Instructor: Tim Williams

Participants will develop skills and knowledge of how to manage a construction project. Participants will gain an understanding of the project processes and constraints encountered by project managers (using PMBoK 5th Edition approach) and how to successfully manage a complex project. At the end of the course participants will be able to: Understand the importance of project planning, Understand the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK 5th Ed), Use the appropriate CCDC/CCA contract and/or Purchase Orders for the project, Use risk management tools and mitigate for risk, Understand the estimating process, Understand the importance of scheduling and use appropriate scheduling tools, Understand expectations management and adapt communication accordingly, Understand the components of projects – labour, materials and overheads – and use of techniques to maximize job profitability and minimize costs, Do post-mortem analysis after project completion, Understand the impact and methodology of construction cost control, Use of site and office project cost control methods, Use Construction Industry Codes to analyse costs vs budget, Adapt the project estimate to a project budget, Understand how job costing fits within the overall accounting systems, Understand Return on Investment (ROI) and how this impacts required project profit margins, Understand the contract process from bidding to project close-out, Use of job profit forecasting methods to integrate into company forecasting systems, Understand the importance of cash flow projections for construction companies.

Instructor: Tim Williams

Participants will learn how to improve the management and business systems of their construction company. At the end of the course participants will be able to: Understand the strategic planning process and how to implement it within their context, Understand the importance of a business plan and how to prepare one, Understand the participants within the construction industry – their roles, responsibilities and limitations, Understand the benefits of a participatory management culture, Formulate a marketing plan and understand the marketing mix, Develop a human resource management plan, Understand the employment cycle/process, Develop an employee performance evaluation System, Increase staff morale and engagement, Understand operational planning for construction companies, Formulate a financial plan, budgets, ratios and break-even analysis, Understand the importance of financial internal controls, Develop benchmarks and key performance indicators, Understand bonding and insurance for construction companies, Use risk management tools to identify risk and how to mitigate risk.

Instructor: Tim Williams

Participants will learn skills and knowledge to estimate construction projects and prepare a successful bid. At the end of the course participants will be able to: Analyze projects and decide on which ones to bid, Understand risk analysis and how to price this into a bid, Do competitor analysis and understand how this impacts the bid, Do client risk analysis and how to price this into bids, Record material and other prices and maintain contact lists, Formulate a bid strategy, Understand how to prepare an estimate and the estimating process, Use Construction Division Codes, Understand how to present a bid, Be familiar with how to use the bid depository, Understand the requirements for bonding and insurance, Understand the post-bidding process, Work with project managers to pass on knowledge of the bid.

Instructor: Tim Williams

Participants will learn the fundamentals for building a safe workplace that is appropriate for their construction company. The course assists in familiarizing participants with WorkSafe regulations and Certificate of Recognition audit requirements. The participants will also build practical skills for supervising construction worksites, conducting toolbox talks, providing health and safety training, conducting regular safety inspections, doing safety investigations where an accident occurs and designing a safety manual. The course is designed for construction owners, managers, estimators, supervisors and new safety representatives. At the end of the course participants will be able to: Define safety and determine responsibilities, Understand the legislative requirements for maintaining a safe workplace, Define and develop elements to make up a good health and safety program, Understand the Certificate of Recognition (COR) program and its requirements, Include safety into planning, Conduct hazard assessments – assess risk and hazard priorities, Identify the components of a good training program, Make on-the-job health and safety training a natural part of your job site activity, Conducting successful toolbox talks, Prepare for an inspection and develop an inspection checklist, Understand which incidents require investigation, Conduct timely incident or accident investigations, Recommend and implement corrective actions to prevent future reoccurrences, Understand the safety systems and document management required, Understand the key elements of an OH&S Committee, Understand how to build a safety culture within a construction company.

Instructor: Tim Williams

Changes are an inevitable part of the construction process but if not managed well, change orders can cause unnecessary project disruptions and lead to cost increases and schedule delays. This course will provide participants with best practices for successfully navigating this complex project management challenge. At the end of the course participants will be able to : Identify changes from the original contract, Document the changes, Price changes fairly and realistically, Present and negotiate changes collaboratively, Understand the importance of early detection of change orders, Negotiate delay claims caused by changes, Understand the wording within commonly used, contracts eg., CCDC 2 and CCA 1, Develop a change order process for a construction company, Issue a notice of dispute, Proactively negotiating fair time and material rates at the bidding stage of a project.

Instructor: Tim Williams

Participants will learn how to improve their listening, speaking and writing skills as a construction leader. At the end of the course participants will be able to: Improve their writing skills: emails, texts, letters, RFIs and reports, Improve their listening skills: interpret body language, use reflective listening, deal with difficult people, and use good questioning skills, Improve their speaking skills: phone calls, meetings, small groups, and large groups presentations, Lead through vision casting and strategic focus, Learn the benefits of collaborative decision making and how best to lead leaders.

Instructor: Tim Williams

The Construction Law course is designed for construction owners, managers, estimators and supervisors to develop an understanding of contract law as it relates to construction. The learners will build practical skills and learn how to effectively and proactively deal with conflict situations and avoid litigation. The course will also review other construction related law such as the builders liens, collecting debts, bonding, insurance, environmental law and safety law. At the end of the course participants will be able to: Understand the Canadian legal system and sources of law, Understand the basics of contract law – intention, offer, acceptance, consideration, capacity and legality, Be familiar with various CCDC/CCA and other contracts – how and why they are used, Be familiar with various legal terms used in contracts, Understand the contract responsibilities of various parties, Understand the bidding process and contractual obligations, Understand how specifications and drawings fit within the contractual hierarchy, Understand the contractual relationship between contractor and sub-contractor, Compile and submit proper extras and claims, Define back charges and how to avoid them, Avoid construction disputes and claims from the site level, Write RFIs and Change Orders, Understand the dispute resolution process – negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation, Use the Builder’s Lien Act to obtain security for debts, Understand how the “holdback system” works and why, Use the Small Claims process to recover debts, Understand bonding/surety and how it used in construction, Understand the types of insurance used in construction, Understand environmental law, Understand safety law requirements and WCB.