We speak with Jude Byrne, MD of Cairn Homes, who tells all about the company, what projects they are working on at present and what type of talent they are seeking to recruit at the Construction Jobs Expo this weekend.
Cairn has opportunities for the full spectrum of site management, as Jude explains.
For more information about Cairn Homes, you can meet them at Construction Jobs Expo this weekend at Croke Park or visit their website: www.cairnhomes.com
We are proud to have OPATSI (Operative Plasterers and Allied Trades Society of Ireland) join Construction Jobs Expo. Meet their team this Saturday from 10 am at Croke Park's Hogan Suite.
On the 13th of September 1893 the Regular Stucco Plasterers' Trade Union of the city of Dublin registered under the Law with the Registrar of Friendly Societies. The union met in the Trade hall in Capel Street, Dublin, the premises of the Dublin Trades Council.
For over one hundred years the Dublin Plasterers have maintained a continuous and independent existence as a registered trade union with slight changes to its name.
These name changes have reflected the union's growth from a small Dublin based society of around 250 plasterers to the national union, with around 1000 registered members organised in countrywide branches, and organises not only plasterers but, tilers, slaters, and similar trades included in the name by which we are known today, the Operative Plasterers' & Allied Trades Society of Ireland.
This unbroken history of over 100 years of Trade Union registration supports the plasterers' claim to be the longest surviving autonomous union in Ireland. A craft organisation among Dublin's working plasterers' can be traced much further back.
The rule book of 1894 and the membership card of OPATSI today display both the coat of arms of the city of Dublin Guild of bricklayers and carpenters, and the date, 1670. Dublin plasterers' claim a direct descent from this guild.
We have a variety of great talks on this Saturday’s Agenda Stage. Here is the Construction Jobs Expo seminar list.
| Start | Finish | Topic | Company | Speakers | |
| 10:30 | 11:15 | Build a Career with a Difference | Grafton Merchanting | Gareth McGrane & Marc Lucock | |
| 11:15 | 12:00 | Glenveagh: The Story so Far | Glenveagh Properties PLC | Stephen Garvey | |
| 12:00 | 12:45 | BREAK | BREAK | BREAK | |
| 12:45 | 13:30 | Building Your Future | Cairn Homes | Sandra Thorpe | |
| 13:30 | 14:15 | A World Leading Construction Consultancy: A Career with Linesight | Linesight | Kevin Kinsella | |
| 14:15 | 15:00 | Career Path in Heat Merchants | Heat Merchants | Alan Hogan | |
| 15:00 | 15:45 | Innovation , Collaboration , Excellence | Kirby Group Engineering | Fergus Barry | |
Don’t forget, the seminars are first-come-first-served. Therefore, make a note of the seminars you want to attend and get in early. Here's the list of speakers https://www.constructionjobsexpo.ie/speaker/
To receive news and updates about jobs in Ireland directly into your inbox, sign up to our newsletters by visiting www.jobsexpo.ie/register/and follow the signup to our newsletter instructions. In addition, you can register for Construction Jobs Expo, Education Expo, Jobs Expo Galway, Dublin or Cork visit www.jobsexpo.ie/register/
The Construction Industry requires more female workers to meet current demand for skills and to deliver Ireland’s urgent housing and infrastructure needs, say key construction leaders. The CIF launched its first Diversity and Inclusion Guidance Document for the Construction sector in a bid to address the existing gender imbalance.
The document was released at the CIF’s Building Equality event last week, the second event this year as part of the representative body’s year-long #BuildingEquality campaign to increase the number of women in the industry and the visibility of those already working in construction.
Speakers at the event included Phil Kane, Country Manager, Eaton Corporation Ireland; Minister of State David Stanton, Department of Justice and Equality with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration; Anne Heraty, Founder and CEO of CPL Resources Plc.
Earlier this year, the Construction Industry Federation commissioned a survey to discover exactly how many women are working in the Irish construction industry, in what roles and at what levels.
The survey also investigated the views of female workers currently working in the industry and the views of employers regarding diversity and inclusion in construction.
