We are looking for a network of associates nationwide to help deliver training and consultation across the following three sectors: Sub-Contractors, Main Contractors and Housing Associations.

We want to hear from you if you have around five years of industry experience within any of the above organisations; you dont need to have any previous equality knowledge just a belief in respect for people within construction.

We will be rolling out the training programme from July 2012 onwards. Initially the role will be on a part time, self employed basis, but we will be looking to directly employ people from at the end of the year. Contact us either via email or telephone Matt on 0151 7068132  for further details. 

Please note we are looking for people from built environment backgrounds not human resources or equality.

The group will sit above a number of operational groups tasked with implementing the actions which derive from the main group, the idea is to borrow from the methods that were used to embed health and safety into the sector. The first meeting will be held on the 22nd of March.

Constructing Equality Managing Director Chrissi McCarthy has been asked to join the group so we look forward to updating you on its progress.

The ASA upheld a complaint regarding a poster ad, for a DIY store, was viewed on 7 November 2011.  It included the text "Mems, Always HAMMERING Down Prices" along with an image of a woman wearing a bra, denim hot pants, a tool belt and a hard hat.  She was holding a hammer and pulled at the front of her shorts with her other hand.

Although she was holding a hammer and wearing items related to DIY, ASA considered a sexually provocative image of a woman bore no relation to the product being advertised and that the ad therefore objectified the woman by portraying her as a sexual object.  ASA considered the ad was overtly sexual and, because it objectified women, was also sexist.   ASA therefore concluded that the ad was likely to cause serious or widespread offence and that it was irresponsible for such an image to appear in an untargeted medium. 

The ad must not appear again in its current form.  ASA told Mems DIY to ensure future marketing communications were prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and society and that, particularly in an untargeted medium, they did not contain anything that was likely to cause serious or widespread offence.

Thanks to the ever brilliant PR guru Liz Male for bringing this to our attention via twitter.

Norma Merrick Sklarek, the Americas first female African American licensed architect, has died in Los Angeles at 85.

Sklarek worked on projects that included the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and a variety of Southern California structures, including Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport, the Pacific Design Center, San Bernardino City Hall and the Leo Baech Temple.

Son David Merrick Fairweather tells the Los Angeles Timesthat his mother died of heart failure on Monday at her Pacific Palisades home.

Sklarek passed the New York state exam in 1954 to become the first black woman to earn an architect's license. In 1962, she was the first black woman to get a California license and she was the first to be elected an American Institute of Architects fellow.

Read full LA times article

Following last month’s edition devoted to women in Architecture AJ editor Christine Murray took to BBC’s women’s hour to talk about the issues raised. It’s important to understand that some comments were edited out due to time (such as mention of the female past – Ruth Reed and Present - Angela Brady presidents of RIBA). The video is only made available for a short time by the BBC so our apologies if you can’t access the link.

Graduate Talent Pool is a new service, designed to help match the skills businesses require with those offered by new and recent graduates. On their website you can advertise internship opportunities for free, directly to graduates. You can also register up to 10 sifting questions so that only the most suitable graduates apply for your vacancies.

Graduates can apply provided they graduated in 2008, 2009, 2010 or 2011 from a UK university with at least a degree or foundation degree.

Whilst not strictly related to E&D this early day motion from the House of Commons is important when we consider respect and treatment of the workforce it says.

“That this House recognises the need to retain skilled workers in the construction industry; notes with concern that several major employers in the construction industry are considering withdrawing from national agreements on required skills and training in plumbing, heating and electrical works; further notes with concern that eight major employers within the industry are attempting to force skilled craftsmen onto new contracts, with reduced terms and conditions of employment; believes that these contracts will reduce training requirements with a potentially disastrous effect on site/project health and safety; further notes with alarm that the withdrawal from national agreements on required skills could see qualification requirements go down from NVQ Level 3 to NVQ Level 2; further believes this would allow employers to pay workers less on the grounds that they are less skilled; and calls on the Government to hold urgent talks with construction industry stakeholders to discuss the retention of skills in the sector”.