Professional Development Report Form

Candidate Name: Neil Beeraspat

Core Objective: Partial Completion for CIEN 6005

Report

1.0 Personal

1.1 Institution- Members of professional institutions around the globe are tasked with the
responsibility of protruding all the Institution’s code of conduct when carrying out their duties on
any infrastructural projects. The members have to be knowledgeable of the purpose and mandate
of the Institution they represent and act in a manner that best displays the vision and core
objectives of the Institution.

To demonstrate knowledge of structure and purpose of the Institution along with awareness of
Code of Conduct in an organization, I will firstly get affiliated with the Institution’s code of
conduct and expected ethical behaviour that is required of all members. With the assistance of
my superiors, I shall build an ethical working culture by exhibiting my knowledge of the code of
conduct through all the tasks that are assigned to myself.

As a junior personnel on a project team I will advocate for junior level staff to be a part of the
induction of any senior personnel to new management positions within the Institution. By
allowing this it will help us gain guidance from senior officials on the policies and new
regulations that will be implemented by them in their new capacities.
1.2 Communication- Over the past three decades, globalization has brought about significant
changes to the workplace with regards to skills required by young graduates and other employees
along the chain of commands. Proper communication skills such as: oral, written and visual
media are vital to the success of the employee in a workplace.

Ways in which I have continuously strengthened my communication skills on a project are by

conducting oral presentations amongst the staff to give weekly updates to management about the
progress of the project. By doing this it helps to boost my self-confidence and assist with team
moral. Also by constantly updating superiors using both written and visual media to detail an
issue greatly helps develop my overall communication skills.

When conducting construction site visits, I usually commence with a tool box meeting with all
members of the workforce on the site which I have found to improve teamwork by allowing for
all staff members to fully understand the state of the project at hand. Another benefit of this
exercise was that my site reports were more accurate and effective having the input and talking
points from the various workers through the different communication media. By engaging all the
site workers through different means of communication I have not only seen my own ability to
communicate improve but also there is greater understanding of the project at hand and more
input into construing plans for other works during the project lifetime becomes much easier and
results is an ease of construction.
2.0 Engineering

2.1 Conceptual Design- In the concept design phase, the design team assesses the various design
options produced at feasibility stage and evaluates the best option after which the team starts to
produce the design specifications and move into the final design stage. In the concept stage,
different factors need to be accounted for such as environment, durability of the structure and
cost of the alternative in assessing the viability of the alternatives.

In order to demonstrate competence in conceiving scheme solutions to assess various

alternatives, I shall be assessing all the alternatives by comparing each alternative’s cost,
expected quality and expected time for completion based on which of the three is of more
significance to the client. This activity will culminate in a presentation of my findings to the
design team using various communication visuals to highlight key talking points to push for the
alternative I find suitable for the project at hand.

I shall also be conducting a detailed life cycle cost analysis for each of the alternatives in order to
give a more detailed outlook at each alternative based on its life cycle cost in the process of
determining the viability of each alternative.
2.2 Analysis and Design- Analysis and design of civil engineering objects is an integral stage of
all infrastructural projects. It is the technical phase of a project where the engineering team
analyses the structure using either the traditional method of hand calculations or the more
modern method of using software to assess the key design parameters which will be used in the
designs that will produce member sizing and other key elements that are required for the project
to move into its construction phase.

Being a young geotechnical engineer and thus far working on slope failure projects, I have been
using the Geostudio suite of software to conduct all my slope analysis. Using Geostudio to
conduct seepage analysis, deformation analysis and computation of the existing Factor of safety,
under the guidance of my supervisors, I had demonstrated my knowledge and ability to perform
slope stability analysis using proprietary software. In addition to this, I concurrently performed
the hand calculations to further justify the validity of my analysis.
2.3 Materials- In every infrastructure project, the coordination of material use for each aspect of
the project is critical to the overall success of the project. Allotting of primary construction
materials for the different aspects of a project and to oversee the effective use of those materials
is the key duty to supervisory and managerial project staff and should be done effectively to
ensure success.

Working as a site inspector for the East Coast Demerara Road Widening and Improvement
project, I was tasked with the responsibility of coordinating and supervising the construction of
both the road pavement layers, reinforced concrete U-drains, RC retaining walls and RC bridges.
In this capacity, I was exposed to the various properties and behaviours of primary construction
materials by supervising various property testing for the different materials and also their
application on site. I also gained vital experience in managing the use of materials to reduce any
wastage on the work site. These activities have demonstrated my knowledge of the primary
construction materials and how to sufficiently specify and coordinate their use in engineering
projects.

