Learning platform launched to accelerate digital adoption
NEWS ARTICLE
29 April 2021
Costain has been supporting the Supply Chain Sustainability School in creating a new learning platform dedicated to building the skills of managers in the construction industry, to accelerate digital adoption. The platform has been launched today by the School, a multi-award-winning initiative which represents a common approach to addressing sustainability within supply chains.
Digital technology has the potential to transform construction – but only if the sector is equipped with the right skills and knowledge. Modern digital technologies can raise productivity, increase efficiency, improve quality and safety, reduce sustainability impacts and help attract people to the sector.
The construction sector has not increased its productivity over the last forty years and, as such, managers within the construction industry currently lack the skillset to lead the adoption of new digital technology. Without widespread digital adoption, the construction industry risks being marginalised and may lose a generation of new talent to other sectors. This new programme will support business leaders by equipping them with the right skills, knowledge and tools required to successfully lead the implementation of new digital technology solutions within their organisations.
Ian Heptonstall, director, Supply Chain Sustainability School said: “Net Zero carbon, improved profitability, workforce attraction and improved safety and quality are just some of the big challenges our industry faces. We can continue as we are, or we can embrace new ways of working and the digital technologies that can help us to address these challenges. Our new training materials allow managers and leaders to understand the emerging digital technologies and the skills they will need to be an effective champion of digital in their organisation.”
Drawing upon one of the UK’s leading infrastructure projects, the Thames Tideway Tunnel, and using best practice from Costain, Skanska and other main infrastructure contractors, the Supply Chain Sustainability School has created a series of free-to-access learning materials via a new Digital topic area, funded by CITB. This programme will provide a suite of learning materials, including workshops, e-learning modules and online resources to help managers embed digital technology in their business.
Jeremy Galpin, lead for digital social value consultancy, Tideway East and Costain said: “These learning materials plug a key gap in providing freely available resources that, firstly, allow organisations and individuals to benchmark the digital leadership maturity of themselves and their organisations and, secondly, provide the learning resources to develop the gaps that they identify. Both aspects are critical to adding value. I am confident the programme will make a measurable and significant contribution to the digital leadership maturity of the infrastructure supply chain.”
The Supply Chain Sustainability School provides free practical learning and support in the form of sustainability training, networking, e-learning modules, tailored assessments, action plans and a library of over 2,900 online resources. The School is co-funded by CITB and industry partners, with the direction of the School being led by over 120 partners – working in collaboration, they share knowledge and free resources to inspire the UK built environment to drive positive change and each share a common desire to upskill the industry.