PWE November/December 2011

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA

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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012

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THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA

IPWEA NATIONAL BOARD President: Paul Di Iulio (SA) Past President: John Truman (NSW) Immediate Past President: David Harris (WA) Directors: Michael Kahler (Qld), Greg Moran (NSW), Paul Di Iulio (SA), Mark Varmalis (Vic), Ross Goyne (Vic), Brian Edwards (Tas), David Wiskar (Qld), Martyn Glover (WA)

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012

National CEO: Chris Champion ph (02) 9639 3650, fax (02) 9283 5255 email cchampion@ipwea.org.au

■ SPECIAL FEATURES

New South Wales: Mark Turner ph (02) 9267 6677, fax (02) 9283 5255

CANBERRA CONFERENCE FEATURE

Queensland: Suzanna Barnes-Gillard ph (07) 3000 2200, fax (07) 3257 2392 Western Australia: John Ambrose ph (08) 9427 0870, fax (08) 9427 0871 South Australia: Jane Gascoigne ph (08) 8100 9975, fax (08) 8232 5455 email sa@ipwea.org.au Tasmania: Gary Neil ph 0428 535 416 Victoria: Anne Gibbs ph (03) 9005 0860, 0417 376 930 email agibbs@ipwea.org.au

www.ipwea.org.au PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING is published by

Lvl 8, 574 St Kilda Rd. Melbourne 3004 PO Box 6137, St Kilda Rd Central 8008 ph (03) 8534 5000 fax (03) 9530 8911 www.commstrat.com.au Managing Editor: Ross Moody ph 08 9272 7735 mobile 0417 955 394 email rmoody@ipwea.org.au Editor: Rex Pannell email rex.pannell@halledit.com.au Advertising Manager: Yuri Mamistvalov ph (03) 8534 50081 mobile 0419 339 865 email yuri@commstrat.com.au Production Manager: Russell Montgomery Creative Director: Timothy Hartridge Designer: Annette Epifanidis Art Team: Monica Lawrie, Odette Boulton Subscriptions Manager: Ruth Spiegel email ruth.spiegel@halledit.com.au Subscription: One year’s subscription, only $44.

BEST PAPERS AWARD

7

Training Works Officers paper

9

Asset Management — Theory & Practice Paper

12

IPWEAQ Excellence Awards

17

Aus-Spec News

20

National Overseas Study Tour

31

IPWEA role in Local Government workforce strategy

32

Sharp fall forecast in road construction

38

Road Construction & Maintenance

42

Bridges 52 Waste Water & Sewage Technology

54

■ REGULAR REPORTS President’s Report

2

Coming Events

4

CEO’s Report

5

News 22 Training Calendar

65

State Action

66

Advertisers’ Index

80

IPWEA NATIONAL

LIVING OUR VALUES AND IPWEA IPWEA PRESIDENT, PAUL DI IULIO

THE IPWEA’S NEW PRESIDENT SHARES SOME OF HIS THOUGHTS ON THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION.

Now that I have had a couple of months to settle into the role as National President, I am looking forward to challenges and opportunities facing IPWEA. At the recent AGM, the constitution was altered to provide two Directors from each State Division irrespective of the numbers of members they have. I think this is a great step forward and I would like to thank the membership for supporting this change in our governance structure. I am sure that this change will help us in delivering our vision, namely: ‘IPWEA is recognised nationally and internationally as the leading professional association that effectively informs, connects, represents and leads public works professionals for Australia.’

The IPWEA Vision aligns very closely, or should I say complements, my personal vision to ensure that around the country we work collaboratively together to achieve amazing things. There is no doubt that with National and the State Divisons working in unison we can achieve our vision and definitely be the leading professional association in public works.

Governance Review At the last National Board meeting, we had the privilege of being joined by Ross Butler, a renowned governance expert in Australia and New Zealand. One of the most crucial tasks Ross performed was to facilitate a review of the National Board’s performance. Although there are always areas for improvement it is very pleasing to note that over the past 12 months there has been a significant

improvement in our corporate governance practices and systems. This significant improvement will ensure the long term success and viability of IPWEA as the annual reviews focuses on: 1. Role, performance and effectiveness of management and the Board; 2. Duties and responsibilities as Directors; 3. Identification and management of risk; and 4. Strategic and financial planning.

