A VICIOUS CYCLE
PEOPLE
A VICIOUS CYCLE
Coming back to the US , underinvestment in infrastructure has been a topic of discussion for decades . However , the paucity of large infrastructure projects has led civil engineers and specialist managers to depart from the industry . This is compounded by fewer people seeking a career in the space , and fewer students enrolling in courses . A vicious cycle .
Several states have recognised the need for infrastructure investments . For example , Connecticut and Washington are in the early stages of multi-year transportation improvement initiatives . What ’ s more , some states have resorted to raising extra funds to try and deal with the situation , including raising gas taxes , a key source of funding for road construction . In California , 20 of the state ’ s 58 counties already have transportation sales taxes in place which has led to an exponential increase in infrastructure projects . Unfortunately , even as the money is starting to flow , the workforce has atrophied . In short , there are essential individuals who make the difference between on-time , on-budget projects and multimillion-dollar
“ There are essential individuals who make the difference between on-time , on-budget projects and multimilliondollar overruns ; and there aren ’ t enough of them ”
– Jack Coker , Principal Consultant , Ducatus Partners
overruns ; and there aren ’ t enough of them .
A number of issues stem from the workforce shortage . Lack of experienced workers means companies must relocate employees across the country on a project-by-project basis . Relocation can be expensive , especially in states like California .
Another issue is that human resource and leadership teams focus almost exclusively on project start-up to the detriment of ongoing roles throughout the project lifecycle , resulting in a backlog of hires which has a direct
56 May 2018