Page 47 - September 2015 Digital Construction Opportunities

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Bridging the skill gap Project management, a vital tool in construction appears to be an ignored area owing to the severe shortage of qualified professionals. Te art of Project Management is not new to the world of construction and infrastructure as evidenced from the fast evolving best practices and technologies. Though the service was earlier sidelined as secondary, today project management is considered key to the the delivery of successful projects. Te growth of project management, believe industry experts, will be led particularly from Asian countries like China and India by 2020. A latest report by PMI states that China and India will have project manager opportunities to the extent of 81 million and 4 million respectively by 2020. Increasing focus on developing and constructing new Source: PMI infrastructure and construction facilities management in large projects base in India, generating new opportunities and the need to deliver projects as per global • Need for nodal agencies to monitor to deliver projects as per international standards are growth boosters for the sector, project execution and provide support standards. Analysts feel that the initiative especially in Asian countries. for on time completion, especially has helped in raising the standards of to intervene when projects run into construction and increased the need for INDIAN SCENARIO problems and to pick up signals for project managers in delivering quality Despite the growth opportunities, a recent proactive action in future projects within a stipulated timeline and study released by FICCI and PMI suggests • Training and tools for enhancing budget. Turner, a global consultancy and a major instability in the advancement of organisational project management project management frm, is one such entity project management in India. Tough the capabilities, especially in the which plans to explore this opportunity. science of project management has refned government for project monitoring and Te frm is eyeing nearly 25 per cent of its the process of construction in India, the organisation for project execution total sales from India operations in the next niggardly inadequate number of trained Te efectiveness of implementation of such 3 years. professionals leads to serious concerns. efcient initiatives was clearly seen with the However, analysts opine that this growth Te lack of efective project management introduction of Project Monitoring Group can be further enhanced only with the techniques has already led to escalation in in India. A nodal agency established by availability of qualified professionals. investments on projects from `5.25 lakh the Central Government, PMG started its Institutionalising the science of project crore to `5.85 lakh crore. According to the operations in 2013. Since then, PMG has management is one such demand being put latest assessment the country requires at accepted 507 projects for consideration and forth by the stakeholders of the industry to least fve lakh qualifed project managers in successfully facilitated resolution of all issues resolve the present skill gap in the sector. the future to complete 591 projects that are in 207 stalled projects with an investment of Te approach is already practiced in other executed and planned across the country. around `7.4 lakh crores till date. Asian countries like Japan, Korea, Singapore According to the FICCI-PMI report the Te government’s ‘Make in India’ campaign and China. Delivering a successful project three critical areas that need immediate is the other initiative that is positively is not easy, but it is not impossible either. attention to resolve the skill gaps are: contributing to the growth of project Te art of project management is a vital • A framework and implementation plan management professionals in India. Te tool in the creation of qualitative projects. for continuous improvement in quality initiative has attracted numerous global Fruitful results can only come about with a of stakeholder engagement and risk manufacturers to establish their operational supportive eco-system. u SEPTEMBER 2015|construction opportunities 47