I am sure that we will remain focussed on our mission which in general terms is “to enhance the quality of life of our communities through public works and services”.

In addition over the past two Board meetings, National has adopted a Board Charter, Work Plan and a Code of Ethics to ensure we act competently and with integrity, show leadership and promote sustainability.

Values Although you would all have been exposed to the values within your own organisation, I would like to highlight the values that the National Board has agreed to. We have adopted six core values, namely: Respect, Integrity, Passion, Excellence, Recognition, Ownership.

I know these are only words; however, the challenge to all of us is to ensure that we live our values. Successful organisations not only agree on values, but live them every day. I am very committed to ensuring that IPWEA lives these values. I think that if we are all committed to operating within these six values that we will have no trouble in achieving all our goals.

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IPWEA NATIONAL

I think the tribute to the late Keith Wood at the Canberra Conference optimises the values of IPWEA. I would go so far as to say that all IPWEA’s values were on display; however, there is no doubt that the tribute recognised the unbelievable contributions that Keith made to the IPWEA and the passion he had to assist others around him achieve the things they have over many, many years.

In my mind, Keith Wood epitomises everything IPWEA stands for and the values we have adopted could easily be attributed to the way Keith led his life.

International Study Tours You may have already received information regarding the 2012 Study Tour to Helsinki; however, I couldn’t resist reminding you and asking you to seriously consider attending.

Next year’s tour will be led by Ross Moody and I am sure that the experience will be one that you will never forget. The tour has been planned to coincide with the International Federation of Municipal Engineering (IFME) World Congress and includes a visit to Helsinki City Council, Vantaa City Council and Espoo City Council prior to the congress, and then concludes with a Technical Tour in Stockholm.

Contact If you would like to discuss any ideas you have or how we can make IPWEA even better, I invite you to contact me either by phone (0418 856 085) or email pdiiulio@campbelltown.sa.gov.au at your convenience.

Festive Season As this will be my last article prior to Christmas, I would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous 2012.

COMING EVENTS Event

Date Location Contact

IPWEA EVENTS IPWEA (WA) Division State Conference

14–16 March 2012

Esplanade Hotel Fremantle

manager@ipwea.asn.au

IPWEA (NSW) Division State Conference

7–9 May 2012

Novotel Coffs Harbour

michelle@ipwea.org.au

OTHER EVENTS 17th Triennial IFME World Congress on Municipal Engineering

4–8 June 2012

Helsinki, Finland

2012 APWA International Public Works Congress & Exhibition

26–29 August 2012

Anaheim Convention Centre, California www.apwa.net

www.ifme.info

IPWEA Platinum Partner

IPWEA NATIONAL

IPWEA KICKING GOALS INTERNATIONALLY IPWEA CEO, CHRIS CHAMPION

THE NATIONAL BOARD HAS RECENTLY SPENT SOME TIME REVISITING OUR CORE PRINCIPLES, VALUES, PURPOSE AND GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS. THIS REFLECTS THE DEVELOPING MATURITY OF OUR ORGANISATION.

The Board has reinforced our vision is “to be recognised nationally and internationally as the leading professional association that informs, connects, represents and leads public works professionals for Australia”. It is worth outlining some of our work in the international space where IPWEA is kicking some good goals.

International Infrastructure Management The first edition of the International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM) was published in 2000 jointly with our New Zealand colleagues INGENIUM. This has been the launch pad for IPWEA internationally in asset management. The 2011 4th edition was recently published and the IIMM is widely adopted as the international reference book and framework of infrastructure asset management.

IPWEA is playing a significant role in the development and moulding of the draft ISO Standard for Asset Management to ensure it accommodates work in this field for municipal and public infrastructure.

Peter Way is Chair of IPWEA’s NAMS.AU Committee and has been a lead contributor to this work. Peter Way is representing IPWEA on the Australian Mirror Committee and was part of a seven-member delegation from Australia to the recent Washington DC Meeting in the USA. A Global Network of Asset Management Societies (gNAMS) is a recent initiative of the International Federation of Municipal Engineering (IFME). I have been appointed to convene this group under the umbrella of IFME. The group will have a focus on municipal and public physical infrastructure assets. This will be an opportunity to further enhance and exchange ideas, experience and resources in infrastructure asset management.

