‘We are missing out with the lack of women in construction here’

CEO of the Designer

Group, employer of 1,200 people and one of the most forward-thinking figures in Irish construction, Michael Stone has always grabbed an opportunity. In 1994, just 24, he left the ESB to found Designer Group, now one of Ireland’s most innovative construction companies.

Building Information Modelling (BIM), 3D, computer graphics and virtual reality all are linchpins of the Designer Group approach. Designer Group has operations in Britain, continental Europe, Africa and the US, and was the first company worldwide to prefab a brewery, building it here in modular form before exporting it to Kenya.

Having come through the ESB apprentice system, Stone is passionate about the Designer Group’s own apprenticeship programme and its in-house training academy for employees to upskill while on the job. “Every year we take on about 45 new apprentices, two batches in mechanical and electrical, and they stay with us for four years. Overall we have around 170 apprentices on our books.”

He is aware of the need to attract more women into construction in Ireland.

“When it comes to recruitment, we are missing out on 50pc of the population. Historically, sites have not been places that were welcoming to women, but we have been striving to change that. Off-site fabrication in factory environments is a key to attracting more females to the construction engineering sectors.”

Designer Group looks for apprentice candidates both organically and in partnership with schools locally in Blanchardstown, Dublin. It also has a longstanding relationship with two schools in Dublin’s north-east inner city, as well as St Paul’s of North Brunswick Street Long-term ambition and vision. Michael Stone has it in spades and it all started with an ESB apprenticeship.