Executive Summary
The workforce in the construction field is an essential asset to ensure the completion of projects within schedule. Over 50,000 labor shortage for future growth of building sector leads to seeking an alternative approach to develop the workforce. This project focus on offering internship and apprenticeship to attract graduates enter the construction industry and train the candidates as potential workforce for the company. In order to achieve the aim of developing workforces through internship and apprenticeship, the project will explore an opportunity to collaborate with five education providers.
75 students will be selected from those education providers to participate in the survey. The answers of questionnaires will be analyzed to identify the demands and expectation about construction sector, internship, and career path. The project report will help HR department to identify best practice in training and career pathways. Project ContactsProject Contact List Name Title Role Phone number Email Zhiyan Qu Intern Proponent 027 922 7788 [email protected] Carroll Chief People and Communications Officer Client 09 525 9000 [email protected] Taylor CEO Client 09 525 9000 [email protected] Rajan Lecturer Tutor 0800 626252 [email protected] (Project Background)3.1 Fletcher BuildingFletcher Building is one of the largest listed companies in New Zealand, and also dual-listed on the NZX and ASX. The company operates globally with more than 21,000 employees, and all of them working together with one vision ‘Build Better, Together’.
Fletcher Building operates five divisions include Building Products, International Business, Distribution, Residential and Land Development, and Construction CITATION Fle17 l 1033 (Fletcher Building, 2017). Labour and resources are very important to ensure the projects finish within schedules. However, companies were struggled to find skilled workforce and attempt to recruit 20,000 foreign workers to ease workforce shortage of construction sector in New Zealand CITATION na17 l 1033 (Radionz, 2017). In addition, Mcnicol (2017) also mentioned the significant impact on completion of construction projects, which caused by shortages of labor and materials, and also limited resources to fulfill demands.
Building and Construction Industry
According to National Construction Pipeline Report 2017 (2017), “The national building and construction forecast shows a higher peak with a longer duration than the previous forecast.
The levels of recorded national activity grew 8% to $34 billion in 2016. Another 23% growth is now forecast over the next four years, to a high level of $42 billion in 2020” (p. 6). Following the rapid growth of building industry, the demand of workforce become a significant challenge.
“Auckland has the largest construction workforce demand, which needs around 50,000 employees refers to Construction-related occupations employment by region, 2013-2022” CITATION Fut17 l 1033 (Future demand for construction workers, 2017). Apparently, the workforce shortage is about 51,000 in the construction industry and will continue getting worse over the next few years CITATION Moi18 l 1033 (Moir, 2018). Young people are not very interested in joining construction sector and many of Kiwi university graduates go overseas for better opportunities and career paths. Oppositely, international graduates seem steady and 25% of them chose to settle in New Zealand or go home after worked here for a few years CITATION Wil16 l 1033 (Wilson, 2016). Aim and Objectives4.1 AimThe aim of this project is to seek collaboration with education providers through internship or apprenticeship opportunities.
Meanwhile, also address access to attract graduates joining construction field and be trained as the future workforce for the company. 4.2 Objectives
The objectives of the project are: Identify workforce shortage in the construction sector; Seek opportunities to collaborate with education providers; To attract graduates with internship opportunities and create long-term career pathways to ease workforce shortage. Project Methodology5.1 The Project ApproachResearch on local education providers in Auckland and survey with students are key approaches to achieve the aim and objectives of this project. Universities with any relevant major in building and construction considered as primary targets and tertiary providers as secondary prospects. Select five education providers and choose 15 students from each of them as surveyees, the total number of 75 questionnaires used to collect information.
The questionnaire can be conducted either online or hard copies. The data will be analyzed to identify concerns of entering construction industry and specific expectations of internship or apprenticeship from students. 5.2 Project DeliverablesThe deliverable of this project is a report identifying concerns of entering construction industry from students and graduates. Specific demands about internship or apprenticeship opportunities will be addressed after analyzing the answers of 75 questionnaires. 5.3 Work Breakdown and Task Time EstimatesWork Breakdown Tasks Timeline Research on education providers July 2018 Contact and screen education providers July-August 2018 Discuss with HR to select 5 education providers August 2018 Design questionnaire September 2018 Select 15 surveyees from each education provider September-October 2018 Conduct surveys October-November 2018 Analyze data November 2018 Project report prepared December 2018 Critical milestones: 1).
Research on education providers must complete by end of July to follow up selection; 2). 15 surveyees from each education providers must be selected to conduct surveys by end of October. Contingency and Risk Management on the ProjectThe major risks and contingencies may affect the project and feasible action plans described briefly attached as below. 6.1 Contingency Management PlanPossible Issue: Actions to be undertaken: Computer broke or damaged Use own laptop as backup equipment Blackout or system shutdown Autosave every update/change 6.2 Risk Management PlanArea Action plan: Unavailable surveyees Look for extra 3~5students as backup surveyees Un-supportive education providers Select extra 2-3 education providers as backup Lost either soft/hard copies of surveys Upload to Icloud or scan copies as database Project Costs including time7.1 TimeThe project expected to start on 23 July 2018 and finished by 10 December 2018.
The duration is 38 days based on 300 hours required for the internship (8 working hours/day, work two days every week). 7.2 Budget NotesThe total estimated cost of this proposal is $12,270, includes labor and detailed overhead expenses. The total labor cost will be $9120. A laptop and cellphone will be used to prepare documents and communication. Transportation and printouts expenses will occur during the selection of education providers and surveyees. All of the breakdown expenses listed as below.
Labor Expense Description Working hours/day Hourly rate ($) Project duration(days) Wages 8 30 38 Total $9120 Overhead Expense Description Units Unit rate ($) Total Laptop 1 1000 $1000 Transportation n.a n.a $1000 Cellphone 1 800 $800 Cellphone service 1 200 $200 Printouts n.a n.a $150 Total $3150 Total expense $12,270 ConclusionThe project will identify the concerns and expectations about construction industry from students and graduates. After collaboration with education providers and surveying students, a specific internship or apprenticeship will be delivered to attract graduates enter construction industry as the potential workforce for the company. A clear analyzed report will help HR department understand demands of graduates and the data will be useful to design ideal internship program for the candidates. This project will be a milestone to develop an opportunity to attract and train graduates as future workforces. Reference list9.1 Bibliography
Bibliography
- Fletcher Building.
- (2017). Fletcher Building Sustainability Report 2017. n.a: Fletcher Building. (2017).
- Future demand for construction workers. Wellington: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Mcnicol, H. (2017, 03 22). If Fletcher Building is struggling, others will be too.
- Retrieved from Stuff: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/90727606/if-fletcher-building-is-struggling-others-will-be-too Moir, J. (2018, 02 22). NZ needs another 51,000 construction workers and it’s set to get worse. Retrieved from Stuff: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/101682651/NZ-needs-another-51-000-construction-workers-and-its-set-to-get-worse (2017).
- National Construction Pipeline Report 2017. Wellington: Ministry of Business, Innovation ; Employment. Radionz. (2017, October 9). Retrieved from Construction industry aims for 20,000 foreign workers: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/341148/construction-industry-aims-for-20-000-foreign-workers Wilson, L.
- (2016, April 01). Kiwi uni graduates ditch NZ. Retrieved from Stuff: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/78450322/Kiwi-uni-graduates-ditch-NZ?rm=m Appendices 10.1 Appendix A Refer to paragraph 3.2 on page 4 The national building and construction forecast shows a higher peak with a longer duration than the previous forecast 10.2 Appendix BRefer to paragraph 3.2 on page 4 Construction-related occupations employment by region, 2013 – 2022
