Our councils

The Nation Councils deliver on a significant call from industry through

our last Consensus consultation and Government through the ITB Review, for CITB’s governance to be more representative of the Industry it serves.

1. Each Nation Council is charged with enhancing the evidence base from which CITB forms and develops its Strategic Plan, to ensure that the Board is cognisant of key industry issues, concepts and opportunities affecting both the individual Nation and the collective Nations.  From this collective evidence base CITB will reflect and prioritise the issues, as appropriate, into the formation and implementation of the Plan for Careers, Standards and Qualifications and Training and Development delivery across the three Nations.
   
   
2. Government guidelines, legislative and regulatory mandates will inform and guide the work of the Nation Councils.
   
   
3. With particular reference to the individual Nation, the Council will: 

• Provide insight into the challenges and opportunities for the Nation it represents;
  
  
• Steer and influence the Board on development and effective delivery of the Strategic Plan encouraging adjustments to delivery to reflect unforeseen events/changes that impact on the Nation/industry more generally;
  
  
• Debate and offer constructive challenge in relation to proposed allocation of resource against competing industry priorities across Great Britain;
  
  
• Provide National perspective on construction skills gaps against agreed forecast needs.

Current Members (as at October 2023) are: 

Sharon Llewellyn - Risk Managements and Projects Director, JPR Roofing and Flooring Ltd and CITB England Nation Council Chair

With a background of over 27 years in the NHS at both management and strategic level Sharon joined the building industry in 2010 to expand and develop her knowledge and experience in the private sector focusing on training, governance and risk management. With a reported national skill shortage, Sharon is passionate about developing a young, skilled workforce to support the future building infrastructure. She is currently working in partnership with CITB, schools, colleges, local businesses, building companies and manufacturers to raise the profile of the building industry and develop a programme whereby students aged 14 to 18 can prepare for and access apprenticeships and careers in construction. Through her experience in governance and business planning she can identify and prioritise opportunities across the building industry and work through a strategy of implementation which meets the pressures and needs of the industry both locally and nationally.
 
Kevin McLoughlin – CITB England Nation Council Deputy Chair and CITB Trustee

Dr Bola Abisogun OBE FRICS – Founder & Chair, DiverseCity Surveyors

A Chartered Quantity Surveyor and Chartered Construction Manager, at the helm of an industry renowned entity since 2005, Bola has throughout his almost 30 year career, been a force for good in the area of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, specifically within and across the global Surveying profession. In addition to his impressive contributions to the fields of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the global Surveying profession, Bola also holds an honorary Doctorate (DUniv) from London South Bank University (1892), awarded in 2023. His organisation DiverseCity Surveyors has generated much by way of impactful ‘structural’ change as part of their grass-roots schools engagement programme through to his ongoing personal support to an array of Russell Group Universities, both across the UK and internationally.

With strategic support from an array of key government stakeholders [including the Cabinet Office, Government Property Function, Mayor of London] and professional bodies, [including the CIOB, IET and RICS], Bola continues to promote the need for and demonstrate the digital skills urgently required. His efforts extend to all levels of industry participation, from school-leaver, to under-graduate, post-graduate and onto Senior Leaders as well as smaller independent business owners. His current view is that with the ever-increasing demands upon society to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the ‘digital-twin’ must become a key component of any future built environment solution(s).

Throughout his client facing career, he has via Urbanis Limited, acted both as PQS and Construction Manager, procuring and actively delivering in excess of £8bn in capital projects across London and South-East. Bola has maintained a particular focus on the public sector and specifically within that, social housing and education projects. His current workflow [as of June 2020], and ‘use-case’ delivered in conjunction with CDBB [a joint-venture between the University of Cambridge and government department BEIS] is promoting the emerging skills required to create, implement and administer the National Digital Twin Programme via an eco-system of connected digital twins. Purely from a professional skills perspective, he is particularly focussed on the global Cost Management profession, where his well-documented subject matter expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning has equipped him to actively challenge his profession and promote the emerging future of the ‘traditional’ Quantity Surveyor, via industry initiative #PQS2030.

Bola is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS) and member of the RICS London Regional Board, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB) a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors and a Non-Executive Director of both the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust and the Southeast Centre for the Built Environment.

Dave Sargent – Operation Training Director, RBF Construction Training Academy Ltd

Dave is the Operational Training Director for RMF Construction Training Academy Ltd, part of the RMF Group. His role combines all aspects of Construction Plant, Civil Engineering and Rail Training, targeting the harder to reach demographic, such as long-term unemployed, prison leavers and in-custody delivery. Client servicing, from bid management to project delivery, together with responsibility for strategic liaison with key Industry stakeholders such as the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), HMPPS and Tier 1 contractors/employers.

