Learning and Development
How to build your career in infrastructure – insight from across the profession.
-
Interview: Keith Bentley - Life beyond BIM in the new age of innovation
Bentley Systems celebrates 30 years in the construction software business. Founder and chief technical officer Keith Bentley gives a rare interview.Read more -
Q and A with Mike Putnam: Why the UK needs a lower carbon industry
The Green Construction Board hosted its Infrastructure Carbon Review conference this week. Co-chair Mike Putnam explains progress to date.Read more -
Have your say on the industry in 2050
Construction Industry Council’s BIM2050 Group is seeking young professionals as new members to shape the future of the construction industry, says it’s chief executive Graham Watts.Read more -
A new approach to resource management planning
Sticking to traditional approaches won’t bring the innovation needed to cut costs, says Temple's Martin GibsonRead more -
Lean – why wouldn’t you?
All the evidence shows Lean produces time, cost and quality improvements so what is holding it back asks Zara Lamont?Read more -
The apprentices
Consultants and young people alike have grabbed the opportunities offered by new engineering technician apprenticeship schemes. Jackie Whitelaw reports.Read more -
Career women: class of 2001
As the government calls for more women to enter the engineering profession Bernadette Ballantyne asks her former engineering classmates about their career paths.Read more -
Progress Network Midlands: managing international projects, 18 September
Don't miss launch meeting of the new Midlands Progress NetworkRead more -
Global infrastructure boom boosts demand for professional delivery skills
University of Surrey responds to demand with new MSc course to prepare professionals for global challenge.Read more -
It’s a client’s world; work out how to deal with it
Know what you do best and make sure you keep doing it, is WSP's Tom Smith’s advice for consultants competing in a changing world.Read more -
Bidding war looms for Hyder as Japanese firm Nippon Koei outbids ARCADIS
Extra £12M means Nippon Koei now the recommended buyerRead more -
Use your skills to give us extra capacity and reap rewards Underground boss tells suppliers
London Underground’s director of capital projects David Waboso explains the £1.3bn a year investment challenge to deliver a 30% upgrade in Tube capacity.Read more -
Challenging but exciting times ahead in highways.
The Infrastructure Bill is a huge milestone for transformation of the Highways Agency. Chief executive Graham Dalton explains why.Read more -
Video: DfT director John Dowie on the road sector's "transformational moment'
Road investment is tripling - five year funding plans are key, say Dowie.Read more -
The future of BIM must focus on data not productivity
As the 2016 deadline for public projects to embrace BIM, Mark Bew explains a data centric future.Read more -
“Doubling of workload doesn’t mean charging us double” – Dalton on Highways Agency transformation
Agency boss Graham Dalton on the transformation needed to manage £16.8bn of investment by 2021 and the impact on suppliers.Read more -
Big mergers bring opportunity to small business
Big company people affected by 'synergies' will find a welcome at SMEs says David Fison.Read more -
Fear Fracktor: UK deserves informed debate on fracking
More data and less hyperbole is required for the UK to have an informed debate on fracking. (Plus video on environmental approach).Read more -
International Intelligence: collaborate to compete in overseas markets, UK firms told
Cultural differences, early risk management and taking expert advice are critical ACE International Conference told.Read more -
Thames Tideway – a new era for privately financed infrastructure
Chairman Sir Neville Simms explains the £4.2bn project's ground-breaking delivery and financing plansRead more -
UK Green Investment Bank – going overseas, moving private
Getting the GIB to lead UK overseas climate fund investment would be a positive step forward, says David Symons.Read more -
Video: Don’t talk about sustainability, talk about innovation
Lend Lease’s Jon Kirkpatrick on turning sustainability into a means not an end.Read more -
Safety in construction - still a matter for concern?
An industry that is not serious about eliminating fatalities at work can never be sustainable, argues Gordon Masterton.Read more -
Safety – When all else fails
Gordon Masterton discusses the impact of site deaths and says everyone should take a look at Kate’s Story and help save lives.Read more -
Crossrail needs You! Railway to be focus of drive to bring young into rail
Crossrail is being used to attract young people to think about a career in rail. Christine Townley of Construction Youth Trust explains how.Read more -
Infrastructure is about people – we forget that at our peril
While market consolidation will continue, retaining talent remains the true driver of success, says Antony Oliver.Read more -
Network hard to boost your career in engineering and consultancy
Get involved with the ACE Progress Network - it might just help your career, says chair Lucy Carraz.Read more -
Collaborative working – time to join in
Beale & Company co-hosted a seminar with the Garrick House Network this month examining some of the themes emerging from the industry’s focus on increasingly collaborative ways of working. Here’s a taste of what wasRead more -
Leadership needed to tackle ‘pathetically dismal’ apprenticeship numbers in construction
Employers must embrace training that is driven by industry need, says Mace director David Rowbotham.Read more -
UNEMPLOYMENT UPDATE: Will improving inflation and employment figures put pressure on Bank of England to raise rates?
Interest rate rises: growth says yes, capacity gap says no. Graham Pontin explains.Read more -
Winning the LEP funding game
Leeds was the big winner of the Growth Deal settlements with LEPs last month. WYG's Paul Hamer explains why.Read more -
Creative explosion: when the brightest minds meet the most experienced leaders
IABSE's Future of Design conference will showcase the profession’s future, says Antony OliverRead more -
Infrastructure holds balance for a future of low carbon living
The infrastructure industry can make or break low carbon ambitions. Paul Toyne explains.Read more -
International Intelligence: Middle East managers in demand
The opportunities in the Middle East are increasing and the market is adapting to new requirements, says Bernadette Ballantyne.Read more -
Rail - everything is possible in the next three and a half decades
Driverless, hydrogen powered trains and 3D printing are all part of rail in 2050, says Arup’s Colin Stewart.Read more -
Time to get paid
ACE’s legal and compliance director Sally Partridge offers some advice on the best practice arrangements in place to help companies get paid.Read more -
Many hands make light work.
