The value accorded by civil works projects to communities goes beyond the physical structures. Therefore, before society accepts a construction project in a locality, the social value of the public works to the community must be justified. In light of this, contractors that want to remain competitive in the industry must engage in civil works that offer a social value to inhabitants. This article explores the key performance indicators that contractors can use to determine the social benefit of public works.
Apprenticeship Opportunities
The skills gap in the trades industry is getting more extensive, and the bad news is that there seems to be no immediate solution. Civil works in drainage construction, plumbing and steel frame installation are just a few of the segments that are currently suffering from the skills gap. The problem has been caused by the fact that millennials don't want to work in trade jobs. To solve the issue, construction contractors need to be proactive and extend as much apprenticeship opportunities to the youth as possible. By giving millennials a chance and training them on the job, civil contractors will be playing a critical role in closing the skills gap in the industry. Most importantly, the more apprenticeship opportunities you create, the higher the social value of your civil works projects.
Creation of Local Jobs
The employment rate in the construction industry partly determines the social wellbeing of the community within a particular locality. Therefore, the more workers — part time or full time — your construction company employ, the higher the project's social value will be. Currently, Australia's construction industry employs about 9.4% of the total workforce. To keep the social value of civil works growing, you must strive to hire as many local construction workers as possible. Your firm can achieve the goal by setting an employment quota for potential labourers within your locality, thereby ensuring that the locals get a chance whenever an opportunity arises.
First-Tier Local Supply Chain
Although you can get civil works supplies from suppliers located anywhere within the country, it is vital to give local suppliers priority. It is because small and medium suppliers in the construction industry struggle to get opportunities due to competition from established suppliers. Therefore, if you ignore potential partners in the local supply chain, you will be forfeiting the benefit of reduced construction costs. Additionally, using local suppliers will spur local economic growth and consequently improve the social status of the local community.