Lynda Armstrong’s term as ECITB board chair has been extended until the end of 2027 the secretary of state for education has confirmed
Armstrong first joined as chair in January 2018, and her continued stay will prevent any risk of upheaval in a time when the ECITB is already undergoing change.
Shifting grounds for ECITB
Currently, the ECITB is working its way through the recommendations outlined in the ITB Review, published in January of this year. The review called for action to strengthen links with the Construction Leadership Council, identify ways to make a greater impact on skills in construction, and enhance collaboration between the ECITB and the CITB.
BuildUK has supported the move, with chief executive Suzannah Nichol MBE stating that they “support a reformed CITB,” and that the plan will enable the easier delivery of reforms to meet the future skill needs of employers. She also stated that the industry “must accept” the need to act now to support the program change.
Lynda Armstrong said: “We are addressing many of the structural skills challenges within the engineering construction industry (ECI) highlighted by the review and will further build upon these as we develop our new strategy, which will be published in September.
“The ECI underpins the delivery, maintenance and decommissioning of much of the UK’s critical infrastructure. The industry must have the workforce it needs, particularly if we are to meet the UK’s goals to reach ‘net zero’ by 2050.
“The new ECITB Strategy will guide skills development across the industry for the next five years in a period where the size of the engineering construction workforce is predicted to grow by 19%, according to our Labour Forecasting Tool.
“This will include providing support amid the huge changes needed in industry to help the UK Government deliver its goal of making Britain a clean energy superpower.”
Armstrong has a wealth of experience
Armstrong is a trained geophysicist, having worked for Shell International for 35 years, exploring hydrocarbons as the new business development director.
Since then, she has served as a non-executive director at Kaz Minerals, Ørsted, SBM Offshore, and CEOC, as well as chairing the British Safety Council, and has been awarded an OBE for her services to the UK Oil and Gas Industry.
Lynda Armstrong continued: “It has been a great privilege to chair the ECITB since 2018. I look forward to helping the organisation continue to deliver its mandate of leading industry learning.
“Over my tenure, the ECITB has worked tirelessly to enhance skills across the industry, support growth through workforce training and help the ECI tackle labour shortages and skills gaps.
“I am immensely proud of what the organisation has achieved during this time and am excited at the prospect of helping the ECITB as it implements its new strategy to maintain the great momentum we have built and continue supporting industry.
“The strategy will aim to grow the number of new entrants, support employers to attract a more diverse talent pool and enhance workforce competence to ensure learners are both skilled and safe.”