Prior to joining RMF, Dave was in post with Dudley College from 2013, firstly as the Centre Manager for the Energy Training Hub and then as the Construction Commercial Training Manager from 2017-20. Prior to my time in training, I spent several years working within the building services industries, both domestic and commercial.

Ian Dickerson – Head of Funded Learning, Kier Group

Ian is the Head of Funded Learning at Kier Group. His role combines all aspects of learning design and delivery, together with liaison with key Industry stakeholders such as the Government, CITB and other industry bodies. He joined Kier in 1983 as a junior buyer, leaving in 1987 for a role in sales and returning in 1989. He held a number of commercial roles until moving into HR in 2002.

Ian has sat on many CITB committees, including the Industry Funding Committee, Grant Scheme Working Party, the Training Committee and CITB Council until 2019. He has chaired the Northants Construction Training Group since 1999 and is the Chair of the ITG National Chairs Committee. He was a director of CSCS until December 2020 and currently sits on the Build UK CITB Reform Group and the CECA Training Committee.

Maria Seabright – Finance & HR Director at Greendale Construction Limited

Maria joined Greendale Construction in 1997 bringing with her a wealth of experience from the construction industry.  In January 2013 Maria was invited to join the board of directors and She is responsible for the Finance, HR & Training within the company.

Maria works closely with local schools and colleges promoting the construction industry.  She is also the Director & Chairperson of the Dorset Construction Training Group which is a “not for profit” organisation that encourages other construction companies to train and share best practice working closely alongside the CITB.  

Maria is passionate about training for the future of the industry and has been asked to speak at the Houses of Parliament on several occasions regarding Construction Apprenticeships.  She is also a CITB Construction Ambassador for Dorset and regularly attends school assemblies to speak about the industry and in particular what it is like to become a construction apprentice.

Maria is chair of governors at a local secondary school and is a trustee of several charities. In 2014 Maria was a finalist in the CITB Personality of the Year Awards.

Annette Jones FCCA - Group Accountant Foundation Developments Limited

Annette is the Group Financial Accountant at Foundation Developments Limited. Foundation Developments Limited have been providing Civil engineering, infrastructure, groundwork, and reinforced concrete frame solutions since 1991. Since joining the firm in 2012, she has seen the effect that good, targeted training can have on the competency and safety of operatives on site. Along with first-hand experience of the challenges both internal and external in achieving this goal. This position has given her good working knowledge of the CITB systems and procedures.

Annette has been a Chartered Certified Accountant for over 20 years, dealing with a variety of construction companies. Starting her career as an auditor she specialised in the construction sector; this gave an in depth understanding of the differing issues arising in the various branches of the construction industry. Her understanding of the difficulties in creating and maintaining a skilled and competent workforce initially came from this invaluable experience.

Annette is a member of CITB Levy Strategy Committee.

Current Members (as at April 2023) are:

Angela Forbes – Chief Executive, BuildForce and CITB Scotland Nation Council Chair

Angela Forbes gained a Bovis scholarship in 1997 as an undergraduate Commercial Manager and spent over 23 years with the Lendlease business. Angela has been a Commercial Director in the London construction business for the last 12 years. Angela is a Fellow on the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Angela created the Lendlease ex-military initiative in 2008; is an ambassador of the construction industry within the Armed Forces and was a founding partner of BuildForce at its inception in 2011. Angela is currently Chief Executive of BuildForce, a not-for-profit company who support ex-Services personnel transition into long term careers in the construction industry. In addition, Angela has been a non-executive director of a housing provider and social regeneration charity East Thames; a board director of Be Onsite, a company dedicated to helping disadvantaged people, and a school governor at Chobham Academy in Stratford, East London (a Harris Federation school).