Initial countries that will play an active part are Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and South Africa.

IPWEA’s NAMS.PLUS Workshops have now been piloted in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, Canada with eight small communities. Our presenters are delivering a second round of workshops in Regina SK at this time. I recently participated as the Invited Keynote Speaker at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) Conference on Asset Management held in Saskatoon where case studies were also presented on the success of the first round of NAMS.PLUS workshops in Canada.

The Mayor of one community titled his presentation “Sceptic Converted” giving a glowing testimonial to the benefits and impacts of IPWEA’s NAMS.PLUS approach.

Overeas contacts are a benefit of IPWEA’s international work. Jamie Maslen of the NSW State Library enquired about contacts in the United Kingdom and I was able to assist in his placement working with AMEY, a large consulting company specialising in municipal and asset management work.

Jamie received an Endeavour Award Scholarship to undertake work with AMEY. Many of the international contacts that I have made are also able to help us when planning our international study tour visits.

RedR is Registered Engineers for Disaster Relief. IPWEA is a founding member organisation and is represented on the RedR Board by IPWEA member David Swan. It is regularly noted that engineers and other technical staff from local government are the most sought after professionals to assist in the work of RedR due to their hands-on practical approaches. See www.redr.org.au to find out how you can join the standby register and assist.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012 | PWE

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IPWEA NATIONAL

IPWEA and its members have undertaken international study tours for many years. There is an annual national study tour to align with the APWA Public Works Congress each year. In 2012 however the study tour is centred on the IFME Triennial Congress on Municipal Engineering in Helsinki. See www.ipwea.org.au/2012studytour for opportunities to participate in the 2012 tour through the valuable support of the State Foundations.

Every two years, the IPWEA Asset Management Tour to New Zealand is organised and will again be held in 2012. Last year, some 27 participants were richly rewarded from their involvement in this unique tour of best practice in asset management. The tour will align with the INGENIUM Advanced Asset Management Form being held in November 2012.

AssetMates is our discussion forum on asset management and has many international participants that provide a platform for international exchange. This very active forum will soon become the basis for transition to our new Communities of Practice in Asset Management (www.ipwea.org.au/AM).

It is interesting and a learning experience to participate or even just ‘watch’ the discussion. One recent helpful reply came through on AssetMates from a program manager of a large research organisation based in the USA who is an international participant in our forum.

IPWEA’s International Partnerships are very much valued where we have long established relationships with other international associations and organisations with similar goals. These partnerships include INGENIUM, APWA and IFME and provide an opportunity for exchange of international practice, skills and experience.

If you would like information on any aspect of IPWEA’s international programs, please contact me at cchampion@ipwea.org.au.

IPWEA Presenters John Howard & Allen Mapstone with NAMS.PLUS Workshop participants, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

IPWEA DELIVERS FLEET TRAINING TO HONG KONG POLICE In early November, IPWEA delivered a two day fleet management best practice training program for the Hong Kong Police Force.

The training program was based on the highly successful IPWEA Fleet Management Certificate with modifications to suit the role of the fleet manager in the Hong Kong Police.

The Hong Kong Police Force has a diverse vehicle fleet of approximately 2,500 vehicles ranging from small (250 cc) motorcycles to heavy goods vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers.

Fleet management is responsible for all vehicle procurement, starting with preparation of technical specifications and ending with tender evaluation. Subsequent maintenance is subject to an exclusive Service Level Agreement (SLA) with a single service provider.

While the management team had previously received no formal training in fleet management, they all have a strong frontline operational background which provides them with an understanding of end user expectations and requirements.

By all reports the program was a great success and IPWEA has been invited to submit a proposal for further training in 2012 this time over three days.

From left Hong Kong Police Force Motor Transport Superintendant Martin Cadman, IPWEA National Executive Officer Ross Moody, Uniqco Managing Director Grant Andrews and Police Inspector David Donnelly at the training session at the Hong Kong Police Academy.

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CANBERRA CONFERENCE Best Paper Awards AWARD WINNERS EJ (Ted) Hooper Medal Russell Burke, Eurobodalla Shire NAMie Award Mick Raby, Fairfield City Council (NSW)

Our Premier Event

CANBERRA CONFERENCE Best Paper Awards

EJ (TED) HOOPER MEDAL Russell Burke from Eurobodalla Shire was awarded the E.J. (Ted) Hooper medal to recognise the best paper presented at the Canberra Conference.

