Training needs in construction project management: a survey of 4 countries of the EU

Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, July, 2006 by Jose Manuel Cardoso Teixeira, Andrzej Minasowicz, Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas, Leonas Ustinovichius, Darius Migilinskas, Eugenio Pellicer Arminana, Pawel Olaf Nowak, Mieczyslaw Grabiec

Abstract. Knowledge on construction project management is a key issue in today's construction industry across Europe. This applies to the whole range of project participants from inception to conclusion of construction undertakings thereby involving professionals focusing in distinct perspectives yet working for a common goal. Several countries in Europe, with special relevance to the UK, have developed substantial knowledge in this topic through academic courses, professional training and experience of practitioners. Other countries have not achieved this stage but the need to prepare professionals to work in the open European market is impelling efforts for convergence in this matter. This article reports a survey on professional training needs in four European countries presently partnering in a Leonardo da Vinci project on management of construction infrastructure projects. The survey was carried by a questionnaire administered to a set of organisations of the construction cluster of the four countries involved. Results were used for defining 6 areas of interest for CPD courses which are presently being developed in the scope of the project.

Keywords: construction, project management, knowledge, training.

1. Introduction

The proposal to create in Poland the system of qualification certification of the managerial construction personnel and accreditation of the studies with the participation of employers has been prepared under the scheme of LdV Didactical project. Project partners: Dept of Construction Engineering and Management at Warsaw University of Technology (the Promoter, PL), Polish British Construction Partnership Ltd (PL), Construction Management Education Foundation (PL), European Construction Ventures Ltd (UK) and University of Minho (PT)) assumed that such a system could ensure the full clarity and recognition of the profession qualifications in construction similarly to other systems used in the EU. This was the reason to adopt as a content-related basis of this comparison the structure model of knowledge in the area of "management and engineering production in construction", presented in the report [1]. This model distinguishes 5 different types of organisational units, which are present on the construction market and 5 different staff qualification profiles [2].

A discussion on problems related to research on the organisation, management, economics and technology in the Polish construction industry may be found elsewhere [3]. Scientific and, more specifically, academic circles are characterised and alarming phenomena that accompany practicing the issues of organisation and management in construction engineering are discussed: an increase of the number of employees with an economic education, phenomena related to finance, staff feminisation and fluctuations among other things. Trends observed in research and changes in the subject matter of interest to participants at scientific conferences are pointed out. Publication activity, dissertations and international cooperation are discussed. Non-serial publications of the last three years are listed. The analysis is based on a questionnaire circulated by the Construction Management Section of the Civil Engineering Committee of the Polish Academy of Science, the members of which are the authors of this article. The questionnaire covered a period of ten years. Furthermore, proceedings of conferences organised domestically under the patronage of the said Section as well as the effect of a trilateral international cooperation between Lithuania, Germany and Poland have been used.

Some attention is given to professional training in construction management in Lithuania, references to this subject may be found in [4-16]. Articles [4-5] present the achievements of Prof E. K. Zavadskas and Prof A. Kaklauskas in this field in 1997-2000. These authors analysed and suggested changes in the study process; they are mostly connected with the development and implementation of two post-graduate distance (Internet) study programmes of the Dept of Construction Technology and Management of the VGTU. A paper [6] reviews development, theoretical and practical experience of distance learning under two Master programmes in the Dept of Construction Economics and Property Management at the VGTU are presented. These programmes were among the first developed in Central and Eastern Europe.

The paper also analyses the results of a questionnaire issued to former and current students, mostly comprising staff from the real estate sector and construction companies. Conclusions emphasise the problems related to the learning process, social, economical, technological, and ethical issues and the integration of trained professionals into the market.

What concerns training, modern methods are now widely used. Based on the analysis of existing computer learning, neural networks, information, expert and decision-support systems, the following e-learning was developed by authors [9], including the following topics: construction, real estate, facilities management, international trade, ethics, innovation, sustainable development, building refurbishment etc. Application of the above multiple criteria computer learning systems developed by authors helps one to determine the strength and weakness of the analysed alternatives and their constituent parts. Calculations were made to find out by what degree one version is better than another one and why. Landmarks are set for an increase in the efficiency of versions etc. In the article [10] a case study method, which is amply used at Harvard Business School (USA) and also at European Business Schools characterised by top ratings, has been analysed. The case study method used as a management teaching tool for students and executives accomplishes and enhances conventional methods of teaching, such as lecturing, assigning practical tasks, reading of specialty literature etc. Nevertheless, despite the popularity of case study methods among prestigious Business Schools, various approaches to definition of a proper one for the teaching process case could be found, also different emphasises on process of application of this teaching method have been put.