The lack of project managers and construction directors threatens the delivery of the Rudd Government’s planned infrastructure program according to the Australian Institute of Building (AIB). The Institute’s Chief Executive, Troy Williams, said that with the construction industry at near capacity, the ability to deliver the government’s planned infrastructure on-time and on-budget will be hampered by the lack of building professionals.

“The building and construction industry is at near capacity and there is a shortage of professional builders. This threatens the ability of the construction industry to deliver large infrastructure over the short to medium term.” said Mr Williams.

As a solution to the problem, AIB has proposed a significant increase in the number of undergraduate positions for students undertaking building and construction management courses at university.

“AIB has written to the Education Minister, Julia Gillard, advising that a medium-term solution can be found in increasing the number of students studying building and construction management. Ideally the funding can be provide in this year’s budget,” Mr Williams said.

Research undertaken by AIB in 2007 determined that there were some 2,581 undergraduate students studying building and construction management on a full and part-time basis, with an annual intake of approximately 600 each year. In the short-term, AIB recommends providing funding in this year’s budget to increase the number of places to 900 per year.

“We can import project managers and other professionals as a short-term solution, however over the medium to longer term we need to increase the supply of professionals from within Australia. Increasing university funding for building and construction management undergraduate places achieves this outcome,” Mr Williams said.

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Source: Australian Institute of Building