The paper titled Training Works Officers — Fortune Favours the Bold looked at how Eurobodalla Shire Council went about training 18 of its Works Officers in Certificate IV in Civil Construction Supervision.

For many councils in NSW, finding works officers who have the skills, knowledge and attitude suitable for providing the wide range of services required by the community is often a daunting task. Where

IPWEA NAMS.UA Committee Chair Peter Way (right) presenting Mick Raby with the NAMie Award at the Komatsu Grand Gala Dinner

are these works officers and how do you get them to work for Council?

Well, your problems are over; invest in developing your own staff and reap the rewards. The training was provided by Riverina TAFE over a two-year timeframe as part of a Federal Government funded pilot e-learning training program with Eurobodalla Shire Council agreeing to participate and test the training program. Taking on the training program was a challenge given that Eurobodalla Shire Council was the first council in Australia to be involved and that the works officers were not accustomed to studying, but fortune favours the brave and the rest is now history.

The best paper was one of the 132 papers presented at the conference and was judged on factors including; relevance to the conference theme, national applicability, originality, potential benefit to public works engineering and the author’s presentation, ability to hold audience’s attention and to stimulate and answer questions.

NAMIE AWARD Judged from the papers presented in the asset management streams, the winning paper was presented by Mick Raby from Fairfield City Council (NSW) for his presentation A Works Guy’s Thoughts on Asset Management Theory. The National Asset Management Award (the NAMie) was presented to the paper that best demonstrated the most significant contribution towards advancing AM within an organisation — where it additionally has scope to also be applied in other organisations.

As with the EJ Hooper Medal, judging was on content and presentation.

The paper describes FCC’s efforts to bring the works teams into the fold regarding asset management and discusses the early results which include: maintenance cost reductions; a move to highly sustainable recycled materials; an evolving zone-based team theory; water sensitive urban design lessons; increases in productivity;

Russell Burke (left) receiving the EJ Hooper Medal for the best paper from IPWEA(NSW) President Greg Moran

and challenges to historic assumptions regarding construction and maintenance materials and methodologies.

In common with much of the local government sector, Fairfield City Council (FCC) is well along the pathway to a comprehensive Asset Management (AM) System. The theory of Advanced AM is complex, and the processes which support it require considerable change across functional areas. The challenges presented by AM impact not only on the planning disciplines, but also on the work site. Assuming the right asset is already in the right place, a primary driver of AM becomes the struggle to ensure that best value wholeof-life cost principles are applied to the processes which surround maintenance and rehabilitation decisions. Many of the inputs to such processes can be enhanced by ensuring a robust engagement with the guy on the end of the shovel. FCC has searched for the mechanisms of such a “ground-up engagement” to connect works staff with the asset rehabilitation and maintenance decision-making processes. This activity has highlighted two areas of potential value: information and intelligence is potentially available from works teams who are, by the nature of their work, constantly engaged with communities on what communities are actually seeking from council; and secondly works teams are in a prime position to challenge many of the rehabilitation/renewal methodologies and materials assumptions upon which the planning echelon’s decisions are based.

8 PWE | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012

THE FOLLOWING PAGES FEATURE THE PAPERS WHICH WON THE EJ (TED) HOOPER MEDAL AND THE NAMIE AWARD AT THE IPWEA CANBERRA CONFERENCE.

TRAINING WORKS OFFICERS FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BOLD RUSSELL BURKE, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, EUROBODALLA SHIRE COUNCIL, NSW, AUSTRALIA

Abstract For many councils in NSW finding Works Officers that have the skills, knowledge and attitude suitable for providing the wide range of services required by the community is often a daunting task. Where are these Works Officers and how do you get them to work for Council!

Well, your problems are over, invest in developing your own staff and reap the rewards.

This paper presents an overview of how Eurobodalla Shire Council went about training 18 of its Works Officers in Certificate IV in Civil Construction Supervision. The training was provided by Riverina TAFE over a 2 year timeframe as part of a Federal Government funded pilot e-learning training program with Eurobodalla Shire Council agreeing to participate and test the training program.

Taking on the training program was a challenge given that Eurobodalla Shire Council was the first Council in Australia to be involved and that the Works Officers were not accustomed to studying, but fortune favours the bold and the rest is now history.

