Foundations and Frontiers
Built Environment Channel’s Patrick Harrington was recently invited to attend the Australian Constructors Association’s Foundations and Frontiers forum, which took place in Sydney. We took the opportunity to ask him for his key takeaways and insights from the event.
Why is it important for all stakeholders to come together?
The Foundations and Frontiers forum was unlike any other event in the construction industry that we have seen in Australia.
The construction industry is proud, passionate, and critical in Australia. Like any workforce, it faces many challenges and complexities. The large gathering of professionals and experts from within and outside the industry indicates a real commitment to addressing these obstacles with a coordinated national response.
Detail one proposal that could stabilise the financial risk in the industry
Better governance and cost analysis on projects. Find better software than Excel that aggregates financial data. Increased funding by the Government for training and development will reduce risk and increase productivity.
How could technology improve the industry?
New technology is needed to help speed up the time spent pre-contact on tenders and submissions. Getting some of these hours back will help increase productivity and create a happier and healthier workplace.
What’s your key take away?
To quote Tane Hunter Co-founder of Future Crunch and Lighthouse Data Science in his TED Talk, “Collaboration always trumps genius”.
The room had a real sense of openness and commitment to change and improvement. Targets need to be set, measures put in place, actions taken and see what change has occurred in 12 months at the next Foundations and Frontiers form.
What does good look like? Can you give one example that was discussed in the defining good session?
Alarmingly, only 12% of the construction workforce is female. Although this is increasing, there needs to be more emphasis on culture, inclusiveness, training, development, and attracting women to the workforce.
What is one key challenge in the current workforce and opportunity for the future?
A LinkedIn poll from the forum had 34% of voters stating that “lack of productivity” was the biggest issue.
Recommendations to improve productivity included improving workplace culture, promoting opportunity and diversity of jobs and locations, attracting younger people, and offering mentoring.
Red tape significantly hampers productivity and change needs to happen at a government level to get more projects off the ground and moving at pace.