Collaborative working is key to success in construction, explains Sheena SoodRead more -
Safety –the number one priority
David Waboso highlights some simple initiatives that are improving health and safety at LU and reports on what happened when he volunteered as a guinea pig for a fatigue test. The results gave him a bit of a shock.Read more -
Maintenance, a price worth paying?
Our emotionally driven agenda demands more fuss and bluster over maintenance, says George HutchinsonRead more -
Factory thinking hits the water sector
"Imagine if we became a car industry for water," says Buildoffsite's Richard Ogden in Bernadette Ballantyne's report of the impact of factory thinking on the water industry.Read more -
Is bigger better? The client view
Businesses justifying their merger plans always say that the move will be good for their clients. Do clients agree? Jackie Whitelaw asks Graham Dalton and Miles Ashley.Read more -
University Technical Colleges – a new route into engineering
Getting more young people into engineering continues to be a challenge. Peter Brett Associates' Steve Capel Davies has a solution.Read more -
Bridging the gap in Rwanda
You'll need half an hour but here's a lovely film of some young engineers working with the local community in Rwanda to build a bridge.Read more -
Work-life balance critical to attracting best staff in energy sector
But gender imbalance still holds back careers for women, says new Energy Institute report.Read more -
Kotecha on power distribution: “If we just adopt conventional methods, we’ll be caught out”
Nirmal Kotecha of UK Power Networks on the need for smart thinking in the next phase of electricity distribution spending.Read more -
Social value spotlight turns on the supply chain - what you need to do
Carillion's Philip Green, as government CSR advisor, is looking at UK company performance on social value. Achilles' Tom Grand explores the implications.Read more -
Mediation - the pragmatic route to low cost dispute resolution?
A mock mediation event by Griffiths & Armour and Hill Dickinson demonstrated that good sense can prevail even in the toughest disputes.Read more -
Can we shape an industry to be proud of by 2050?
Understanding what motivates people is critical to success, says CIC 2050 Group chair Louise Clarke.Read more -
Ten things I've learned over 10 years in green policy
The language of green; the complexity and the simplicity of policy; the incomprehensible scale of global opportunity. Matthew Farrow reflects on a sustainable decade.Read more -
New anti-bribery standard on the way
A new international anti-bribery standard is due to be issued in 2016, writes ACE chief operating officer Anil Iyer. No organisation is immune from bribery risk. However, organisations can demonstrate they have adequate procedures inRead more -
ACE membership growth underlines new confidence in the industry
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering saw membership grow in April, underlining the current increase in confidence in the industry finally emerging from the turmoil of the economic downturn. New members firms included Capita, TurnerRead more -
Collaboration - eleven top tips for success
One organisation can no longer do it all and go it alone. Drew Ritchie explains the art of togethernessRead more -
Busy industry gives Progress Network confidence to expand
I have noticed a renewed feeling of confidence in our industry. It was heartening to see the government set out its updated National Infrastructure Plan in December, with £375bn of planned private and public sectorRead more -
The return of confidence
Why is confidence so high among recruiters and those looking for new jobs? Matchtech operations director Grahame Carter explains.Read more -
The price of eggs and modern infrastructure. Can consumers afford it?
As the cost of living crisis bites, professionals must take a lead, says Antony OliverRead more -
The world in 2020 – five mega technology trends that will transform your consultancy
Our world is facing unprecedented change. So, how can you prepare to prosper? BST Global’s Javier Baldor explains.Read more -
New route map launched to help clients spend less on consultants
New do it yourself guide aims to advise public sector clients how to set up projects to dispense with unnecessary advice fees.Read more -
Time to pick and choose - the Infrastructure Intelligence SME round table discussion
Supporting the growing infrastructure market is presenting both challenges and opportunities for small to medium sized firms who are being more selective over clients, Bernadette Ballantyne discovered at our round table event with software firmRead more -
Mergers: Michael Coombs of Alan Baxter & Associates gives the SME view
Michael Coombs of Alan Baxter & Associates gives his view on what the trend for mergers means for smaller built environment consultancies.Read more -
Coming out of recession – what should we all be doing?
As a survivor of multiple down-turns, John Patch describes four key challenges along the "coming-out-of-recession" journey.Read more -
Staff recruitment and retention biggest threat to growth in consultancy.
International benchmark survey also highlights risk from “over-servicing and under-billing” culture.Read more -
ACE needs to widen membership says new chairman Chris Cole
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering must modernise and change to survive and grow.Read more -
Act now to stop the brain drain impacting the UK infrastructure recovery.
New research by Hays and the IMechE demonstrates the temptation of overseas contracts, says Greg Lettington.Read more -
People and relationships key to growth says Systra UK's new chief executive.
Tim O’Neill took over as Systra UK new boss last month having spent the last 10 years running Atkins’ rail communication division.Read more -
Pension changes – good or bad?
Will pension changes affect pension fund backing of infrastructure?Read more -
BIM must be embraced as a business process not a design technology
Government mandate for all public sector projects use BIM tools by 2016 makes sense but beware misinformation says Bentley's Neville Glanville.Read more