21

Nov

2015

Since 2014, the Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) has been gaining momentum and paving the way for a better, more regulated Industry. With over 700 companies now live on CIRI, it is proving to be a success.
One of the key aims of the development of CIRI is to increase and enhance the competence and competitiveness of the construction industry in Ireland and to meet the demands of more rigorous building regulations, more complex and competitive procurement processes, the use of innovative and diverse technologies in the design and construction processes, and increasingly demanding building contracts.
With this in mind, one of the crucial components of the register is the undertaking of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for all construction facing employees that are on the register. CPD is learning that adds to and enhances a person’s occupational, technical and professional competence in a process of lifelong learning.
In the case of CIRI, this will be company-centred and must reflect the diverse range of registered entities and within these the activities of various individual personnel at different levels and in a variety of roles. Within the Irish construction industry, there are a number of professional bodies offering CPD initiatives and accreditation, including the Construction Industry Federation, the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, Engineers Ireland and the Society of Chartered Surveyors. If properly implemented, CPD has the potential to improve performance, increase innovation and enhance the quality of the Industry.
CPD is not a new concept, most people undertake CPD as part of their job (e.g. searching the internet for information, learning from formal and informal team discussions, and attending conferences and seminars). CPD is about capturing useful experiences and assessing the practical benefits of what has been learned, reflecting on what can be done now that couldn’t be done before.
One CIRI registered company that is successfully implementing CIRI CPD across the company is Collen Construction Ltd. Collen Construction is widely recognised as one of the leading contractors in Ireland with their expertise expanding across a variety sectors. David Lee, Construction Director, has embraced the need for developing and improving the individual skills and knowledge of employees, while recognising such an investment in people will not only drive the business to future success but also empower each employee to take ownership of their personal development and career.
Collen Construction has developed an internal CPD recording system to make the CIRI CPD process work for its business. A rigorous and effective communication strategy has ensured that all employees, from senior level right down to site based employees, have embraced the CPD process.
The company has introduced a CPD logging system, which is designed to ensure all employees are involved in recording of their own on-site and general CPD activities. Collen Construction’s approach to implementing CPD has given all of their employees a greater understanding of their own personal development needs and places a responsibility on each staff member to discuss their careers and ambitions with their line manager at the annual review.
Each CPD activity that occurs is recorded and logged by the individual and then is fed back into an overall progress report so that Management can easily view the types of activities that are being undertaken and by whom. Collen Construction is championing the CIRI CPD process and has confidence that their processes will make the ongoing renewal process significantly easier to manage into the future. This approach has encouraged and promoted a learning culture for their organisation, leading to higher morale, motivation and skill retention, paving the way for future success.
Our image shows Eoin O’Donoghue, who works for Collen Construction

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