Inside Sisk

In this, our final episode of the current series of Inside Sisk, we meet the company’s incoming CEO, Paul Brown. His mission is clear – to preserve the legacy of the company’s 160-year history while continuing to drive forward the innovation and excellence that Sisk is known for. He’ll do this with the help of “some of the best people I’ve ever worked with”.

Modern building methods and digital technologies deliver faster, more cost efficient and more sustainable builds for clients. They also create new and interesting opportunities for those involved in the projects.  As such, they are the future of the construction industry.On this episode of Inside Sisk  we focus on the future – the technology and innovation being employed on modern projects, the territories they are being employed in, and the talent that is driving them forward.Our guests include Brian Kennedy, Managing Director of Vision Built, and  Simon Dingle, regional director for Sisk in the UK. 

Since the earliest days of Sisk in the late 1800’s, when the original John Sisk replaced slum dwellings in Cork city with modern, comfortable housing for his workers, a core part of the company’s mission has been to make a positive impact on people and society. On this episode of Inside Sisk, we meet some of those who are driving forward programmes and initiatives designed to positively impact the communities in which Sisk operates, the families the company builds homes for, and the team members within Sisk itself. These include engaging with community groups and local charities, and hiring people from many different kinds of backgrounds and managing everyone with empathy and understanding.Our guests include: ·      Raluca Ursu, Technical Coordinator at Sisk with responsibility for the community engagement plan at Wembley Park·      Ronan Murphy, Manager of The John G Sisk Training Centre·      Fergal Lalor, Managing Director, Sisk Living 

Central to success in the construction industry is the ability to consistently win work: staying aware of the opportunities on the horizon, putting together strong and competitive bids to try to win those contracts, and then, if successful, delivering on the speed, innovation and excellence promised. After over 160 years in business, this is something that John Sisk and Son knows a lot about. On this episode of Inside Sisk, we meet Katie Clohessy, Senior Bid Manager at Sisk and Fergal Lalor, Managing Director of Sisk Living. They provide an insight into the hard work being done by teams all across the Sisk group to win new business, deliver excellent work on time and on budget, and ensure that the company continues to thrive long into the future

The Sisk Training Centre, also known as The Joinery, was founded many decades ago by John G Sisk, born out of his love of timber and stone, and a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship involved in working with these materials. Even after John G retired he would often visit the workshop. In this episode of Inside Sisk, Christine and Hal Sisk talk about John G’s passion for natural materials. We also meet two Sisk team members who have spent a lifetime working with timber and have become highly skilled masters of their trade - Declan O’Donovan, Construction Manager at Sisk, and Ronan Murphy, Manager of the Training Centre.  Finally, we hear from two of the next generation of Sisk craftspeople - Eddie Mongey and Owen Grocott, both of whom are currently apprentices in the Training Centre. 

Problem solving, to varying degrees, lies at the core of every role within John Sisk & Son. Creative solutions need to be applied, not just to the technical and engineering questions that arise on projects, but also to the challenges that Sisk team members can face in their personal lives, which have a natural impact on their work lives. Ross Cullen and Rhys Watkins are master problem-solvers in their own roles. Ross, as Group Chief Engineer, and Rhys, as Site and Support Manager at Sisk Rail. On this episode of Inside Sisk, they describe how they approach problems and create solutions, so that projects are delivered on budget and on time, and colleagues feel supported and that they belong at Sisk.

John Sisk started his independent contracting business in 1859, and, in the 162 years that have passed since then, his family has built John Sisk & Son into one of the construction industry’s most successful and iconic companies.  During the early days of a business, foundations are laid for how it approaches projects, how it treats its people, and the impact it has on the community and society in which it operates. In this episode we will hear about the early days of Sisk and how the company grew and evolved,  the values that were established  along the way, and how the Sisk family try to keep those values intact and relevant and ready for the next generation.  Telling us this unique story are Hal and Christine Sisk, son and granddaughter of John G Sisk, and Liam O'hUigin, a well-known Cork historian

Find out about what Inside Sisk is all about, who you will meet, and what you will learn.