News

Education sector work remains buoyant

As the recession bites, construction companies will be looking to the public sector to re-generate their pipeline. A falling residential and commercial property market and a reluctance to build, or in some cases even finish, new developments, has resulted in funds from central and local government being eagerly sought by today’s most competitive construction firms.

Gordon Brown has committed to spending his way out of recession. A substantial amount of this spend is going into the education sector to fund university places and vocational training as well as construction and refurbishment of secondary schools under the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. It follows therefore, that construction companies will benefit from the funds available even though they will lose out on the declining private sector.

But what qualities should successful construction firms possess in order to win tenders or retain existing business?

One company which can demonstrate significant success in the education sector – Phelan Construction – recommends that firms attune their thinking to the needs they will be expected to address. Phelan has found the best way of doing this is to set up a dedicated team that is equipped not only with trade skills for the project but also with an understanding of how the school or college in question works. They define three key areas for attention:

Quality

Inevitably first on the list, quality is a pre-requisite for schools, colleges and universities. An obvious statement? Possibly so, but in a climate where spend has, more than ever, to be justified, short-cuts or second rate workmanship are simply not acceptable – even when budgets are tight. Setting the terms of reference for the project at the outset is a fundamental part of bringing the project in on budget AND meeting expectations. If re-designs need to be done to accommodate a shortfall of funds, then far better to do them at this stage.

Inside Knowledge

It is worth a fact-finding mission to build up a picture of your customer’s environment and provide a solid base of information to help you manage the project. Find out when students will be on site, when campuses are least (or most) active, whether student accommodation is used out of term times, what arrangements are in place whilst refurbishment of essential facilities takes place, which compliance procedures will affect you. All this will help with intelligent decision making and priorities as you set milestones and progress through your project plan.

A Hand-Picked Team

Trades people who can work independently and are self-motivated will be invaluable. Building up a team dedicated to the education sector has many advantages. The team members will get to know other trades working on site, will form relationships with staff and decision makers, and will gain useful ‘inside knowledge’. A team that engenders a relationship of trust with the customer has a far greater likelihood of being awarded additional work or future contracts.

Phelan Construction successfully tendered for a three year contract with the University of Essex. Although only six months into this contract Phelan has completed around 15 projects of varying size at the Colchester campus including a new build Post Office and coffee shop, a complete refurbishment of a meeting room that is now a wet laboratory, creation of sound recording acoustic booths for the University’s music centre and alterations in staff and study areas. Named in the contract as the supplier for refurbishment and new construction work, Phelan has hand-picked its 12-man team to include plasterers, bricklayers, carpenters and other trades people, all of whom are dedicated to this contract. The use of local labour boosts the region’s economic prosperity at a time when unemployment is rising and the long-term nature of the work brings additional security to Phelan’s own order pipeline.

The relationship is all about providing top class quality today while considering change for tomorrow. Because the team are on site they are responsive and knowledgeable about the challenges of the academic world. The team has one over-riding objective – to get the work done with minimum disruption but maximum effect.