This survey showed that over 70% of construction companies recognise the need for more women in the industry. However, on average approximately only 1 out of 10 construction workers are female. The results showed that on construction sites, 99% of workers are male, whilst in offsite roles, 54% are male and 46% are female. Of those women working in construction roles considered ‘offsite’ the majority work in administration, finance, HR and marketing.
Jean Winters, Director of Industrial Relations and Employment Services with CIF and Chair of the #BuildingEquality Working Group said;
“Increasing diversity and gender equality is not just the right thing to do, it is critical for our industry. A disengagement with construction is unconsciously driven by the education system at a very young age for girls. We have to tackle misconceptions about the industry at this level and this will form part of a national awareness campaign the CIF is undertaking to promote the diverse careers in the industry. The industry has a job to do to proactively ensure that we are diversity and inclusion friendly and that has been the impetus behind the development of our CIF Diversity and Inclusion Member Guidance Document, which will be issued to all members.
As the construction sector recovers and evolves, we are increasingly competing with other industries for talented young people who are concerned about equality and diversity. In order to meet the ambition of government strategies we must attract more women into the industry. Careers in construction have become more family-friendly, more technology driven, safer, less physically demanding and increasingly global in recent years. So, there are major opportunities in the industry. The #BuildingEquality campaign asks male and female leaders in the industry to set the example and put equality of opportunity at the top of their agenda. We want to encourage more young women to consider construction as a viable option for them and change the view that construction is ‘just for the boys.’”
Minister of State David Stanton, Department of Justice and Equality with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration said:
“I am delighted to celebrate the work that has been done over the last year through the CIF’s Building Equality campaign, which has been championing female role models working throughout construction. A healthy, functioning, construction industry is vitally important to our nation’s growing needs and thankfully the industry has emerged from the recession as a leaner, more modern and innovative place to work. The industry has become more open, more diverse and is becoming an attractive career option for young people once again. But while in many ways our society has come so far, we cannot ignore the fact that many traditional stereotypes still exist, particularly when it comes to industries like construction, which have historically been male-dominated.
The work that has been done through the Building Equality campaign, in raising awareness of the many women currently working in a variety of roles throughout construction, in surveying employers on the need for increased diversity and increasing gender balance, and in creating the Diversity and Inclusion Guidance document launched today will be key to the further success of the industry and I am very glad to be here to be a part of this.”
For more on the CIF #BuildingEquality 2018 Campaign check out: www.cif.ie/building-equality
Read the CIF Diversity and Inclusion Member Guidance document here
Time for the Construction Jobs Expo exhibitor list… We’re getting ready for Construction Jobs Expo at Croke Park's Hogan Suite from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday. There'll be a slew of companies recruiting at the event. In addition, we have a range of free seminars on the Agenda Stage.
Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers, Foremen and much more – here’s the exhibitor list for Jobs Expo Galway.
To receive news and updates about jobs in Ireland directly into your Inbox, sign up to our newsletters by visiting www.jobsexpo.ie/register/ and follow the signup to our newsletter instructions. In addition, you can register for Construction Jobs Expo, Education Expo, Jobs Expo Dublin, Galway or Cork visit www.jobsexpo.ie/register/
FREE event – the first of its kind - features over 30 leading employers such as Cairn Homes, Glenveagh Properties, JJ Rhatigan, SIAC, Bennett Construction, Amazon and Bord Gáis Energy.
Are you currently working in the construction industry or thinking about moving into this sector? If so, the Construction Jobs Expo in Croke Park, Dublin is the place to explore your options on Saturday September 29th.
Sponsored by Cairn Homes, the main construction sponsor, Construction Jobs Expo is a FREE event where thousands of construction sector jobs will be on offer. Companies in attendance on the day will be seeking engineers, electricians, estimators, quantity surveyors, health, safety, environmental and quality professionals as well as instrument technicians and experts in heating and plumbing. There will be a number of seminars in which Glenveagh Properties PLC are the main sponsors.
