The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has undergone a major transformation as Nick Boles, minister of state for skills and equalities, announced a new Board and the formation of a new advisory council.
Women now outnumber men on the CITB’s streamlined eight-member Board, with the appointment of five women from across the industry making it the first non-departmental public body to have a female-majority Board.
Mr. Boles said:
“The new Board will have a major role in helping this dynamic industry develop the skills it needs to grow. I congratulate all the new Trustees on their appointment and look forward to seeing them working with business and employers to address the skills challenges faced by the construction sector.
“I am particularly pleased to see greater diversity on the Board and hope that it encourages more women to consider a career in construction.”
The new members of the CITB Board are:
Chairman
James Wates CBE, chairman of Wates Group
Employers
Maureen Douglas, group HR director at Forster Group (Scotland); David Harris MBE, managing director of WRW Construction (Wales); Karen Jones, group HR director at Redrow; Maria Pilfold, HR consultant and former director of the Taylor Wimpey Group; Ray Wilson, director and general manager at Carillion Training Services
Independents
Dr. Diana Garnham, chief executive of the Science Council, and Frances Wadsworth, principal and chief executive at Croydon College
James Wates CBE, who will chair the new Board, said:
“The appointment of a diverse, smaller, industry-led Board marks the next stage of a reform programme that will make us even more relevant and responsive to the needs and ambitions of the industry we serve.
“Our industry is facing challenging times and I am delighted that the secretary of state has appointed a Board which fairly reflects our industry – both in terms of diversity and representation from all three UK nations.
“I look forward to working with our new colleagues to drive change and make a lasting contribution to our industry in the year ahead.”
The Board will be supported by a newly formed CITB Council, which will provide advice on the skills challenges facing construction and help shape the organisation’s future direction.
Comprising 21 representatives from across the built environment sector, the Council includes representatives from large construction companies, SMEs, civil engineering firms, and higher education institutions, as well as Unite the Union and the National Trust, and will also be chaired by James Wates.
Adrian Belton, chief executive of CITB, said:
“This is the next step in CITB’s transformation. The new Council will ensure the voice of representatives from across the industry is clearly heard and they will play a key role in shaping the future of skills for our sector.
“We look forward to working with our new colleagues and I am confident the Council will help us to cooperate even more closely with industry in meeting the skills challenges ahead.”
For on the full list of new Council members, click here