Introduction

Once all operational staff was trained in Certificate III, Council set about finding a Registered Training Organisation to provide Supervisory training at Certificate IV level. This task was found to be much more difficult than expected as there was no training provider in Australia with a training course on offer at Certificate IV level or higher suitable for training local government supervisors.

In 2008, this all changed with a chance meeting with a Head Teacher from Riverina TAFE at Albury. Riverina TAFE had been successful in receiving a Federal Government Grant to write and provide training via e-learning delivery for Certificate IV in Civil Construction Supervision.

The Head Teacher at Riverina TAFE was looking for a group of students to trial the new course, and Council was looking for a course to train our Construction and Maintenance supervisors and Coordinators in supervisory level training.

A relationship was formed with Riverina TAFE in 2008 to provide the supervisory training Council needed and Council in return would assist in “ground-truthing” the training and provide feedback for improvements. The unique way Council went about supporting this pilot training program and the benefits achieved from the training are outlined in this paper.

Eurobodalla Shire Council is located on the far south coast of NSW

What we did

and covers approximately 110 kilometres of coastline stretching from

The major deterrents to training Local Government Works Officers was the quality, cost and availability of training. These issues were leading to skills shortage in supervisory roles and were preventing Council’s from up skilling and retaining existing supervisors.

How Eurobodalla Shire Council overcame these Construction Industry short comings was to form a training relationship with Riverina TAFE. This training relationship involved the choice of subjects (units of competency) that suited Council’s needs and TAFE had course material that was written, up to date and available for assessment. Subjects were chosen which covered the areas of occupational health and safety, risk management, environmental policies and procedures, leadership, project planning, managing plant and resources, and road construction and maintenance.

These subjects were also chosen with the intention of providing a broad range of learning to each supervisor and a stepping stone to higher level training such as Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Bachelor of Technology or degree level.

Experience gained in training Council staff in previous courses such as Project Management and Frontline Management showed that without proper support, the failure rate of Works officers was unacceptably high. This was overcome on day one with the decision to provide a learning environment which focused on the needs of the Works Officer, many of which were mature in age.

Batemans Bay in the North to Narooma in the South of the Shire.

The Shire has a population of approximately 37,000 people which peaks up to 150,000 in the summer season. Council delivers a wide range of engineering services which includes water and sewer, waste management, roads and drainage, bridges, wharves, jetties, boat ramps, footpaths and cycle-ways, airport and parks and gardens.

To support these range of services, Council employs approximately 200 engineering related staff with approximately 110 staff involved in the construction and maintenance of Council assets.

In 2003 Council set about training all operational staff at every age and every stage, ranging from labourers to Supervisors in Certificate III Local Government Operations. This training was implemented by NSW TAFE based at the Bega Campus and involved a small component of classroom training. Operational staff members were deemed as competent if they could meet the course subject criteria based on their practical experience, which was assessed and tested in the workplace

by TAFE workplace assessors. The purpose of this training was to provide a career path for existing and future staff, but did not assist in the development of supervisory skills.

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CANBERRA CONFERENCE Best Paper Awards This support involved a range of measures which were adapted and changed as the need arose and consisted of the following; • provide tutorial/mentor support to students using Council engineers • provide 4 hours tutorial support each week in Council time for duration of training course (2 years) • advice to students on how to learn and where to find information • provide a large and comfortable training room • provide a laptop computer to each student which the student could take home • provide pens, paper, flash drives, textbooks • provide the best morning tea money could buy — we ended up eating our way through approximately 300 packets of biscuits, mostly chocolate • Provide guest speakers to attend training sessions to speak on specific topics and make training more interesting. This included a local Work cover inspector, Council General Manager, Directors, NSW Fisheries, Batemans Bay Marine Park Authority, Geotechnical Officer, Plant Manager, HR personnel.

• Allow students to have frequent breaks and have some control over the learning environment • Training was contextualised (made relevant) to Council projects and operating systems.

Students could walk away from the training with something they could apply on their job right away • Field trips to Council projects and local contractors such a Downer EDI to check, test and discuss information required for assignments • Subject information and assignments provided by TAFE were proof-read by Council engineers prior to issue to students.

This resulted in changes to make training course notes and material more practical and suit local conditions, operating systems and standards.

