If the weather slowed our cohorts’ endeavours on Tuesday, then it was feared that Wednesday would pose similar problems as Brisbane’s torrential rain showed no hint of stopping. But with a deadline looming, there was a marked determination among the team to get the job done.
And following a pre-start meeting and safety toolbox, the team headed out to site to battle the elements and construction of their Story Bridge. In the best conditions, assembly of the bridge sections and the lifts take time. It is important to remember the scale of the structure; all finished, it is 30m long and weighs in at around 4 tonnes
As the first section was assembled, the observers felt that today was a day where progress would be slow and steady, just like the tortoise from Aesop’s fable. And that is understandable; the conditions were far from ideal, safety was essential, and with the deadline inching ever closer, it is vital to ensure that the job was completed without error or the need for revision. Slow and steady wins the day, and after a couple of hours, span one was assembled and lifted into place.
And then something clicked. The whole cohort was galvanised by their initial progress and managed to rapidly assemble and lift section two into place in a fraction of the time of the first. We don’t keep records at Constructionarium Australia, but if we did, the 7 minutes per side of section two of the bridge would have shattered them. Perhaps this is a lesson in efficiency for the wider industry? Take your time to achieve perfection and then deploy your knowledge and experience rapidly, accurately and expertly? The team had gone from the Tortoise to the Hare and were all of a sudden back in the race to deliver the Georgiou Story Bridge on time and to budget.
For Wednesday’s lunch and learn, Alex Ibarra provided insights into indigenous culture, storytelling and native flora and fauna. As the team tucked into Alex’s homemade damper complete with honey from native stingless bees, the session provided a welcome break from the continuing rain and a chance to dry out.
But not for long as preparations had to be made to welcome guests from across the sector to our VIP BBQ. Always a significant part of any build, the BBQ is more than a chance to have a good feed; it is about the ability to create networks, something critical to the long-term success of our participants’ careers. At each BBQ, participants are challenged to network, show our guests around their bridge, and share their learnings and insights from across the week.
However, would anyone turn up? It was hardly BBQ weather. Miraculously, at 3 pm, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and so did our friends from across the industry. With over 50 guests in attendance, the BBQ was a great event, and we cannot thank our supporters enough for making time in their busy days to spend time with our students.
As the day ended, it was impressive to see just how much our cohort had accomplished in challenging conditions.
Thursday’s focus was completing the structure with the final section to be assembled and lifted into place before preparing the site for client handover on Friday. Thursday is always an interesting day as it is easy to get into your comfort zone thinking that the job is done. Still, as we know, clients have exceptionally high standards and want the work completed to a level agreed in the contract, and it can be easy to think the hard work is done when it isn’t until the client agrees to completion.
Assembling the handrails, installing the decking, finishing the mortar, site cleaning, and more were on the agenda. Still, we’re not going to tell you about how they got on; you’ll have to wait until Friday morning to see if they managed to complete the works to the standards expected by the client.
On Thursday, we were joined by a long-time supporter of Constructionarium Australia, Neil Silversides of CPM Advisory. Neil discussed the importance of a work-life balance and areas that weren’t considered in infrastructure even a short time ago. However, as culture changes for the better, so do attitudes across the industry, and it was good to hear the positive change reinforced to our cohort by Neil. Yes, it is important to get the job done and deliver for our clients, but it is equally important to take care of ourselves and each other if we want to have long-term healthy careers in the industry.
So as Thursday wound down, the team could reflect on a fantastic couple of days. They have achieved a great deal and demonstrated their skill and determination. Will that be reflected in the outcome on Friday? We will let you know.
