Pye Tait Report on Competence in Construction

Pye Tait has recently completed extensive research evaluating the effectiveness of the various routes to competence available to site-based workers in construction (including supervisors and site managers).

The key research questions were whether current routes to competence – qualifications (both work-based and college-based), short courses, safety passports, competent person development, card schemes, as well as on-the-job mentoring and general experience – are adequate for the sector, and whether our understanding of what makes a construction worker “competent”, in the deepest health & safety sense, remains sufficiently robust for current-day needs.

Competence is evidenced directly by competence-based qualifications or indirectly by a plethora of card and passport schemes.

The research highlights other safety-critical industries that require ‘job competence’, enhanced health & safety awareness, and, critically, ‘human factors’. It concludes that the industry’s current understanding of “competence” may warrant extension to develop an ‘industry-specific’ definition and broadening to encompass both situational awareness and the sustaining of appropriate behaviours.

Our main report has now been published on HSE’s website and is available from the Published Reports section of our website.

British Parking Association

Pye Tait is carrying out a UK-wide survey of the workforce involved in the UK parking sector.

The British Parking Association (BPA) is the largest professional association in Europe representing organisations in the parking and traffic management sector – one that includes manufacturers, car park operators, local authorities, health authorities, universities and higher education facilities, airports, railway stations, shopping centres, theme parks and consultants.

The survey is designed to update the 2006 workforce survey in order to test how well the BPA is performing against the targets set in its 2007 Sector Skills Strategy. The findings will help the BPA to ensure that its work and activities meet the needs of the parking sector.

Pye Tait has carried out over two hundred such surveys during the last twenty years, often using a multi-modal approach to provide greater flexibility for the participants and to generate high response rates.

Vocational Qualifications

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has commissioned Pye Tait Consulting to develop Vocationally Related Qualifications in construction for several existing National Vocational Qualifications at levels 2 to 6 for the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and their respective Apprenticeship frameworks in England. The remit includes sourcing the approved Rules of Combination and NOS for numerous suites of awards (Certificates and Diplomas) in order to complete the appropriate Regulatory IT System (RITS) documentation on behalf of SQA.

Pye Tait has completed a vast portfolio of vocational qualification developments and at any given time our research team is usually undertaking a number of such projects.

Market Research

Pye Tait is conducting UK-wide market research on behalf of Habia, the standards setting body for hair, beauty, nails and spa. Through a mix of secondary and primary research with Habia’s customers and stakeholders, we will identify new markets, products and services as well as evaluate Habia’s current portfolio along with its associated marketing approaches. Other very recent market research projects have included primary research for the delivery of the Diploma in Retail Business (commissioned by Skillsmart Retail) and a specialised aviation training course on behalf of a college.

Strategic Review

Corporate strategy is always at the centre of an organisation’s success (or failure) and the need for it to match not only ambitions but capabilities has perhaps never been greater than it is now.

Pye Tait has been commissioned by a large organisation in the building services sector to assess its immediate and longer term strategy. The company wants to ensure its workforce can provide flexible, entrepreneurial and proactive services to enhance its current market position in the sectors it serves. Fundamentally it also wishes to make sure that its strategy empowers it to develop further potential markets and approaches. To this end, Pye Tait is carrying out a sensitive yet effective review of the organisation, researching ways of enhancing the competence and behaviours of its staff, and making recommendations to its Board for appropriate changes.

The initial research comprises one-to-one interviews with staff to identify ways in which the business can be improved and enhanced; carrying out psychometric assessments with key senior executives (including short and long-term motivations and behaviours); and holding a number of leadership workshops.

Pye Tait offers a range of services spanning in-depth 360 degree referencing, assessment, development, recruitment and research. Although frequently used only for the purpose of recruitment, assessment tools can add significant value to internal processes, such as: succession planning, restructuring, the appraisal process, talent management and staff development. For more information on our assessment and development services, please visit the business services pages of our website.