Theme Group Meetings are for members only.
If you are a member and would like to attend this meeting please email info@cemidlands.org for joining details
If you would like to become a CE Midlands members please visit our joining page
Theme Group Meetings are for members only.
If you are a member and would like to attend this meeting please email info@cemidlands.org for joining details
If you would like to become a CE Midlands members please visit our joining page
Theme Group Meetings are for members only.
If you are a member and would like to attend this meeting please email info@cemidlands.org for joining details
If you would like to become a CE Midlands members please visit our joining page
Theme Group Meetings are for members only.
If you are a member and would like to attend this meeting please email info@cemidlands.org for joining details
If you would like to become a CE Midlands members please visit our joining page
We are happy to report that he Future Skills Theme Group is making good progress under the leadership of Muhammad Sibi.
Secondment opportunity
The Group are wishing to carry out a piece of work to engage directly with SMEs to better understand the challenges they face around skills and workforce development.
Having discussed how this might best be carried out we consider that personalised interview-style engagement is most likely to obtain the in-depth results for which we are looking.
Do you have somebody who might derive value, both personally and from your organization’s point of view, whom you would consider putting forward to carry out this work.
Muhammad will be pleased to speak to you in more depth if you are interested. In the first instance please write to him at info@sibinet.co.uk .
Roundtable
On 25th June, CE Midlands hosted a focused Future Skills Roundtable at Trowers & Hamlins in Birmingham, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders from across the construction industry including employers, training providers, government bodies and educators.
The session focused on one of the sector’s most persistent challenges: the shortage of skilled labour and the ongoing difficulty in attracting, training and retaining talent across all levels of the industry.
Despite years of reports and recommendations, the problem persists. Attendees agreed that a bottom-up and collaborative approach is urgently needed, one that places local people and SMEs at the centre of the solution.
Key Themes and Insights:
· Attract: The public image of construction, especially among young people, remains a barrier. Delegates called for more engaging outreach, clearer career pathways and the use of social media and school programmes to rebuild the sector’s reputation.
· Train: While training provision is growing, there is a mismatch between course content and employer needs. Delegates highlighted the importance of co-designed training, better access for SMEs and high-quality work experience to ensure learners are job-ready.
· Retain: Retention issues are just as critical, with wage pressures, limited progression and cultural gaps between trades and management roles driving people away. A call was made for better career mapping and retention strategies tailored to specific workforce personas.
Prioritised Focus Areas for Action:
· Change the image of construction among young people
· Improve the quality of work experience
· Create clearer entry-level pathways for both workers and employers
· Map and connect existing initiatives to avoid duplication
What’s Next?
CE Midlands will be engaging with SMEs and young people to further explore the issues raised. These insights will inform the co-design of a pilot project aimed at tackling the skills gaps in the West Midlands construction sector.
We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this important conversation, and to Trowers & Hamlins for their generous hospitality.
Stay tuned for updates on the pilot and follow-up events.
Theme Group Meetings are for members only.
If you are a member and would like to attend this meeting please email info@cemidlands.org for joining details
If you would like to become a CE Midlands members please visit our joining page
Theme Group Meetings are for members only.
If you are a member and would like to attend this meeting please email info@cemidlands.org for joining details
If you would like to become a CE Midlands members please visit our joining page
We are very excited to announce Muhammad Sibi as the new Chair of the Future Skills Theme Group!
Muhammad is the Founder and Director of SibiNet Limited, an organisation dedicated to connecting diverse talent with inclusive employers across construction and the built environment sector.
Starting his career as a labourer in 2019, Muhammad has first-hand experience of the challenges faced by individuals from diverse backgrounds in a sector historically lacking in representation and inclusion.
Driven by a passion to create change, Muhammad has built meaningful partnerships across communities, industry leaders, and policymakers to help tackle the construction sector’s growing skills crisis.
Through SibiNet, he focuses on supporting individuals from underrepresented groups to build successful careers in the built environment sector, while helping employers attract, recruit, and retain diverse talent, bridging critical skills gaps and driving innovation across the industry.
Muhammad has said “I am very much looking forward to getting started and adding value to the group”
For the first time, the Future Skills Theme Group Meeting is open to everyone, not just CE Midlands members, this is a great opportunity to get involved in shaping the future of skills in the built environment.
🗓 Date: Wednesday 15th May
🕙 Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm
📍 Venue: Mott MacDonald, 10 Livery Street, Birmingham, B3 2NU
☕ Tea and coffee provided!
🎯 What to expect:
✔ Introduction of Muhammad Sibi as our new Chair
✔ Presentations from CITB – Sandra Stevens FHEA and NHBC
✔ Agree key deliverables for 2025
✔ Input into our updated Single Page Plan
✔ Networking and open discussion
🚨 Only 22 in-person spaces available – book early to secure your seat!
🌐 Can’t make it in person? Join us online via Teams! Simply book an online place, and we’ll send you the Teams link before the meeting.
🕛 Bookings close at midnight on 13th May
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eJHgx6SU
Be part of the conversation. Let’s collaborate to build a future-ready construction workforce.
This Theme Group Meetings is open to ALL (usually only CE Midlands Members)
So please come along and find out more about what the group are working on
There are only 22 spaces available to attend the in person meeting, so please book now to secure your place.
It will also be possible to join the meeting via Teams online if you can’t make it in person.
NOTE: If you wish to take up this option, please book an online place and you will be sent the Teams link prior to the meeting start.
IN PERSON BOOKINGS WILL END AT 10am, 13th MAY
Agenda:
- Introduction of Muhammad Sibi as new chair
- Re-establish current focus as being correct
- Agree ‘deliverables’ for 2025
- Presentations from:
CITB – Sandra Stevens (Customer Engagement Manager for West Midlands Region)
- Single Page Plan
- AOB
- Date/Venue of next meeting
Our Theme Group Chairs have confirmed the 2025 meeting dates for all of our CE Midlands Theme Groups. These thought leadership groups are where ideas are shared, challenges are tackled, and solutions are shaped to drive improvement across the built environment.
CE Midlands members can join any or all of these groups — it’s a fantastic way to connect with like-minded professionals and help shape the future of our industry.
Not a member yet? Why not join us today and be part of the conversation that makes a difference. Let’s make 2025 a year of collaboration, innovation, and impact across the Midlands construction sector!
Thanks to our Theme Group chairs: Noel Street, Dr Joanna Poon, Dhiran Vagdia, Richard Cymler, Sue Woollett and Natasha Heritage
