Important Engineering management knowledge and skills required during P endemic situation like covid 19.
1. Introduction 1.1 Background Construction industry is one of the largest contributing sectors in the Australian economy. The primary focus of construction industry is construction, but demolition, renovation, maintenance is all part of this large industry. Many services like planning, designing, surveying is also included in construction industry. The construction industry adds over $360 billion revenue to the Australian economy and a projected growth is 2.4% for the next five years. (Construction, 2017). Construction industry is not only the biggest GDP contributing sector, but it is also the largest employer of Australia. According to Labour Market information portal, in 2019, around 115 million people were employed in construction industry. (lmip.gov.au, n.d.) In the Covid 19 impacted not only construction industry but also some other industry who are indirectly depended on construction industry. 30, January2020, when World health organization (WHO) first declared a public emergency concern regarding covid 19 outback (Who.int, 2018), Australian construction industry along with Australian government start acknowledge the importance of pandemic ready plan. In March 2020, Australian Government put boarder restriction and impose restriction on different sectors (Australian Government Department of Health, 2020). Occupational health and safety (OHS) becomes one of the serious issues. The introduction of zero tolerance in many states becomes kind of burden for many companies specially for the medium to small company. For those companies often it challenges their financial strength. Construction industry due to its nature was considered as essential and continue working during this time. But during this whole pandemic time, Australian construction industry faces lots of difficult situations and Challenges. Those challenges often were lack of imported materials, equipment, Delay in delivery, lack of work force and time to time new challenges emerge for construction manager to continue their project. During this time, project managers where less focused on the result. Their focus shifted towards the slow but steady progress. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics in their quarterly release, September 2020 says, Australian construction industry faces a 2.6% fall in all construction related work. At that time building work was 7.2% down compared to previous year and engineering work fall 3.3%. Over all the Australian construction industry saw a loss of $51,179.4m. (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2020). According to Infrastructure Australia report, Australian construction industry will see a total decline of 4.2% to $232bn in Financial year 2020, and it could be another 3.2% fall in 2021 budget year. So, it was no surprise that the sector which contribute 9.6% jobs in Australian job market will see a sharp decline. It was predicted a fall of 0.4% in 2020 and further 3.6% for year 2021. Due to lock down some of the states were affected heavily then others. Victoria was the most affected state among other states. But NSW and Queensland also faced huge lose. This can be more in next few years as lots of Big mine project are expected to finish within 1 to 2 years. The Covid 19 impacted not only construction industry but also some other industry who are indirectly depended on construction industry. (Infrastructure beyond COVID-19 A national study on the impacts of the pandemic on Australia An Interim Report for the 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan Produced in collaboration with, 2020) Major disruptions such as the COVID 19 pandemic has tested the ability of the project managers and the organizations to adopt new working condition, safety, cost analysis and ability to survive through the pandemic situation. Australian Government was not too late to acknowledge the importance of construction industry. To protect this sector, Australian Government heavily invested in this industry by bringing various public project forward and creating homebuilder program for investor and buyer to give the confidence to enter the market in this challenging time. The government Homebuilder program was so successful that they extended the program until March,2021. (Pm.gov.au, 2017). Government will also be invested $190 million dollars in the major construction project in defence sector for next 2 years beside many other programs. In this program, Government leaves the door open for small to medium company to work. Government believe investing in construction industry will save the economy; it will help nation recovery. (Department of Defence, 2020) This work will describe the challenges faced by the construction industry during major disruptions like COVID19 pandemic. It will then identify the key construction project management skills helpful for civil engineers to safely and efficiently manage construction projects during major disruption. What can be done and What are the solutions are available, how effectively Managers can handle such pandemic situation. This report also helps to understand, if this type of pandemic situation comes back again and what types of skills or adaption require for the project manager to handle it. This report is intended to identify those problems industries were facing during the pandemic and what are those solutions, help them to manage their project. This report will also identify those skills, manager should have to deal the problems and completed the project successfully and satisfactorily. 