By supervising the material testing I was able to gather key information on the properties and
behaviours of the raw materials to be used and I was able to suggest more efficient ways of
utilizing these materials for them to become more efficient in their respective uses.
2.4 Environment- As the world’s climate continues to change, the civil engineering world is
working on adapting to such changes by implementing changes to the way we view the
environment and sustainable designs. No longer can we design infrastructure without thinking of
its lasting effects on the environment and in the process incorporate measures that will make the
finished project both sustainable and also resilient.

By familiarizing myself with the local legislations as it relates to environmental impacts and also
sustainable goals that various Institutions have set as targets, I will translate that knowledge into
designs by selecting raw materials that are more sustainable as compared to traditional building
materials to be used in the construction phase of the project. I will suggest to the project team the
inclusion of sustainability clauses will also be included as a significant part of the overall
contract document as a means of enforcement in the process of achieving the sustainability goals
set forth. Protection to the environment clauses will also be a part of the contract document, and
various fines and penalties shall be stated that will be applied to the contractor for any breaches
of these clauses. Having done this it will demonstrate my knowledge and awareness of the
environmental and sustainability issues we are faced with.
2.5 Construction- The construction phase of an engineering project is the phase where the
construction professionals who are contracted by the client begin to construct the proposed
structure. This phase has to be done to the standards set forth during the design phase through
stern supervision by management and other supervisory officials in order to produce an end
product of acceptable quality standards.

Having worked on the East Coast Demerara Road Widening and Improvement project for two
years, I was exposed to roadway construction, drainage construction, bridge construction,
retaining wall construction, driving of both timber and RC piles and laboratory testing. I was
able to work with contractors on developing appropriate method statements for the construction
of the various aspects of the project and was there to oversee the construction of these
components to ensure it was done to the standards specified in the Project specifications.
Working in the laboratory, I oversaw the various testing of the different primary construction
materials that were used on site and gained meaningful experience in testing. These activities
outlined demonstrate my experience in construction and laboratory testing.

Having worked with both local and international contractors on the project, I was exposed to the
difference in construction techniques used during the construction of key components for the
road project mentioned above. With the knowledge learnt from the international contractors, I
am able to better devise more efficient construction methods statements that will be utilizing
more modern construction techniques so that our local construction industry can adapt to newer,
more effective ways of construction. Through this act it will greatly improve my knowledge and
experience in construction and help in the overall development of my homeland.
3.0 Management and Commercial

3.1 Management Skills- Management skills are a key asset to all engineering professionals that
are further developed with time and experience. The aspects of management such as leadership,
team management, project control and interface management are key to the success of the project
at hand.

As a young professional, in advancing my skills in management I shall be working alongside my

supervisors by making proposed suggestion that could be used to solve issues that raise during
the duration of a project and suggest to management staff that the young professionals in the
company be given a chance to lead the project team on a rotational basis and be evaluated at the
end of each individual’s tenure at the helm. This activity will not only demonstrate leadership
and management skills but it would also help in the development of such skills.

I shall also be attending more management training workshops to strengthen my management

skills and to help me grow in a managerial position. Through these workshops I will focus
primarily on the different facets of leadership and what it takes to be an effective leader of a
project team. I will also focus on building my project control skills through these workshops so
that as I gain more experience in the engineering world by managing more projects, I will
become more efficient in controlling the overall programming for an infrastructure project.
3.2 Law- As it relates to the health and safety legislation, contract law and contractual
obligations, it is important to fully understand the law of contract and what are the enforceable
legislations attached. For example in the Caribbean, the FIDIC forms of contract are commonly
used in most countries and it clearly states guidelines to help professionals effectively manage
construction contracts.

As a young professional I shall engage in executing actions that are within my jurisdiction of the
contract. Before commencing my duties in any engineering project, I will firstly screen the
contract documents to assess the boundaries of all the duties and powers which I will be tasked
with as an engineer on the project. That includes getting acquainted with local legislations as it
pertains to the construction industry. As it pertains to health and safety legislations, to
demonstrate my appreciation I will make myself knowledgeable with the laws of the land
pertaining to these legislations so I can effectively act in my capacity in supervising a project.
3.3 Health and Safety- Health and safety is of key importance to all parties involved in projects
worldwide. With the growing number of casualties that occur on jobsites around the world
yearly, more emphasis needs to be placed in having stricter guidelines and safety protocols for
workers to abide by in order to minimize the probability of any casualties occurring on the
worksite.

