As the academic year comes to a close and the summer holidays begin, it’s the perfect time for schools and universities to consider the delivery of their construction projects.
Without the presence of students and staff and the pressures of term-time schedules, school breaks enable work to be carried out uninterrupted – whether it’s a new-build construction or a renovation project.
However, projects in the education sector face a number of challenges, including strict timescales, tight budgets and significant safety risks – which is why having a skilled project management team on-hand to assist with delivery is essential!
Here at Greyfriars Project Management, we specialise in delivering infrastructure and development projects for a range of sectors, helping our clients better manage a number of challenges throughout their projects.
In this article, we’ve taken a look at how experienced project management can help the education sector tackle key challenges to ensure safe, timely and cost-effective project delivery.
How project management aids the delivery of education sector construction projects
Time management
Most development and infrastructure projects in the education sector must be completed within tight time constraints to fit around academic calendars.
During the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays, students and staff are absent, so construction work can move ahead without disruption to daily activities. It’s crucial that all work is fully completed during this time to ensure students and staff can return for the start of term.
This requires strict time management, which is not always easy, especially in projects with many moving parts. However, an experienced team can effectively manage this.
With good programme management – which will include a detailed timeline – project managers can keep a project on track. All aspects of the project will be coordinated to ensure the timeline is met, resources are effectively allocated and any delays are proactively managed.
Here at Greyfriars Project Management, we worked on a construction project for Angel Road Schools which had a tight deadline of the beginning of autumn term.
We managed the project to successful completion by the strict September deadline, so pupils could return to the revamped school as planned.
However, some schemes are too big to deliver within the school holidays, and so require extra attention given to the programme when working in a live school environment.
This includes site segregation, logistics, carefully planned deliveries to avoid peak school drop off and pick up times, safe working methodology, safeguarding knowledge, quiet working times around exams and more – all of which our team have extensive experience of, to ensure projects are delivered with minimal disruption to school life.
Plus, working in a live school environment can give pupils and teachers the opportunity to attend site visits and see first-hand how STEM relates to a real-world example, as well as showcase the options available within construction careers!
Contract management
The majority of construction projects require in-depth knowledge of a wide range of contracts and regulatory framework.
Clients in the education sector may not have the detailed insight into the different contracts required, or new regulations which may impact the delivery of the project.
An experienced project management team brings up-to-date industry knowledge to make sure the contracts most relevant to the project type are administered correctly and all parties involved understand the requirements and objectives.
Our project managers are dedicated to keeping up with the latest training to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to help us deliver the results our clients need.
Procurement
Development and infrastructure projects often require a significant number of people and materials to make them a success. So, procurement can be a complex and time-consuming process.
In the education sector, clients may not have the knowledge, time or resource to develop the most suitable procurement strategy, leading to delays, mistakes or budget issues during construction.
Project managers can take control of procurement, using their knowledge of the construction industry and local market to find the right contractors to ensure the project is delivered successfully.
Here at Greyfriars Project Management, we can manage procurement and project team assembly to efficiently lead the project to completion. Plus, we have many local connections and use the local supply chain where possible.
Budget controls
Most projects have a limited budget – but this is particularly pertinent in the education sector where the available financial resources may rely on capital funding.
Project costs may be affected by a number of factors, including changes to size and scope, material and equipment costs, unexpected delays, unplanned risks and service or labour costs. So, successfully delivering a project within budget can be complex without the necessary tools and resources.
A skilled project management team can estimate, budget and control costs, overseeing financial tracking to make sure works do not exceed the budget. Plus, they can continually review works throughout the project so resources are used in the most economic way.
Here at Greyfriars Project Management, not only can we effectively manage and control costs, but we have the skills and experience to ensure projects are successfully delivered so clients get the most value from their budget too.
Risk management
Every construction project has some level of risk, but this can be exacerbated in an education environment if buildings are occupied by students and staff – on top of safeguarding considerations.
Managing risk is a key responsibility for project managers. Working pragmatically, we can identify and assess risks early on in the project to mitigate them in the first instance, as well as devise a plan of the most suitable solutions should any challenges arise throughout the project.
On top of addressing safety, this includes managing financial, project and environmental risks too, to ensure a project is completed as safely as possible.
Expert project management for the education sector
At Greyfriars Project Management, we’re a team of skilled project managers with experience working with the education sector.
Our expertise means we understand the unique challenges and requirements of construction projects in the education sector and can help clients deliver better educational spaces for students to work and play.
From time management and procurement, to budget controls and risk management, our comprehensive services can be tailored to clients’ requirements to ensure successful project delivery – on time and on budget.
Based in Norfolk, we work collaboratively with our clients to ensure their infrastructure and development projects are completed as desired and to the highest standard.
Whether it’s full project management or ad-hoc support, we can help at any stage.
Get in touch today to find out more.