their investment.  Listen to hear how ambition to service over 1000 separate schemes will drive a demand for skilled people and how GB Energy will unlock these schemes. Fraser Stewart | LinkedIn [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ffraser-stewart-50649519b%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7Ca241e8e414fd4a134a6808ded05fd052%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639177307100036361%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Dg%2FfaWpZTcy3tRxoE0pD7B2WdlP2%2F%2Bnaqloai6PHv6k%3D&reserved=0] Great British Energy [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gbe.gov.uk%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7Ca241e8e414fd4a134a6808ded05fd052%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639177307100075571%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JDzMXnKtdvMAwNT3G6X8Tkyp3zJ980sN6jZxVzTfsCo%3D&reserved=0] cp30 action plan - Search [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcp30%2Baction%2Bplan%26form%3DANNTH1%26refig%3D6a391c915e054b24af1964c1cf833617%26pc%3DU531%26pq%3Dcp30%26pqlth%3D4%26assgl%3D16%26sgcn%3Dcp30%2Baction%2Bplan%26qs%3DAS%26sgtpv%3DAS%26smvpcn%3D0%26swbcn%3D12%26sctcn%3D0%26sc%3D12-4%26sp%3D4%26ghc%3D0%26cvid%3D6a391c915e054b24af1964c1cf833617%26clckatsg%3D1%26hsmssg%3D0&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7Ca241e8e414fd4a134a6808ded05fd052%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639177307100095179%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Mt07xw9rYwHsMozoaaqx9BKceNt2Ob4JcfrLMcgjAVo%3D&reserved=0]

Construction Robots – How to be part of a £300Bn industry by 2030 – Fact or Fiction?

Send a Text - Feedback Welcome [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2394957/fan_mail/new] Government is planning for a £200 - £300Bn industry by 2030 and Agnes Wamagui is in the epicentre of this aspiration.  Agnes is the Knowledge Transfer Manager for Robots within Innovate UK, the Government’s agency for funding and promoting the best of British innovation.  She sits at the confluence of Government policy, university research, investors and industry, both developers and users.  Her role is to promote collaboration and trust in the sector to fund, train and introduce at pace and at scale the concept and use of robots across industry.  Agnes recognised the structural issues that exist within our construction industry, but is adamant that the opportunity is huge, particularly for the early adopters who are keen to improve quality, speed and productivity. Listen to this podcast to find out what Innovate UK is doing to promote robots within the UK and how to get involved.  Find out the challenges that exist around system change to make the most of adopting this technology and the skills that we will all need to maximise the benefit of the technology.  Agnes believes that the hardware exists already and that the software is catching up rapidly.  She is also adamant that there is no excuse why the ideas and research that our top class universities are generating should not stay within the UK to benefit the UK, rather than being bought by foreigners and then returned at a price once honed and optimised. Agnes Wamagui | LinkedIn [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fagnes-wamagui%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7C63fa5300271b4ac4518c08dec26ab4b3%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639161960716147500%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qLs8QKjAJasNn8wKHEDzPK2bJLUg05qxowmpORk3fp4%3D&reserved=0] UKRI – UK Research and Innovation [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ukri.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7C63fa5300271b4ac4518c08dec26ab4b3%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639161960716172405%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=yKWkynIxm560YLppAY1bFiwjuTTumG42Z%2B%2BLFYSjPyc%3D&reserved=0] Robots for a safer world – UKRI [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ukri.org%2Fwhat-we-do%2Fbrowse-our-areas-of-investment-and-support%2Frobots-for-a-safer-world%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7C63fa5300271b4ac4518c08dec26ab4b3%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639161960716190281%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WRBkM5VTDSmlyZ7ofDRdgEehIXPKBmMXrP4MlcAysHo%3D&reserved=0]

Protecting Your Greatest Asset: Why Safeguarding matters to us all

Send a Text - Feedback Welcome [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2394957/fan_mail/new] Companies often state that people are their biggest and most important asset.  The UK construction industry has the highest suicide rate of any sector, so we might argue that we are not looking after this asset at all well. Couple this with our high percentage of neuro- diverse employees and the latest statute, the Employments Rights Act 2025, employers must raise the priority of safeguarding within their organisations, regardless of size. Xara Church is the Global Safeguarding Lead for the Halo Trust, a charity that works worldwide to reduce the impact of war on local communities.   She has worked for Oxfam and a large UK construction consultant.  She understands the importance of proper safeguards and reporting structures in supporting staff, making organisations more effective and protecting reputation.  Her appreciation of 1990s pop group Bananarama “It ain’t what you do, but the way that you do it” informs her approach to driving cultural change through out the Halo Trust. Listen to Xara on the relevance of safeguarding to all organisations.  Hear how important it is to support both the depth of safeguarding within an organisation, but also the breadth, looking at supply chain and external stakeholders, if you want to get the benefits and manage the institutional risks.  Xara explores how to treat survivors / victims and to put in place reporting structures and their management for effective controls.  Xara also talks to the values of the Halo Trust and how they are strictly applied across the world in different cultures and different settings. Listen to this podcast to understand the best-in-class practices around safeguarding and the benefits of getting this right.  Also listen if you want to support the Halo Trust and would like to know how! Xara Church | LinkedIn [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fxara-church-22b9501a3%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7Cd22230a93dcf4969fc5008de9a1a59d7%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639117635159504761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=lu9BkgbgVztghMk7dgU%2FAZhbXr2SdwhTfNxsWrBqAf0%3D&reserved=0] Clearing mines, helping countries recover | The HALO Trust [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhalotrust.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cdinah.downes%40evoenergy.co.uk%7Cd22230a93dcf4969fc5008de9a1a59d7%7C12a84287d6ce4381a843cd0fdc9bbb1f%7C0%7C0%7C639117635159537149%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ESD1vPryPCWZRKDtfGvaPd5U30xh8irFs%2BdVbim2d7o%3D&reserved=0]