Business Support
Jean is a key player in the Stepclever Construction Support initiative acting as Construction Business Support Officer, identifying the issues that concern all sides of the industry. Jean’s background is founded on her invaluable construction industry experience gained from previous roles in Knowsley and Greater Merseyside, Fusion 21 and over two years with the buildsefton programme.This enables her to answer queries about public and private sector practices across Merseyside. If you’re a small or large contractor Jean will help you to maximise the available opportunities to improve your business performance while pointing out the pitfalls on the way.
Major construction work is racing ahead on Merseyside and the Stepclever Construction Support team is determined to capture some of this massive construction spend to directly benefit local businesses and residents seeking employment in the construction sector.
With the city centre development at the forefront, and the redevelopment of wide areas of Merseyside businesses and people have never had a better opportunity to use the construction sector as a springboard to improve their prospects.
The Stepclever Construction Support project and the role of Construction Business Support provides businesses and jobseekers with support activities.
- Assisting Local contractors and sub-contractors who are not winning a part of major contracts with help to improve their competitiveness.
- Ensuring that lead developers and contractors are signed up to the local re-sourcing agreements.
- Addressing the issues around the chronic skills shortage in the industry by targeting people not currently seeking work or those at school deterred from entering an industry perceived as a largely male, manual and “dirty” working environment.
The Construction Business Support role addresses:
- Promoting our tender notification and feedback service.
- Assembling tailored packages of support drawing on the Stepclever Business Support Team, other Merseyside and National support agencies.
- Promoting the buy-in of key stakeholders to Stepclever Construction Support and creating meaningful partnerships.
- The self-employed and those wishing to become self employed
- New business start ups
- Engaging with senior managers in construction companies, Council departments, business support and partner agencies.
- Managing and co-ordinating referrals to Sefton@Work and The People Pool Construction Team
- Developing a brokerage service between procurement managers and local builders and suppliers.
- Providing an ongoing relationship management/mentoring service to local builders and suppliers.
- Action to stimulate the formation of new builders/suppliers or consortia, and to formalise ‘grey economy’ activity, where there are recognised capacity gaps.
We can be contacted direct on 0151 934 3414 or email jean.hartley@sefton.gov.uk