Construction industry professionals attended the Construction Industry Council (CIC) 2050 Group’s second speed mentoring event last week.

Hosted by Argent at its King’s Cross office in Central London, the event attracted mentors and mentees from across the construction sector.

Mentors included chief construction adviser Peter Hansford; Jane Duncan, (next president RIBA); Anthony Peters and Peter Runacres (Argent LLP); CIC chairman Tony Burton; Michael Wadood (president CABE, MLM Building Control); Vaughan Burnand (VEB Lean); Trudi Elliot (RTPI); Conor Ellis (EC Harris), John Eynon (director, Open Water Consulting), Mary Rose Griffiths (partner, Gardiner & Theobald), Pippa Higgins (Crossrail Stations West/Taylor Woodrow), Andrew Link (CIC), Tristan McDonnell (ARUP), David Miller (David Miller Architects), Tom Makokha (Monaghans), Robin Nicholson (Cullinan Studios), Richard Saxon CBE, Dale Sinclair (AECOM) and Graham Stallwood (Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea).

Made up of young professionals from across the industry, the CIC 2050 group is keen to promote inter-generational knowledge transfer and to develop and influence the construction industry of the future. During 45 minutes, 20 mentees were each given 15 minutes with three mentors. Mentees were able to ask about career paths and opportunities, and to talk about experiences and challenges they face today. This was followed by an opportunity to network.

Mentees came from across the sector and included employees of: Argent, ARUP, Buro Happold, Balfour Beatty, Barbara Weiss Architects, Berkeley Homes, Gratte Brothers, John Lewis Partnership/Waitrose, TfL, Waterman Group and Willmott Dixon.

Louise Clarke (chair of the CIC 2050 Group) said: “It is vital for young professionals at the early stages of their career to be able to benefit from the experiences of those who are preceding them. I am delighted to have another event under our belt and I look forward to getting speed mentoring on to the agendas of construction companies and institutions throughout the UK.“

The next CIC 2050 Group speed mentoring events will take place on 6 November 2014 in Leeds, London, Manchester and Newcastle, supported by Gardiner & Theobald and the CIC regional committees. To take part email Liz Drummond: ldrummond@cic.org.uk