Construction Jobs Expo is the first careers exhibition of its type and signals the return of high demand for skilled labour in Ireland. The construction sector suffered more than most during the economic downturn, but it now appears that the sector is back stronger than ever, with official figures indicating that over 120,000 skilled workers required between now and 2020. This need for skilled employees arises at a time when there is a huge shortage of construction workers in Ireland.
Construction Jobs Expo will feature more than 30 of the leading players in the construction sector at home and abroad, including:
• Cairn Homes
• Glenveagh PLC
• JJ Rhatigan
• Bord Gais Energy
• Linesight
• Jones Engineering
• Heat Merchant Group
• SIAC
• PM Group
In addition to meeting employers, there will also be the opportunity to attend a range of innovative industry talks from career professionals who will cover advice on everything from upskilling and education courses, to bridging the gender gap in the sector.
Seminars taking place include:
• Glenveagh: The Story so Far with Stephen Garvey from Glenveagh Properties PLC
• Build a Career with a Difference with Gareth McGrane & Marc Lucock from Grafton Merchanting
• Cairn Homes: Building your Future with Sandra Thorpe, Corporate Development Director, Cairn Homes
Construction Jobs Expo is organised by Careers Unlimited, an Irish company which specialises in education, recruitment and career enhancement. Kevin Branigan from Careers Unlimited says:
“The construction sector is currently one of the most exciting areas to work in. There are so many opportunities that it makes sense to have a forum where industry professionals can hear about the opportunities available and employers can speak directly to them. All of our exhibitors are leading employers in the sector and this is the only event of its kind for the industry that is free to enter. If you’re looking for a new role, Construction Jobs Expo is the place to be on 29 September.”
Jude Byrne, Managing Director, Cairn Homes, says:
“As Ireland’s leading housebuilding company, continuing to recruit highly qualified and skilled staff is crucial to our business. Given the Construction Jobs Expo is Ireland’s new jobs and employment fair, putting construction workers directly in touch with employers in the Industry in Ireland, we felt now is the opportune time to promote and encourage workers to attend and showcase companies like Cairn, and the long-term prospects we offer, to the large talent pool in the construction industry in Ireland. We are delighted to be title sponsor of the event, and we look forward to meeting workers from all over Ireland on Saturday 29th September in Croke Park.”
Event sponsors include BCS Recruitment who are the main event organisers, Cairn Homes, the main construction sponsor and Glenveagh Properties PLC, the seminar sponsors.
Pictured from left to right:
Paula Voiseux - Talent Acquisition Manager, Glenveagh Properties
Emma Jane O’Shea - Health & Safety Advisor, Glenveagh Properties
Richard Carey - Head of Engineering, Glenveagh Properties
Sean Conneely - Construction Director (Housing), Glenveagh Properties
Joe Savage - Construction Director (Apartments), Glenveagh Properties
Lyndsay Donnelly - Business Development, Construction Jobs Expo
Padraig Daly - Business Development Manager, JJ Rhatigan
Jennifer Kelly - Founder, Women In Trades Network Ireland
Jude Byrne - COO, Cairn Homes
Kevin Branigan - Managing Director, Construction Jobs Expo
EVENT DETAILS:
Name: Construction Jobs Expo
Date: Saturday, 29th September, 2018
Venue: The Hogan Suite, Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin
Time: 10am – 4pm
For more details, check out www.constructionjobsexpo.ie or
follow up on Twitter @constructionire
For further details, please contact:
Breda Brown / Sarah Doyle
Unique Media
Tel: (01) 522 5200 or 087 248 7120 (BB)
As well as exhibiting and recruiting at Construction Jobs Expo, Glenveagh Properties PLC will also be sponsoring the seminar area. The seminars will be running from 10:30 throughout the day at our Agenda Stage.
Glenveagh themselves will be giving at talk in the afternoon. Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, Stephen Garvey, will be speaking on Glenveagh: The Story so Far.
Furthermore, you can talk to Glenveagh's recruitment team, who will be exhibiting in the Hogan Suite from 10 am to 4 pm.
