TWO Scottish-based trade bodies are among the members of a new alliance for the UK engineering services sector that was launched today.
Actuate UK is a collective of eight trade, technology, research, and professional bodies in engineering services that will deliver a single voice for the sector.
Joining its ranks are SELECT, which represents Scotland’s electrotechnical industry, and SNIPEF, the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation.
Actuate UK has been described as supporting the delivery of a ‘safer, more productive, and sustainable’ built environment. The organisation will take a key role in initiatives including the Construction Leadership Council’s Recovery Roadmap, the Construction Playbook and strategic economic plans in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Building Safety reform and the drive for Zero Net Carbon.
Actuate UK will also lead the sector’s response to the Building Safety agenda and post-Covid green recovery, providing direction and championing necessary culture changes within industry.
The Scottish Government’s skills minister, Jamie Hepburn, said, “Engineering is a key sector for Scotland’s economy, supporting a variety of skilled occupations within the industry. It’s great to see Actuate UK delivering a host of important activities including skills and training, whilst supporting the delivery of a safer, more productive, and sustainable built environment, and I look forward to working with them as their work progresses. We are using all the powers we have to rebuild a stronger, more resilient and sustainable economy for Scotland – with a laser focus on creating new, good, green jobs.”
Alan Wilson, MD of SELECT, said, “SELECT was a very keen and active participant in the work of the SEC Group, Actuate UK’s predecessor, both at UK but especially at Scottish level. We look forward to working with colleagues in the new Actuate UK body as it broadens its footprint across a whole host of activities linked to our members work.”
Fiona Hodgson, chief executive of SNIPEF, said, “SNIPEF campaigns on a wide variety of issues on behalf of member companies, with a focus on critical changes needed to create a resilient and sustainable construction sector. Actuate UK will give a welcome boost to our work in many areas and we look forward to working together, closely, and productively, in the future, not least in relation to the substantial amount of work undertaken by Scotland’s Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The eight organisations Actuate UK comprises are:
- The Building Engineering and Services Association (BESA)
- The Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA)
- The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
- ECA – Electrical and Engineering Services
- The Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA)
- The Lift and Escalator Industry Association (LEIA)
- SELECT – the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland
- SNIPEF – The Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation
