Support in testing times

Almost all of us are experiencing a situation which we could barely ever imagine.

Having worked in the construction industry for nearly 40 years myself, I am used to seeing the ups and downs of recessions, labour shortages etc.

But this current crisis is putting us all to the test. As this crisis develops I wanted to advise what SELECT will be doing to assist Members and the broader industry in these difficult times.

Help and guidance

All SELECT staff are now working from home, however this will not affect the services we provide. One of the most important things we can do at the moment is to provide help and guidance. We have therefore set up a specific information page on our website, that will be updated daily.

Contacting SELECT

We will still be able to deal with all calls made to our main switchboard. We have added a list of email and telephone contacts to the website and you can use our main email address – admin@select.org.uk – if you want to get in touch. You can also follow and contact us via our other social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Our teams of Membership Representatives and Technical Advisors are also available and they will also be contacting Members on a regular basis to update you and to get feedback from you so that SELECT is aware of the issues affecting your business.

Working on your behalf

We have set up a pan-industry group, the Construction Industry Coronavirus Forum, which includes all of the main trade and professional bodies in Scotland. This group will be meeting twice a week to gather intelligence and information. The group has already been in touch with Scottish Government on a number of issues and we have been asked to speak with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture, Fiona Hyslop, to update her on issues raised by Members of the relevant trade bodies. You can read more about this on our website.

This group has also set up an online survey to capture information which again will be used in our dialogue with Scottish Government. Details are on our website.

SELECT events

All training courses, technical assessments, Branch Updates and Member visits are currently postponed. This year’s Toolbox Talks events have also been cancelled, although we will make the technical presentations available online and in alternate formats in the near future.

In the meantime, please check our website above regularly, speak to your SELECT contacts and keep safe as work our way through this situation.

Supporting you in testing times

Alan Wilson Managing Director, SELECT