Farrar champions workforce diversity

'This is probably the key medium-to-long-term issue for the industry. I want to bring together stakeholders to see what we can do to take on the agenda,' he was quoted as saying by Building magazine.

Farrar's comments come just weeks after ConstructionSkills was forced to apologise for an advert depicting a scantily-clad woman. However, Farrar said he is keen to encourage efforts to bring women and ethnic minorities into the workforce, as well as focus on addressing the provision of apprenticeships and improving skills training for sustainability.

Farrar is currently director of corporate services at ConstructionSkills and takes over from Peter Lobban, who retires in August.

Contract Journal reports further criticism of the new Construction Diploma, which contractors claim has watered down vocational content. 'Contractors want the Diplomas to succeed but students have voted on the new qualification with their feet,' said Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) training director Joe Johnson after it was reported that just 3,054 students had signed up for the diploma, a 25% shortfall on predicted figures.

He claimed students, parents and employers had been poorly informed on the Diploma and the vocational and work experience content diluted.