They are currently looking for Project Engineers, Site Managers, Foremen, Quantity Surveyors and much more.
Formed in 2017, Glenveagh Properties PLC’s journey of success has its origins with Bridgedale which was founded in 2003 and focused on constructing residential developments in the Greater Dublin Area. On
13th October 2017, Glenveagh Properties PLC floated on the Irish and London Stock Exchanges and Bridgedale was rebranded as Glenveagh Homes to scale its housing development operations. At the same time, Glenveagh Living was formed to undertake joint ventures and partnerships to deliver housing for the Irish State, social and affordable housing for approved housing bodies and to deliver private rental units for institutional pension funds.
In less than a year, Glenveagh Properties PLC has scaled its operations to match its ambition, with full time employee numbers growing from 85 to 235, all working across the ever-expanding number of sites, as well as offices in Maynooth and Dublin City Centre. Their network of subcontractors now exceeds 1,000. With 12 sites open and 800 homes under construction, they are well on the way to delivering 1,000 units per year by 2020.
Glenveagh are looking to meet with Engineers, Site Managers, Foremen, Health & Safety Officers and Quantity Surveyors, who wish to build their careers within the company. If you want to be part of this success, come meet their team at the Construction Jobs Expo.
At Glenveagh Properties PLC their vision is to build homes and create communities. In addition, they believe in designing homes that make life better for their customers. They are ultimately community and people-focused.
With developments throughout the Greater Dublin area and commencing in Cork later in 2018, they seek to meet customers’ needs within thriving integrated communities.
Glenveagh Properties PLC understands that good design makes life easier, more enjoyable and offers longevity in a home, and believe in well planned, well designed and well-built homes.
The Government has launched the Land Development Agency to build 150,000 new homes over the next 20 years. This new agency will manage the state’s own lands to develop new homes, and regenerate under-utilised sites. Further down the line, strategic sites from a mix of public and private lands will be made available for housing also.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy signed the new agency into law late last week with a chief and management team already in place. There’s an initial pipeline of State land which is capable of delivering 10,000 homes, with 3,000 of those homes on lands which have already been secured. The Agency is already in the process of expanding its portfolio.
The Agency will be a commercial State-sponsored body, acting within a clear Government policy framework: that all public land disposals must deliver at least 40% of any housing potential on such lands in the form of social (10%) and affordable (30%) housing.
It will establish a national centre of expertise for State bodies and local authorities, using experienced staff with expertise in project management finance, planning, development, and procurement. It will be further underpinned by dedicated legislation, overseen by an independent board and provided with both the initial and long-term capital to function on a commercial basis.
This combination of land and capital for investment will enable the Agency to prepare development plans for these sites and subsequently to fund the development of the sites and construction of housing on a commercial basis. This will enable the Agency to make a significant difference to housing supply in the years ahead, which will have far wider competitiveness benefits.
We are proud to have Women in Trades Network Ireland (WITNI) exhibiting at our forthcoming Construction Jobs Expo. You can find out more about them by dropping by Croke Park on 29th September.
WITNI is the first Tradeswomen’s network in the Republic of Ireland. The organisation works to accelerate diversity in construction, energy and transport, and increase opportunities available to women in trades careers. It plays a direct and instrumental role in women securing their desired craft-based apprenticeships, and works alongside industry companies to encourage female participation. The network spans Ireland and beyond, and provides relevant mentorship and assistance to women in pursuit of apprenticeships and manual trades skills, while bringing together tradeswomen of all ages, currently working across the counties.
The WITNI founders figured it was time to change the scenery for women who have an interest in skilled trades. Those who are, perhaps, already one of the 5% working on construction sites in Ireland; for the women who consider learning to use tools - for work or hobby, the desire is similar; to be able to follow the passion which provides great satisfaction for many across the globe.
WITNI is where you can ask questions and be exposed to stories from professionals and apprentices within the industry. Where you can discover more about training and employment options that currently exist. And in turn, consider where there's room for improvement.
