Nick Boles, Minister of State for Skills & Construction is Keynote speaker at the CEA (Construction Equipment Association) Annual Conference.
The CEA is holding its annual conference on Wednesday 18th November 2015 at the home of the Institute of Civil Engineers at One Great George Street, London. This year’s conference, programme supported by Volvo Construction Equipment, will concentrate on the factors that will make the UK construction equipment sector even more successful – investment in infrastructure, commitment to skills and the adoption of innovative technology – with insights into market prospects and top level networking.
Nick Higham renowned broadcaster and journalist returns again as MC having successfully piloted several conferences for both the CEA and CECE (Committee for European Construction Equipment).
Keynote speaker at this year’s conference is Nick Boles, Minister of State for Skills & Construction. Mr Boles was appointed as Minister of State jointly for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education in July of last year. He was elected as the Conservative MP for Grantham and Stamford in May 2010 and re-elected in May 2015.
The Minister’s joint BIS and DfE responsibilities include employer ownership of skills, pre-employment and basic skills, and vocational qualifications. Apprenticeships and traineeships are also part of Mr Boles remit which ties in with one of the key themes of the conference. He also is responsible for the Skills Funding Agency which fund skills training for further education (FE) in England. The Agency supports over 1,000 colleges, private training organisations, and employers with £3.7 billion of funding each year.
Heading up the ‘Markets’ section of the conference is David Phillips managing director, Off-Highway Research who will be talking about the Construction Equipment Market both in the UK and world-wide – an indispensable briefing from the leading market analyst.
Infrastructure is also a key part of the conference programme – and the UK’s Mega-Projects are on the agenda. Sir Neville Sims chair of the Thames Tideway project will provide the vision for the biggest London Construction project since the launch of Crossrail. Sir Neville is the former head of Tarmac and Carillion.
Bill Quigley, head of Excavated & Bulk Materials HS2 Infrastructure Directorate will update delegates on the HS2 project – with a budget of £40milllion plus this is a project front and centre of many CEA members’ plans.
Dick Elsy chief executive of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult. Dick is at the forefront of manufacturing innovation, as a former senior executive at Jaguar Land Rover, he now heads one of the most pioneering pro-business initiative from Government – and give his insight into the productivity puzzle.
A representative from Komatsu will also be talking to delegates on the next wave of innovation in the construction equipment sector – Intelligent Machines…the next generation.
Discussing the Skills agenda is Nigel Baseley president of the CEA & sales director – EAME Industrial Power Division, Perkins Engines. The chair of the CEA Skills Advisory Panel introduces the latest CEA initiative on the number one HR issue, the shortage of Skilled Staff.
Stephen Spencer is the latest to be added to the list of speakers. Stephen is Human Resources Director, GKN Group Services. He has been an HR business partner for over 20 years leading various global £2bn divisions in GKN, Federal Mogul and Courtaulds Group. He is a chartered fellow of CIPD.
Stephen will talk to the conference delegates from his responsibility as project lead for the Apprentice Clearing House of the Automotive Industrial Partnership.
The conference, in association with Volvo Construction Equipment, Plantworx and Construction Worx, is free to attend for CEA members and guests. Non-CEA members the delegate fee is £175.00 (plus VAT). To register https://thecea.org.uk/conference/ Registration commences at 09.30am and closes at approximately 16.15hrs.
Members of the press are invited to attend the conference FOC. Please email or call Louise Murphy to register. louiseamurphy@aol.com or call 020 8661 0511 or 07730 617258
* Photograph of Nick Boles courtesy of Department for Business Innovation and Skills (via Flickr)
