Bill James FCIOB (CASL Internal Verifier & Assessor)

Bill started on Building sites with his father and grandfather in 1951 as an alternative to 'Play-School'. There was little chance for any career path outside construction. At Manchester University he obtained an Honours degree in Building Technology having worked as a Site Engineer for Wimpey during the university vacations. Post degree he decided to become a building labourer and rapidly progressed via drain-laying, steel-fixing and plant-operator to ganger. Under pressure to get a 'proper' job he joined Tarmac Midland as a site engineer. With a view to having a rounded experience he was given the opportunity to work in approximately 9 to 12 month placings as Materials Engineer (Buyer), Quantity Surveyor, Estimator and Planner. Having become a Senior Planning Engineer, with considerable knowledge of computers and corporate membership of the CIOB, he was head-hunted to be the Project Manager for the design and construction of four football/sports stadia in Dubai (one for each of the ruler's four sons). Returning to Britain he was encouraged to join the family building company starting as General Foreman but moving fairly swiftly via planning to assistant contracts manager. When the company merged with French Kier he became General Works Manager for the Manchester area. The opportunity came to join a fledging Yorkshire based part of the Kier Group as Building Contracts Manager and then, as the division grew, to Design and Build Manager and Special Projects Manager.

In 2005 he was offered the chance to train senior managers and future senior managers using NVQs as development tools, he accepted and has been involved in assessing and verifying NVQs since then.

Bill has also been active in the working parties for new construction NVQs.

On the way Bill has served on three CIOB Centre committees, two Regional Committees (now Branch Committees) and has held several offices including Yorkshire Region Chairman. He has also been active in the Faculty of Building (Forum for the Built Environment).

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