Sarah Garry, CEO of the Property Care Association (PCA) has been appointed to the CITB Nations Council (England).
The trade body leader has joined as an Employer Member, working alongside ten other representatives, and alongside the Nations Councils for Wales and Scotland, will provide evidence from the industry to help shape CITB’s strategic plan.
Sarah’s appointment comes after she joined the PCA in November 2023, with a remit to draw on her extensive experience in membership associations.
Her work with the Association includes amplifying links with Government and policymakers and developing an agile training programme to meet the demands for a modern, healthy and energy-efficient housing stock for all in the UK.
Sarah said: “There’s never been a greater need to focus on skills for the future, and I am really pleased to be taking up the CITB role to help shape that.
“I’ll be actively pushing for more accessible training for PCA members and the wider sector and looking at ways we can signpost the industry to claim the right funding.
“We are going through major changes in the construction sector, with factors such as the Building Safety Act requiring competence to be demonstrated across all building work.
“Training is going to be vital and CITB is going to have a role in ensuring that.
“With factors such as energy efficiency and climate having an impact on the UK’s current housing stock, PCA members have the expertise to play a key role in upgrading homes, whilst contributing their technical knowledge so that new homes can be built and existing homes can be retrofitted, safely and sustainably.
“There are careers for everyone in the construction industry and we need to attract more talent and inspire them to play a part in providing healthy and safe homes.”
The PCA is the leading representative organisation for the UK’s building protection industry, with a skilled and audited membership operating across domestic, commercial and civil sectors in the structural repair, structural waterproofing, wood preservation, damp protection, flood remediation and invasive weed control industries.
Focused on the complete building envelope, its members’ expertise protects the integrity and comfort of domestic buildings in both new build and refurbishment projects, guarding against moisture damage, damp, mould and decay.
They also deliver cutting edge techniques to protect commercial and civil structures against water penetration and ground gases, as well using the latest scientific methods to tackle invasive weeds, including Japanese Knotweed, across all urban, rural and watercourse environments.
Sarah added: “One in eight people in the UK work in construction and the wide variety of opportunities within our membership profile lends itself to interesting and varied career choices.
“The PCA will be further developing training programmes and initiatives that ensure new recruits benefit from long-lasting careers, and have the technical expertise to support building owners and tenants, framed around the Government’s need to transform the nation’s homes.
“This approach aligns with the CITB’s role to help the construction industry attract talent and to support skills development and I look forward to the opportunities ahead.”
