Apprenticeship training course

Project controls technician (level 3)

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Information about Project controls technician (level 3)

Analysing progress and performance data on engineering, manufacturing, construction and infrastructure projects.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • Project controls: the project life-cycle, breakdown structures, the relationship between time and cost, quality and risk, how project controls is critical to successful project delivery.
  • Technical information: how to review and interpret technical information from different sources e.g. engineering drawings, manufacturing plans or construction plans to develop the scope for control.
  • Estimating practice: classes of estimate, how to interpret technical requirements and specifications to develop the estimate, techniques for estimate development such as parametric, analogous, bottom-up.
  • Planning and scheduling practice: difference between planning and scheduling, key terms and processes used to produce control schedules, how to interpret the technical requirements to produce a workable control schedule including development of logic networks, dependencies, critical paths, resource management, levelling and smoothing and impact of uncertainty and risk.
  • Cost engineering practice: key terms and processes related to preparing control budgets, cash flow, cost control and cost engineering relationships.
  • Work breakdown and coding structures: their purpose, how to create, use and interpret them to enable accurate control and the need for flexibility.
  • Tracking data and progress reporting: collection, validation and monitoring of data against plan, reviewing accuracy of reporting, how to tailor the presentation of data for understanding and buy-in.
  • Analysis techniques: how to identify trends and variances using techniques such as earned value analysis, forecasting, critical path analysis and risk analysis.
  • Technical, engineering and mathematical principles: what these are and how to apply them to support effective project controls within the context of the role.
  • Importance of safety: relevant engineering, construction and infrastructure specific knowledge including related national and industrial health, safety and environmental standards and legislation.
  • Employer organisation, management systems, and procedures: related governance including quality, change control, data management and security, configuration management, version control, risk analysis and management, and document control.
  • Commercial matters: how they impact on the role, the basics of contract and supply chain management.
  • Project controls related software and IT systems: attributes, limitations and systems used, in-house and proprietary applications used for: planning and scheduling, cost and risk analysis, estimating and progress and performance monitoring.

  Skills

  • Develop work breakdown and coding structures to meet the scope laid out in the projects’ technical information and specification, ensuring that the controls will monitor project progress and performance accurately.
  • Manage data: source, retrieve, check, edit, format, record and analyse data – using it to create relevant time, cost and resource reports.
  • Estimate: develop cost estimates for defined scopes of work, create appropriate benchmarks, analyse quotes from sub- contractors and suppliers, and input to tenders and the early stages of projects.
  • Schedule and plan: break down the scope into activities to create a logical linked control schedule to input to the development of outline and integrated plans and baseline schedules; identify critical milestones; gather accurate progress data for controlling the schedule; and monitor progress.
  • Cost engineer and control: prepare control budgets, carry out cost control activities, gather and interpret cost data, monitor progress on a regular basis, interpret trends and forecasts; keep in line with contractual requirements, maintain baselines; ensure accurate reporting and control.
  • Monitor progress/performance and analyse data: associated with milestones, schedules, progress, manpower, resource and costs; undertake earned value analysis, create progress reports and identify variances from plan and likely consequences if no corrective action is taken.
  • Use computer based technology: model potential trends and resource use etc. using the right software package for the right task.
  • Problem solve: recommend early corrective actions to reduce variances, identify issues and risks, present and maintain related action plans and contingencies.
  • Effectively communicate: with good interpersonal skills and share the right information with the right people in an appropriate format to enable effective project control.
  • Input to project closeout: generate key benchmarks and outturns including lessons learnt.
  • Observe and apply professional ethics, and maintain a duty of care.
  • Apply safety in the context of the role: comply with relevant national and international health, safety and environmental requirements.
  • Work in accordance with company management systems, policies and procedures: especially those relating to quality, data security, risk, change and document management.

  Behaviours

  • Strong work ethic, takes personal responsibility for own work, meets deadlines, sets the right example for others and displays honesty and integrity.
  • Team player that shows sensitivity to others and works collaboratively demonstrating an openness to others’ ideas and input.
  • Positive attitude, constructive thinking and able to adjust to change.
  • Attention to detail, with an enquiring mind, not afraid to ask questions, seek assistance or challenge.
  • Committed to advancing own learning and competence, showing a willingness to learn new skills.
  • Applies and upholds principles of social responsibility, environmental sustainability, equality and diversity.
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Engineering and manufacturing
• Qualification level: 3; Equal to A level
• Course duration: 36 months
• Maximum funding: £21,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • data analyst
  • project control technician
  • data performance manager

View more information about Project controls technician (level 3) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.