Around this time last year the WMTPA wrote on the West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE), an off-the-radar quango with a snazzy website whose remit seemingly allowed them to give out a lot of advice and a lot of money. Oddly, at the time, the limited content on the WMCCE’s website indicated that this venture may have been abandoned (their dedicated research website still has a very Marie-Celestian feel about it), but now there’s a recession on it seems their guns are a-blazing and their off to hire more staff.
More staff?! Yep, that’s right. Whilst most private enterprises are pretty grateful to keep the whatever staff they have, given the economic climate, public bodies with vague aims and questionable successes are off spending taxpayers’ money to expand their ranks.
So who are they after?:
Project Co-ordinator Salary: £27,999 - £30,594 pa
School/Dept: West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE)
Location: Birmingham
The West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence is managed by the University of Wolverhampton with the mission to help the construction industry to become more efficient and as a result more competitive.
The Centre, based in Birmingham, aims to ‘work with the sector to develop the West Midlands into a world class sustainable and competitive region for the built environment’. Much of the work of WMCCE is focussed on embedding the principles of Constructing Excellence and promotion of best practice. You should be willing to travel within the UK.
Temporary until 31 December 2011.
Funded jointly by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
To act as the focal point for the co-ordination and linkage of WMCCE projects and to manage the WMCCE Administration team on a day-to-day basis and allocate work to that team.
Educated to degree level or equivalent you should have experience of administrating, developing and co-ordinating projects in industry and/or Higher Education establishments. You will have excellent communication, interpersonal and IT skills including MS Office and Project Management packages. You should have the ability to develop project proposals and co-ordinate programmes. You should be able to work on your own initiative whilst prioritising your workload and working to tight deadlines.
The successful candidate should have had experience of Public Funding (including ERDF) as well as of the Private Sector.
Reference: B5287EF
Closing Date: 5 June 2009
Skills Co-ordinator Salary:£24,877 - £27,183 pa
School/Dept: West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE)
Location: Birmingham
The West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence is managed by the University of Wolverhampton with the mission to help the construction industry to become more efficient and as a result more competitive.
The Centre, based in Birmingham, aims to ‘work with the sector to develop the West Midlands into a world class sustainable and competitive region for the built environment’. Much of the work of WMCCE is focussed on embedding the principles of Constructing Excellence and promotion of best practice. You should be willing to travel within the UK.
Temporary for 1 year.
Funded by the Learning Skills Council (LSC)
To manage a comprehensive action plan for the Local Skills Academy initiative, including identifying skills needs and relevant training solutions for supply chains. You will co-ordinate educational activities for 14 – 19 year olds, teachers and careers advisors, co-ordinating work placements and identify opportunities for the community.
Educated to degree level or equivalent you should have experience of administrating, developing and co-ordinating project proposals in industry and or Higher Education establishments particularly in relation to skills development. You should have evidence of practical engagement with industrial and public sector to develop skills and successful management of output orientated projects. You will have excellent interpersonal, communication and IT skills including MS office, word processing and project management packages. The ability to work to deadlines without supervision is essential.
Reference:A5311EF
Closing Date: 5 June 2009
No surprises when it comes to who's funding these roles...
A WMTPA supporter emailed these details in, asking whether this body was aware of the current recession at all, and questioning whether this is the most effective use of taxpayers cash when so many hard-working families could truly benefit from the tax-cut at the moment.