Spec Finish

FIS Announcement Beena Nana appointed as Head of Skills and Training FIS is delighted to announce the appointment of Beena Nana as Head of Skills and Training. In her first three months, Beena will be concentrating on the FIS BuildBack programme which ends this year, before taking over from Skills and Training Lead George Swann who retires in March. Beena has extensive experience in the skills and training arena. She is particularly well versed in SME liaison and apprenticeships, having worked for the Department for Education for many years. In her new role, Beena will continue to develop the company’s skills strategy including integrating the ground-breaking work FIS is doing on Competency Passports and Frameworks into FIS sector recruitment activity. Working with industry stakeholders such as CITB and DWP, Beena will lead the company’s efforts to attract new entrants to the sector, qualify the workforce, develop competency plans and support members with their training needs. Beena commented: “I am truly excited with my appointment, working in an organisation where I have the opportunity to make a real difference to the sector. Having worked in a similar role, I’m looking forward to working with our members and on the exciting projects ahead of us.” FIS CEO Iain McIlwee said: “Beena brings a wealth of experience and some new ways of thinking to the FIS team. Without a doubt, the shortages in our workforce and the new and more onerous requirements to demonstrate and manage competency are the biggest systemic challenge we face as a sector. Whether you believe recruiting more people, working more productively or evolving to new ways of working is the answer, and the truth is likely to be a combination of the three, the answer is in training and development. We have an ambitious and progressive plan in place to support our community in terms of the recruitment of new people and development of competency plans – Beena will be working with our members to take this to the next level”. beenanana@thefis.org Beena Nana, Head of Skills and Training at FIS Now Get Qualified reaches 10-year trading milestone In October, Now Get Qualified reached its 10th anniversary. During this time the business has formed strong working relationships with drylining and fit-out contractors, as well as countless small business and sole traders. Set up to address the numbers of unqualified, but skilled, fit-out workers, Managing Director Dan Plosky said: “One of the first things we identified was that information on NVQ and CSCS requirements was vague and often conflicting. Information was available, but many clients and enquirers were still unsure of processes, regulations, and their CITB Grant entitlements. “I decided to form NGQ. I’d been well trained and had made a lot of connections, but felt the need to oversee operations personally. My wife, Debbie, had plenty of office experience, and after some convincing decided to take a leading role overseeing accounts and administration. I sourced a few experienced and time served assessors and quality assurers, and after much work and hoop jumping, we were up and running. Our services began, and largely remain today, as a provider of on-site assessment. Our delivery staff are all from the tools, predominantly drywall, cladding, and plastering occupations. They know the trades they assess and site life, and are excellent communicators.” www.nowgetqualified.co.uk Debbie and Dan Plosky 30 www.thefis.org Buildots win the Construction Software of the Year Award Buildots has won Construction Software of the Year at the London Construction Awards 2022. Voted for by industry leaders, Buildots were up against technology giants like Autodesk, and stated: “We are extremely honoured to have been named the winner in this category. This award goes a long way in showing us the industry’s confidence in our technology and empowers us to continue providing construction business leaders with better visibility and control of their projects” www.buildots.com London Construction Awards (LCA) Community News