CIMCIG's new qualification

Author: ross sturley cimcig

CIMCIG recently launched the Foundation Certificate in Marketing for the Construction Industry. This is the first industry focussed marketing qualification from the CIM, and is a significant moment in construction marketing.

The programme has been specially designed to equip professionals with core marketing expertise combined with an understanding of the particular requirements of the complex and critical construction industry.

It’s been conceived and created by the CIMCIG Committee, so we this month we talked to Charmaine Petty of Catnic, a CIMCIG Committee member, about how it all came about.

“Having been a Marketing professional within construction for almost 10 years I’m very passionate about the industry and in particular the idiosyncrasies of marketing within it”, says Charmaine.

“The variety of organisations mixed with the complexity of multiple supply chains and professional bodies, provides a wealth of opportunities for marketers seldom experienced elsewhere. My own journey into construction marketing and experience of similar academy schemes is what encouraged me to pitch the initial idea to CIMCIG when I joined the committee 3 years ago.

"I appreciate for new and emerging marketers construction provides unique challenges, having studied Marketing at University where the focus was predominately on FMCG organisations and B2C principles, the reality of being a marketer for a construction products manufacturer where I started my career was very different. When discussing these challenges with the CIMCIG committee it became obviously that we could work together to provide a unique solution."

When she talks about the programme's goals and principles, she says: "The main goal of the CIMCIG Academy is to encourage emerging marketing talent into construction whilst providing development opportunities for those already in it.  The core focus of the programme is to enhance professional marketing skills, behaviours, tools and processes across the construction industry, providing the wider construction community with best practice, improved business education and a pathway for personal professional development.

"The intention is that the programme would equip individuals with marketing, sales and PR capabilities to enable them to maximise the potential in their individual businesses. Our basic principle is to ensure we secure and strengthen a foundation of marketing talent that will add value to the construction sector in the long term."

The programme seeks to change the game for construction marketing. Charmaine adds: "Long term I hope we can expand opportunities offered by the Academy, driving the importance and impact of best practice marketing throughout the supply chain, growing its capacity to support not simply emerging talent but also marketing development at more senior levels. Strengthening leadership capability in talented marketers through experiential learning, mentoring and coaching".

There has been a great response from the marketing community, and from the construction sector. Charmaine comments: "We’ve had an extremely positive response thus far, the Academies inception has been welcomed throughout the industry with a variety of professional bodies and organisations interested to take part. The benefits of such a scheme have been instantly recognised, and for construction professionals and organisations looking to development their marketing skills and strategies it’s been a welcome introduction. It’s an exciting time for CIMCIG!"

The programme is open for booking now - whether for you, or a member of your team, see full details here.