• Students current and future projects were used as assignments where possible, such as drawing up erosion and sediment control plans, developing a bar chart to assist in project planning, determining plant and materials requirements, developing an inspection and test plan for pavement works • Used training sessions as a forum for discussion on current issues such as OHS, environmental, quality, and productivity issues affecting Council projects • Used training sessions to invite other Council operating staff such as in Parks and

10 PWE | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012

Gardens, Water and sewer, workshop to listen to guest speakers and discuss project management issues • Opportunity for Council Executive Level staff to attend training sessions to have discussions and interact with supervisors What this learning environment succeeded in achieving was an excellent relationship and transfer of knowledge between engineers and works officers, and between works officers from the more experienced to the less experienced.

The weekly tutorial sessions were positive and proactive; the absentee rate by works officers was low, with lively discussions taking place centred on the supervisory skills required to achieving Council’s Works program.

What we achieved At the very outset of training, it was decided to monitor and evaluate the progress of the Works officers through the training course so that benefits could be measured and changes made when needed.

The initial assessment of Works Officers skills was conducted by Riverina TAFE at Moruya which involved determining levels of literacy and numeracy skills and IT literacy levels of each Works officer. It was obvious that some Works officers had never turned on a laptop computer before, where other Works officers were used to using a computer and sending emails.

To assist Works officers in getting used to using computers, IT literacy training was provided each week, commencing on very basic tasks until confidence and competency was reached. Some Works officers preferred to write out assignments and never mastered typing assignments and sending off assignments by email, but this was OK as we decided to cater to the lowest level so that all Works Officers felt supported in their quest to achieve their supervisory qualification.

The objective of this training course was to utilise e-learning mechanisms for delivering Certificate IV level Civil Construction qualifications in a work based and flexible learning environment.

This e-learning training model proposed

by TAFE required Works Officers to contact their teacher via email and through this mechanism have questions answered and send in assignments. This clearly did not work for all Works Officers as they were mostly IT illiterate and did not have access to email, except at Council’s works depot. It was decided that Works Officers that did have IT skills could type up assignments and send to TAFE by email, and those that couldn’t yet master the

computer could write out their assignments and Council’s Engineer Tutors would arrange for sending assignments to TAFE by email on their behalf.

Council also took advantage of learning

by Teleconference which involved Works officers and tutors attending a Teleconference classroom at Moruya TAFE to receive a lecture broadcast from Riverina TAFE at Albury. This form of teaching was very exciting to the Works officers and allowed teaching to take place without having to attend Albury TAFE. Throughout the two year training program, follow up performance monitoring took place, with assessments made on improvements in computing and learning skills.

At the end of the Certificate IV training program, each Works officer was asked to rate their understanding of the key competencies of each subject before and after the training provided in each subject.

This monitoring revealed an average of 30% improvement in knowledge and skills gained

by Works Officers over the entire course. This demonstrated a clear benefit to Council from the training and supports Council bold investment in this pilot e-learning training program.

The definition of success of this training was fourfold being a benefit for the Works Officer, a benefit for the Engineer tutors, a benefit for Council and a benefit for the community.

Each party needed a “buy in” to make it worthwhile in investing time and money in the training.

The Works Officer benefitted from improved supervisory skills, knowledge and attitudes which could lead to progression through the Council ranks and the opportunity to earn a higher income.

The benefit for the Engineer tutors was a skills update, improvement in coaching and management skills and benchmarking of staff competencies. The benefit for Council was a higher trained supervisory workforce which could implement Council projects in accordance with policies and systems which achieved the required OHS, environmental, quality cost and time outcomes. The community benefit was an improvement in the delivery of service s by a highly trained and confident Council workforce committed to the community’s diver se needs.

Where to from here The initial success of this training program resulted in 15 supervisors completing their training and graduating with an apprenticeship and a Certificate 4 in Civil Construction

Supervision qualification in August 2010, and the remaining 3 supervisors completing their studies and graduating in December 2010.

This is a significant achievement as all Works Officers who started the training course in September 2008 completed the training by December 2010, which was 1 year ahead of the training schedule.

This however is not the end; it is just the beginning as this achievement has generated significant interest at Council, with 12 more construction and maintenance staff commencing studies for Certificate IV in Civil Construction Supervision in September 2010. These new Works Officers are Assistant Works Supervisors and up and coming staff members who show leadership potential.

