LGTAG Presidential Conference
- Wednesday July 19, 2023
On 7 June IHE chief executive Steve Spender was invited to join the Local Government Technical Advisers Group (LGTAG) Presidential Conference at Sandown Racecourse in Surrey.
The conference was entitled ‘People, the Key Highway Asset – Find them, train them, keep them’ and Mr Spender’s presentation was based around an introduction to the Institute with the main element focusing on its Highway Engineering Academy and what was available in the form of practical training for candidates.
The conference was opened with a keynote address from Richard Holden MP, parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Transport (DfT), who set the tone for the day in terms of the need for the sector to do more to train our workforce in order to retain them for the future stability of the highways sector.
Good examples of best practice were identified from organisations such as Multevo, Colas, Amey and Ringway.
There were also insights from professional institutions, given by Mr Spender (ahead of his main presentation) and a talk by Sue Percy, chief executive of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation. The final presentation was given by LCRIG.
The afternoon was rounded off by Matt Eglington from the DfT with a departmental perspective on the excellent work carried out by highways people. He stressed the need to support and train them to face the challenges of an ever changing sector, including the pressures of carbon reduction and the increased role of technology.
At the end of the day, Mr Spender and new LGTAG president Amanda Richards signed a PDP outlining collaboration and a closer working relationship between the IHE and LGTAG.
On signing the memorandum of understanding between the two organisations Mr Spender commented: ‘I am pleased to have signed the MoU with LGTAG as it will enable us to support more of the sector, not only with the current training packages we have but also to identify other areas where training is needed as the pressures on the sector change. Our mission as a professional engineering institute is to support those working in the sector to seek professional registration, which also supports LGTAG’s agenda.’