1.2 Problem statement The problem being addressed by this research work is to answer the following: What are the key skills needed by a civil engineer to safely and efficiently manage civil construction projects during major disruptions such as the COVID19 pandemic? Any project success depends on how successfully timely the project has been delivered. Project delay cost everyone involved in the project. Covid 19 pandemic heavily affected construction industry. Many construction projects were delayed and many failed to bring the successful outcome of the project. Pandemic situation gives us to observe the change management capability. This research will investigate what are the problems construction industry faced during this pandemic time and how those problems can be solved successfully and efficiently. During this time, Many Project managers successfully handle their project and many failed to identify the problems and the skills needed to successfully bring the outcome of the project. and it can be said that Project managers once again proved why they are one of the main elements of the project success. (Pmi.org, 2014) In this pandemic, the leadership of Project manager was recognized. Day to day, project manager faced with time schedule, lack of supply, short of workers, inadequate fund, cancellation and many more challenges. All this Successful project manager showed their abilities and skills during this tough time. Project manager who has change management capability are highly rewarded at present situation. The report will highlight some of the soft skills that helps project manager to become successful in uncertainty around pandemic time. (Pmi.org, 2013) Australian construction industry also saw a digital technology demand for Project management. Lots of work was done by digitally. Work style has been changed. This research will provide insight of what types of technical skills was used by the successful manger to handle the pandemic situation. 1.3 Significance Pandemic situation gives us an insight about the social and financial insecurity, uncertainty. As covid 19 pandemic situation was vastly different then the difficulties face by Australian construction industry before, recent pandemic situation presents new thoughts for construction industry to continue their project through the challenging times. Lots of changes comes to this industry. And it will be hard to go back to normal or it will be never normal. Many companies face losses, many workers lost their jobs. And many Project manager find themself in demanding situation to take the right decision. This research will help to understand the diverse types of problems can be occurred during any pandemic situation and how to overcome those to make the progress of the project. How Management can choose lean concept in managing project lifecycle and guide the workforce in a right manner. This research will also help to understand the significance of leadership. how Project manager can play a vital role through their personal and technical skills. 1.4 Scope of research · Assess the new personal (soft Skills) needed · Assess the new technical skills needed · Identify new personal (soft skills) needed to manage safely and effective a construction project Major disruption like COVID19 pandemic · Identify new technical skills need to manage safely and effectively a construction project During major disruption like the COVID 19 pandemic. Reference 1. Australian Government Department of Health (2020). Latest statement on coronavirus (COVID-19) from the Prime Minister. [online] Australian Government Department of Health. Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/news/latest-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-from-the-prime-minister [Accessed 21 Mar. 2021]. 2. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2020). Construction Work Done, Australia, Preliminary, September 2020. [online] Available at: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/building-and-construction/construction-work-done-australia-preliminary/sep-2020 [Accessed 22 Mar. 2021]. 3. Construction (2017). Construction. [online] National Industry Insights Report. Available at: https://nationalindustryinsights.aisc.net.au/industries/construction#:~:text=The%20Construction%20industry%20generates%20over,employing%20less%20than%2020%20people. [Accessed 21 Mar. 2021]. 4. Department of Defence (2020). Morrison Government supporting the construction industry in the Top End | Department of Defence Ministers. [online] Defence.gov.au. Available at: https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/minister/lreynolds/media-releases/morrison-government-supporting-construction-industry-top-end [Accessed 23 Mar. 2021]. 5. Infrastructure beyond COVID-19 A national study on the impacts of the pandemic on Australia An Interim Report for the 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan Produced in collaboration with. (2020). [online]. Available at: https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-12/Final_COVID%20Impacts%20on%20Infrastructure%20Sectors%20Report_14%20Dec%202020.pdf. 6. Lmip.gov.au. (2021). Welcome to the Labour Market Information Portal. [online] Available at: https://lmip.gov.au/default.aspx?LMIP/GainInsights/EmploymentProjections [Accessed 21 Mar. 2021]. 7. Pm.gov.au. (2017). Homebuilder Success Sees Programme Extended | Prime Minister of Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.pm.gov.au/media/homebuilder-success-sees-programme-extended [Accessed 23 Mar. 2021]. 8. Pmi.org. (2014). Effective project leadership: project manager skills and competencies. [online] Available at: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/leadership-project-manager-skills-competencies-8115#:~:text=The%20effectiveness%20of%20the%20project,project%20success%20are%20strongly%20linked. [Accessed 23 Mar. 2021]. 9. Pmi.org. (2013). Integrated change management. [online] Available at: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/integrated-change-management-5954 [Accessed 23 Mar. 2021]. 10. Who.int. (2018). item. [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/covid-19-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern-(pheic)-global-research-and-innovation-forum [Accessed 21 Mar. 2021]. Page 1