Tony Elliott - CITB Scotland Nation Council Deputy Chair and CITB Trustee

Craig Bruce - Managing Director, Pert-Bruce Ltd

Craig is the seventh generation of his family to run the business dating back to 1871 and he has 30 years' experience in the industry. He started in the family firm as a joinery apprentice at 16, serving his time in the workshop, onsite and carrying out maintenance, before progressing to the office and eventually to MD in 2007. He merged the business in 2007 with another local family company to increase capability and service delivery, increasing his original 25 employees to as it stands, directly employing 100 staff, 16 of which are trade apprentices. As MD of Pert Bruce Construction, Craig has experience in carrying out a varied roster of work ranging from £25,000 domestic projects all the way up to £4m historic/listed house conversions, with clients ranging from private individuals through to blue-chip industrial clients, architects and leading developers. Craig also owns a property development company building new homes, converting listed buildings and building affordable homes for RSL Partners. Craig currently sits as a Director of the Scottish Building Federation, President of the Dundee and Angus Association, Council member of SBATC (Scottish Building Apprenticeship &Training Council), CITB Scottish Council, Founder & Director of Angus Shared Apprentice Scheme and a Director of a north east based safety group (SAFE) and has previously been on CITB GSWP and as a founder of the Angus Training Group also sat as Chair of the local Group and Training Group National Rep. Craig was a member CITB Levy Strategy Committee until November 2021.

Marion Forbes - Director AC Whyte & Co Limited

Marion is a Director of A.C. Whyte & Co Limited one of Scotland’s most experienced major refurbishment and energy efficiency Main Contractors, established 50 years ago and a family business.

Marion joined the business recently from Mactaggart & Mickel Homes having gained 17 years’ experience in the housebuilding sector managing teams across the organisation including HR and Health and Safety. Mactaggart & Mickel was the first house builder in Scotland to be awarded Platinum investors in people and Marion was integral to this achievement. Marion has over 23 years’ experience in talent management, people and learning and is passionate about creating a culture and environment that allows people to grow and develop enhancing and future proofing their skills and knowledge. Marion is also a member of the Development of Standards and Framework committee for the Scottish apprenticeship Advisory Board.

Karen McGahan – Finance Director, William Waugh & Sons (Builders) Ltd

Karen is the Joint Managing Director for William Waugh & Sons (Builders) Ltd, a Company based in Dumfriesshire which has been trading since 1815. Her role is predominantly Finance which involves preparation of the Company accounts, internal financial controls, and treasury management. Other aspects of this role include completion of procurement documentation, company policies and procedures, HR & employment matters, training implementation and renewal and ensuring compliance with the company Health & Safety arrangements and that employees are adequately trained to carry out their duties safely. She is also a keen advocate of attracting new recruits to the construction industry.

Prior to joining the Company Karen was a Management Consultant looking after a regular client base with a variety in industries from fishing to top quality kitchen and bathrooms. Her main roles have always primarily finance related but has always had a keen interest in employment law and health & safety.

Karen holds Advanced M.A Dip (CIMA) Qualification together with IOSH Managing Safely and is a Certified Workplace Mediator.

Kevin Urquhart – Construction Director, Barratt & David Wilson Homes

Kevin is the Construction Director for both Barratt Homes North Scotland and David Wilson Homes North Scotland. In his role, Kevin leads the Construction Department and Customer Service Department for the business whilst also overseeing all Safety, Health and Environmental requirements for the business.

Kevin joined Barratt Homes as an Apprentice Joiner in 1995 and has continued to progress his career with Barratt Homes for the past 26 years working in various Site Management Roles and Senior Construction Roles. In 2017, Kevin was appointed Construction Director a role that he continues today. Kevin for a number of years has overseen the recruitment, management and development of the Apprentices within the division and has watched them all successfully complete their apprenticeship to become quality trades people and industry professionals.

Kevin is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB) and was awarded Chartered Construction Manager Status by the CIOB in 2015.

Ken Millar – Group Director for SHEQ, Springfield Properties PLC

Ken is the Group Director for SHEQ at Springfield Properties PLC. His role includes leading a Team of Health & Safety, Environmental and Quality professionals ensuring a service is provided to all operating businesses across the Group. In addition, Ken has responsibility for all matters Training and liaises frequently with all Approved Training Organisations and the CITB. Springfield also have circa 100 + apprentices across all businesses within the Group.

Ken has over 25 years’ experience within the construction and house building industry and has been involved in setting strategy at Board level and been part of various Teams overseeing some iconic projects. Prior to joining Springfield, Ken was in post with Robertson Group from 2015 as Group SHEQ Executive Director. 2004-2015 Ken was the Group Health & Safety Director at CALA Group.

Ken holds membership with IOSH and IIRSM and is a member of the CITB Levy Strategy Committee.

Current Members (as at April 2023) are:

Leigh Hughes - Managing Director Felicitas Consultancy, and CITB Cymru Wales Nation Council Chair

Leigh is currently Chair of Cardiff Capital Region Employment & Skills Board and represents the Skills board on the Cardiff Capital Region Economic Growth Partnership. He has worked in the construction industry for 30 years. Felicitas is all about creating and celebrating success, a new consultancy for a new age: founded on wide-ranging experience and in-depth expertise that today sees Leigh advise both UK and Welsh Governments, Chair influential bodies that include the CCR Regional Skills Partnership and CITB Wales - working every day with ambitious businesses of all sizes and in many different sectors to build sustainable success.

