Work-based qualifications awarding body City & Guilds has announced the appointments of a new chair and vice-chair to the Employer Industry Board for Construction and Building Services Engineering.
Chair Kate Parker and vice-chair Kat Healey bring a combined 15 years’ experience and knowledge within the construction industry skills and training landscape, and City & Guilds says their understanding and expertise will be “vital” to the delivery and aims of the Employer & Industry Board for 2021.
The Employer & Industry Board (EIB) for Construction & Building Services Engineering (CBSE) has been formed to provide advice and industry voice to City & Guilds & EAL with the aim of ensuring qualifications, services, and programmes fully meet the needs of employers and support the progression from full-time education to work.
Kate Parker
Parker has been part of the Procure Plus team since 2009. Working as a Senior Regeneration Manager, with particular responsibility for the group’s training and employment activities. Parker has worked in the sector for over 15 years, both in the UK and overseas.
Parker brings to the role a wealth of specialist knowledge of the apprenticeship and vocational training landscape, particularly within the construction industry, and an interest in supporting people from marginalised communities gain access to opportunities.
Parker has developed partnerships across the northwest to see over 1,500 people move in to sustainable employment over the past three years.
Having delivered a successful bid for the DfE Construction Skills Fund (CSF), and the CITB’s On Site Experience fund, Parker oversees Procure Plus’s construction hubs across England and Wales, working closely with construction and community partners, as well as training providers and funders.
These hubs will support a minimum of 1,400 people not currently working in construction to secure employment within the industry, and are the foundation of CITB’s careers strategy for the industry.
“I’m delighted that C&G are engaging with industry in this way, and very pleased to be able to use my experience of working in the sector to ensure developments meet the needs of new entrants and up-skillers, to help them develop careers in a great industry,” said Parker.
“I’m looking forward to working with such a great board of stakeholders.”
Kat Healey
With over eight years’ experience working within the built environment supporting, creating, and promoting construction sector career opportunities, Healey brings with her a wealth of experience in both technical and non-technical career pathways in construction.
Healey is a collaborative worker and believes in strength in numbers and has worked with a broad range of stakeholders, both in education and the industry to ensure that the skills agenda is current, accessible, and understood.
“A key driver in ensuring that we have the skills to support construction and the built environment going forward, is a stronger connection between employers and education,” said Healey.
“Working along side each other to attract, train, and retain talent, both now and in the coming years.
“City and Guilds are truly leading the way in their engagement with employers, enabling us to bring our skills and knowledge to education, and I am hugely optimistic about the impact that this will bring to the skills agenda.”
Procure Plus is a Housing Digital stakeholder and a social housing regeneration consortium that generates efficiencies by leveraging the procurement of construction materials and contractors.
Image: Kate Parker, chair, City & Guilds
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