The latest projections from the Irish building industry indicate that we need to access a vast pool of employees over the next 4 years. There’s no better time for women of Ireland to expand skill sets into this domain. WITNI are currently engaged in outreach activities around the country. Furthermore, they are also close to a lot of big construction action right now, based in Wicklow, near South Dublin. In 2018, they are expanding their engagement with employers, schools, and communities nationwide.
The goal is to improve access for women into trades related jobs. WITNI are thankful to the wonderful men and women that have worked alongside them during the many combined years in construction & trades so far. Their ever-evolving network is excited about the future. The Network understand that a diverse work site benefits the quality of life for everyone involved.
For a bunch of reasons (which we explored here previously – check it out), the construction industry in Ireland does not have enough women in their workforce. Even after a huge push to get ladies to study STEM, and active recruiting strategies, the numbers just aren’t there. According to the Women in Trades Network Ireland, less than 5% of construction workers on-site are female, while the number of women in trades apprenticeships doesn’t even hit 1%. Meanwhile, the Central Statistics Office estimates that only 5.5% of the workforce across all construction-related sectors are female.
Diversity breeds creativity, which in turn benefits any industry. Different perspectives are key when it comes to problem-solving/thinking outside the box. On a global scale, the construction sector could definitely benefit from an influx of female influence. For example, if this underrepresentation had been addressed earlier, would there now be ample ladies' toilet facilities throughout all architectural developments? (#NoMoreQueues)
For all those smart, ambitious women looking to embark on a new career, here are our top 5 reasons for you to consider construction.
There are few industries right now where freelancers across most levels and fields can pick and choose what gigs they take. Talk to any self-employed journalist, film editor, cinematographer, graphic designer, corporate coach or personal trainer, and they will tell you the same thing. Many have started their careers working for free - for years in some cases - and they’ve all taken jobs they'd rather not for financial reasons. Construction is a thriving industry, and once you reach a specific skill level, and maintain a good professional reputation, you decide where you work.
With each project brings another set of lessons. You’ll pick up technical skills, people management techniques, efficiency training, budgeting experience, project management tips, as well as conflict resolution and problem-solving tactics; you'll learn best health and safety practices and gain a greater understanding of mechanics – and that’s just your first week on the job. The toolkit of knowledge and skills you'll develop is transferable and you will always be challenged. In an evolving industry like this, there are a wealth of opportunities. It’s up to you to make the most of them.
It’s the spice of life! Forget the boring 9-5 desk job. Every project, every site, every role you take on will be completely different. As you develop your professional skill set, you’ll experience new team dynamics; find friends for life, and learn from experienced mentors. You will have the chance to travel, to grow, to change professional direction as you see fit. Are you dreading another rainy winter? No worries. There’s a project in Dubai waiting for your CV. Always wanted to see Niagra Falls? Apply to Canadian-based Rutherford Contracting. More of a surfer? Winslow in Victoria, Australia are recruiting now. Your future options are endless, and no day you’re working will ever be the same.
In construction, the world is your proverbial oyster. We are an industry in growth, and the prospects out there reflect this. You can start an entry-level job on a livable wage and upskill while you work. You can decide what's right for you as you go, and specialise accordingly. Each project brings with it another chance to network, to learn, and to refigure your future. Presently there is a hefty skills deficit across a host of areas; these roles are crying out to be filled with ambitious, talented women who can really make their mark. In this sector, you can reach for the stars - and if you're standing on scaffolding aren't you that bit closer?
Forget sales targets or progress reports - in this industry, the fruits of your labour are all around us. You get to be part of a team that takes a piece of flat land and creates a structure which will last a hell of a lot longer than you. You’ll be involved with building homes and businesses where people live and thrive. Your team will take an old, wrecked space and restore it to something functional and beautiful. Talk about rewarding... you are creating the infrastructure for future generations. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?
Ladies, don't forget about us when sending out those CVs. This industry is evolving, and the strong, accomplished women who currently make up that small percentage would love to have you join their ranks. Recent graduates, women changing professions or anyone returning to work, if you are considering a career in construction, make sure to join us on the 29th in Croke Park.