Council’s first group of Certificate IV graduates is now involved in tutoring the new group of Assistant Works Supervisors.

This development will allow supervisors an opportunity to pass on their knowledge and experience to fellow Works Officers and at the same time reinforce the learning already undertaken by the Supervisors and improve their coaching and management skills.

The training of Works Officers by fellow Works Officers is a goal of this round of training and is seen as a major achievement of Council’s training program.

Council also recently commenced training of Works Officers in the Diploma in Civil Construction Management. This training has been offered to Supervisors who have recently completed their Certificate IV supervisory training and supervisors from others sections of Council.

This training course is offered by Riverina TAFE with 13 Works Officers now enrolled in the training which commenced in March 2011. This training will also be supported by tutorials from Council engineers but in a revised format. Tutorial sessions will be provided for 4 hours every 4 weeks, with a greater reliance on Supervisors to study in their own time.

It is proposed that the Diploma will focus on a major project to be chosen by each Works officer which is either in the Council Management Plan or on the drawing boards ready for commencement. The 5 core Diploma subjects focus on risk management, environmental management, OH&S management, quality management and team effectiveness. These subjects will be studied in a cluster, relating in part to the major project chosen. This allows for each Works Officer to be working on a major project in detail which Council will be getting an immediate benefit

from as well as Works officers using this as a way of answering assignments and passing the course competency requirements.

Council has recently recruited 4 civil construction apprentices for a four year period who will be trained in Certificate III in Local Government Operations and Certificate IV in Civil Construction Supervision whilst gaining on the job experience. These apprentices will then be encouraged to progress these studies further to either a Bachelor of Technology or University degree.

Council has also recently been recognised at the NSW Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) Engineering Excellence Awards with an Innovation Award for e-learning course development and delivery of Certificate IV and Diploma studies.

This award validates the training model established with Riverina TAFE in addressing the skills shortage in engineering supervisory staff and promoting a sustainable level of supervisory skills at Council.

Council has also been successful in attracting grant funding from the Drilling Mining and Construction Skills Council (Skills DMC) for 26 training places under the Enterprise Based Productivity Places Program and from Riverina TAFE under their Board of Vocational Education and Training (BVET) program. This grant funding will cover a major proportion of all training costs and is a further indicator that the training programs provided suit current best practice in the construction industry.

It is clear that the way forward for Council is to develop today’s and tomorrow’s supervisors on the job where they can work on solving problems regarding civil construction projects supported by training programs aimed at learning by doing. The development of supervisory skills in this way will allow Works Officers to become conscious of not only what they do but why they do it.

Conclusion

somewhere else or you promoted a person from within with skilled operator experience but may have lacked supervisory skills.

The answer to this dilemma is to develop the capacity of your own supervisory workforce from within by adopting the training model implemented by Eurobodalla Shire Council in partnership with Riverina TAFE. This training model will enable Works Officers to complete a Certificate IV or Diploma level qualification level through an e-learning/ work-based learning approach. The distance education/e-learning component will provide the theory, while the practical experience component will be provided through learning in the workplace, supported at a technical level

by Council managers and engineers.

References DMC National Industry Skills Council (March 2010) “Civil Construction Occupation Review Report”

Author Biography Russell Burke is the Design and Construction Manager, Eurobodalla Shire Council. Worked at Eurobodala Shire Council (twice).

He has worked at Gosford City Council, Kogarah Municipal Council, Burwood Municipal Council, Ryde City Council and Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council.

He has also worked as a Consult ant for Aus AID in developing Countries such as Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Cambodia. Member of the IPWE A Bridge Working Party His main professional interests are in Bridges, training and development, international development. Lives in Narooma, married with 2 children and enjoy surfing and swimming.

Contact Details: Eurobodalla Shire Council, PO Box 99 Moruya N SW 2537: (P) 02 4474 1208 (M) 0429 460 503 (F) 02 4474 1042 (e) russell.burke@eurocoast.nsw .gov.au

In local government and in the Civil Construction Industry in general, there is emerging a shortage of skilled workers with supervision and management skills. This is because until recently the training offered was either of low quality, high cost or was unavailable.

This has meant that if you need a supervisor at your Council, then you either procured or poached this person from

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012 | PWE

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