Questions

What impact has the Skills Bootcamp had on you?

I have gone on to review our company policy and processes with an aim to further improve sustainability especially within drylining, plastering and tiling. We have connected via email and LinkedIn to various people to share experiences and sustainability knowledge and I have joined the sustainability working groups for The Tile Association and Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS). If you get the chance to attend, I highly recommend it!

What was one of the highlights of your Skills Bootcamp?

We were fortunate enough to visit Tyseley Energy Park to see the green energy and innovation quarter including the UK’s first multi-fuel low and zero carbon fuel refuelling station, refuelling Birmingham City Council’s fully hydrogen double decker bus fleet!

We then moved onto the six-week project, the aim being set for us to collaboratively identify an area to address relating to sustainability or net zero within one of our organisations or areas of interest. Through networking we soon realised four of us worked in construction, with three of us being members of FIS. With a FM client, main contractor, SFS designer/manufacturer and us being an interior finishes contractor/installer it was brilliant to work together with a mutual desire to make improvements in the construction process from concept, built stage and onto the end user, with my particular area of interest being influencing the design stage, embodied carbon, reducing re-work and recycling. We worked together and had interviews with chosen experts, this is where I met Flavie Lowres, FIS Sustainability Champion, we had a very productive conversation with some great ideas thanks to Flavie.

How was the teaching on your Skills Bootcamp?

I found the mix of online and in person training very interesting especially visiting the university campus and teaching by Dr Dexter Hunt and Dr Lydia Pickering. We attended online meetings and had access to lots of online podcasts via canvas of Rebekah Trinder interviewing experts in their field.

Why did you apply for the Skills Bootcamp?

I applied with an aim to gain skills in net zero, sustainability, life cycle assessment and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) compliance for the construction industry, particularly relating to our business trades; being SFS, drylining, plastering, suspended ceilings and tiling.