To demonstrate experience of using health and safety standards and reports of construction
safety, in the planning phase of the project I will place key emphasis on safety during
construction. As a young professional I will work alongside key health and safety staff assigned
to the project in drafting health and safety guidelines that will be used during the construction
phase of a project and the different ways in which they shall be enforced and adhered to. Also
during the construction phase I shall liaison with safety personnel in assisting to draft safety
reports and making further safety recommendations that will be implemented to minimize the
risks of potential hazards from occurring on site. Guidelines that require the use of personal
protective equipment (PPE) will also be added to the contract document as a way to ensure strict
compliance with the use of PPE to ensure safety of workers on the job site.

Also in the planning phase of a project I will coordinate with HSE personnel to perform a job
safety analysis for the proposed project. By performing a job safety analysis, it would help to
identify potential risks that can occur during construction and suggest safe mitigation measure
that are to be followed to allow for safe construction. It will also serve as a teaching aid for initial
job training of workers that will be required for infrequent tasks.

After the completion of the job safety analysis, I will use the information gathered to apply for a
permit to work once it is deemed necessary for the project. Certain high risk and other projects
that drastically alter the environment usually require a permit to work from the local environment
protection agency.
3.4 Commercial Awareness- Commercial pressure is ever-present in all construction projects
globally. Be it from stakeholders, government officials or from local supply chains there is
always pressure on construction personnel to deliver the expected outcomes of a project in a
timely manner. World trends and current affairs greatly affect the outcome of projects as the
world market is always fluctuating over the lifetime of projects as it relates to cost of
construction raw materials. This can have significant impact on the project budget and as such
project managers and other personnel have to manage the spending to deliver the projects in a
cost-effective manner.

In demonstrating awareness of such changes I will be conducting a detailed life cycle cost
analysis in the planning stages of a project. By doing this and accounting for inflation as well as
deflation to the cost of various raw materials, the estimated project budget would cover the
possibility of a price change over the duration of the project and limit the impacts of international
current affairs and as a result limit the chances of a time overrun due to cost inflation of
construction material.

In the calculations of the construction cost, I will account for the various input parameters that
are used in estimating project cost. In determining rates and measuring quantities, I will use
guidelines from various quantity surveying manuals and texts as justification of the various rates
and measuring quantities used. By doing this it would demonstrate my understanding of
estimating rates, measuring quantities and calculating the construction cost for the various items
in a project’s budget.
3.5 Contract Documentation- A key factor in determining a projects success come from the
selection of the form of contract to be used and the procurement method that will be
implemented. As engineers we are tasked with selecting the appropriate forms of contract and
also the procurement method that will select the most suitable contractor for the job.

I shall engage with team members and various stakeholders during the planning phase of a
project in determining the expected outcome and end products of the project and make
recommendations based on my knowledge of the various forms of contracts; their respective
advantages and disadvantages. After a selection is made I shall continue my engagement with
stakeholders and team members in the selection of the procurement method based on the current
circumstances. It is crucial to select the most suitable contractor through a thorough and
transparent procurement process so that no conflicting selections are made.Having done this, it
would have demonstrated my knowledge of the various forms of contract and the different
procurement methods used in construction and design works.
3.6 Quality Systems- In all civil engineering projects the quality standards for the end result are
of key importance to the overall success of the project. To achieve this various quality measures
are implemented in both the design and construction phase of the project. In the design phase the
design quality should be maintained while at the same time considering the constructability of
the structure. During the construction phase, the quality systems implemented are through
various testing procedures and accredited standard practices that are to be overseen in order for
the works to meet the required quality levels.

By being a part of the supervisory team for the road widening project mentioned earlier, I was
tasked with ensuring the works are executed to the quality standards mentioned in the
specifications document. In this capacity I was able to oversee the various quality control testing
for the various road base materials, work alongside the team members and the contractor in
developing quality control measures during the preparation of the method statements for the
various components of the project and supervise the works so that the guidelines highlighted in
the specifications are followed. Through this experience I was able to demonstrate my
knowledge of specific procedures required to achieve quality in construction.
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