Trainee Planner

Greeting prestigious planning community,

 

I finished off school last year and i am currently working for Clough in Australia as a trainee planner, the past 5 months i have been observing and assisting one of the companies major projects happening over in PNG and i believe i have basic understanding of P6 and general Earthworks(thats what we are focused on here)

Next week i am attending a 3 day P6 course(basic i believe) but after that i am not quiet sure what direction to go into, i want to have a broader understanding over the Construction world but i am unsure where to go after this and what to do/read to expand my knowledge...

 

So i am asking the community ,

Where did you start out?   What is the next step for me?  What do i need to be focusing on?

Any help Would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you.

Ronald G.

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Patrick Weaver 👤 Member for 25 years 4 months

Learning a tool is like learning to drive without ever learning how to read maps, if you want to get anywhere, you need ‘map reading’ skills and driving skills.  Fortunately, training in CPM scheduling is starting to become available and will soon be supported by credentials.

Planning Plant is working on their system (watch this web site).

The CIOB are rolling out their system.  The base CIOB credential PTMC is based on a recently published book, the Guide to Good Practice in the Management of Time in Complex Projects’.  For more on this set of certifications see: http://www.mosaicprojects.com.au/Planning.html#Certifications

For more on The Guide see: http://www.mosaicprojects.com.au/Book_Sales.html#CIOB

My hope is the Planning Planet and CIOB credentials will be set at similar levels so the industry has a common point of reference.

M
Mike Testro 👤 Member for 20 years 5 months

Hi Ronald

I started out as an office tea boy 40 odd years ago and I am now a consultant delay analyst. How did that happen?

Mainly by understanding the complete construction process from estimating through to construction management by working in each department and laying bricks and pitching roofs on the way.

You have to know how to build it before you can plan it otherwise you will end up as a keyboard jockey writing up other people's plans.

So get out on the site and get some mud on your boots - keep asking questions and after about 5 years you can come back to planning - by which time BIM 5D will have made us all redundant anyway.

As a side issue you will never get a grip on bulk earthworks until you understand the principles of Cut / Fill balance and Average Mass Haul.

And another point - P6 is useless for bulk earthworks so get a better set of kit.

Good luck and Best regards

Mike Testro

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