Owain Jones – CITB Cymru Wales Nation Council Deputy Chair and CITB Trustee

Gareth Davies - Construction Director, Knox and Wells Limited

Gareth is the Construction Director for Knox and Wells Limited. His role combines all aspects of Client servicing, from bid management to project delivery, together with responsibility for strategic liaison with key Industry stakeholders such as Welsh Government, CITB and CIOB. Prior to joining Knox and Wells, Gareth was in post with Britannia Construction Ltd from 2010 as Regional Director (Wales), Wales Regional Director for Carillion Building (Mowlem Building prior to 2006 takeover) and from 2001-5 was Wales Construction Director for Mowlem Building. During a thirty-five-year career in the construction industry Gareth has been responsible for delivering many prestigious projects in south Wales, Southwest England and Jersey, across a variety of sectors. Gareth is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB) and was a member of the CITB National Council from 2015 to its reorganisation in 2018. He chaired the south-east Wales Regional Construction Forum from its inception in 2010 to its re-constitution in 2018. Gareth is also an active member of Constructing Excellence in Wales and a Professional Assessor for the CIOB and has been a judge and Panel Chairman on the CIOB's Construction Manager of the Year Competition since 2004. Gareth was also a member of the former CITB Levy Working Party and is now a member of the Levy Strategy Committee.

Terry Edwards - Managing Director, John Weaver Contractors

Terry Edwards has been the Managing Director of John Weaver Contractors since March 2015. Terry started his construction career as a CITB apprentice bricklayer and then progressed through the ranks as a management trainee with Fairclough Construction, during which time he completed his Advanced Craft in Bricklaying, ONC and HNC in Building Studies. Terry then moved on to work for Gee Walker & Slater as Site Manager, Brunswick Construction (Project / Contracts Manager), Andrew Scott (Deputy MD / Operations Director), MIDAS (Regional Manager) then JWC as their current MD. Terry became Chartered in 2005 then gained Fellowship to the Chartered Institute of Building in 2008. Terry plays an active role in the implementation and management of the JWC Apprenticeship Training Programme whereby the firm takes on two apprentices every year, and currently employs 5 apprentices. Three of the former apprentices have now progressed through the ranks and are currently employed as assistant site managers.

Paul Tedder - Founder, Atlantic Dwellings

Paul founded Atlantic Dwellings in 2006, creating a building company that delivers high quality houses and extensions, with a team of employees who are proud of their work. All the team are encouraged to learn new skills and apprentices are mentored on site by master craftsmen. Paul is passionate about training and allowing people to develop to their full potential. Prior to setting up Atlantic Dwellings he worked initially in the paper industry and as a senior manager in the fast-moving consumer goods sector for Pepsi International. Paul holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and post graduate diploma in Electrical Engineering. He is an active member of the Federation of Master Builders Wales board and Chairman of the Cardiff Branch.

Andrew Dobbs – New Business Director, Willmott Dixon Construction

Andrew is the New Business Director within Willmott Dixon Constructions’ Wales and West Region. His role combines all aspects of customer engagement from business development, social value, marketing, sustainability, diversity and bid management.

During a thirty-six-year career, starting out as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor, he has been involved in many projects around South Wales and has long standing relationships with customers, consultants and supply chain partners.

Andrew is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB)

Monique Jones – Operations & Business Development Manager, J Randall Roofing Contractors Ltd

Monique is the Operational and Strategic Manager at J Randall Roofing Contractors Limited which is a family run business. Her role combines all aspects of Client servicing, from bid management, procurement to project delivery, together with the responsibility for strategic liaison and with key Industry stakeholders such as the Government, CITB and CIOB.

Prior to joining J Randall Roofing Contractors, Monique has worked with Schools, Colleges and Supportive Associations in leadership, Mentoring and teaching, with in depth knowledge in the areas of Autism and Asperger’s. Supporting and building good working relations is her field, supporting individuals to upskill to their desirable goals. Monique has advocated for the Construction Industry for the past 25 years, always looking to support and engage to improve the development of the construction industry.

Monique believes upskilling in the Construction Industry is paramount, embracing in the next generation, guiding Apprentices to reach their full potential and this can only be achieved by the employers working together.