The Competitive Contractor

Episode 40: Chris Cleary - Business Improvement | The Competitive Contractor Podcast

Today, we take on a topic that many people are reluctant to – Business Improvement. The challenges faced by the industry and economy have put a lot of pressure on businesses, and one way to deal with it is to look at processes and simplify how we do them. I can see the industry's reluctance to make things better, not because the pressure is not there but because there's hesitation to invest time and resources to make things better for the business and the people. Hence, joining me in episode 40 is Chris Cleary, a Business Transformation Specialist at Vative, who will shed some light on why such improvements are necessary. Chris started his career in the Australian manufacturing and resources sector and had roles in engineering, manufacturing, senior leadership and business improvement arenas. He is an enthusiastic Business Improvement Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with almost 40 years of experience mentoring teams and creating cultural change within organisations. Passionate about delivering purposeful training and education from the Front line to the Executive Suite, aligned with enabling practical change and results, Chris strongly advocates personal engagement with individuals to create cultural change within organisations collectively. Join us as we tackle critical things we need to do to thrive. Useful links: Vative: https://vative.com.au/ Follow Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-cleary-a6ba7a24/ About Shivendra & Co: www.shivendra.com

Episode 39: Jon Davies - The Jobs and Skills Summit | The Competitive Contractor Podcast

The Jobs and Skills Summit held last month, brought Australians together to work constructively on the challenges and opportunities facing the Australian labour market and economy. Jon Davies, the CEO of the Australian Constructors Association represented the construction industry and businesses at the summit and had the opportunity to raise topics at the forum. In addressing the participants, Jon highlighted challenges facing the industry and solutions that with the support of the government, make the construction industry more sustainable. In this podcast, Jon provides us with an update from the Job and Skills Summit and also shares his thoughts on the challenges. Can we look to the future with optimism? Listen to find out. Jon Davies was appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Constructors Association on 1 July 2020, after leading the Queensland Major Contractors Association for two years. He has over 30 years of construction industry experience supporting the successful commercial delivery of projects in Australia, the Middle East, the UK and Asia. Jon is a passionate advocate for change. He is driven by a desire to ensure that every level of the industry is sustainable, resilient to boom and bust cycles and able to deliver the infrastructure society needs in a collaborative and efficient manner. Useful Links: Outcomes of the Jobs and Skills Summit: https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/inline-files/Jobs-and-Skills-Summit-Outcomes-Document.pdf Address by Jon at the Summit: https://youtu.be/yrYCPgAJxKs Follow Jon Davies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceoofaca/ More about ACA: https://www.constructors.com.au/ About Shivendra & Co: www.shivendra.com

Episode 38: Peter Wilkinson - The Steel Ceiling | The Competitive Contractor Podcast

The construction industry has to break through a steel ceiling to become a great and sustainable industry. What is the steel ceiling? How is it keeping construction businesses and the construction industry from a future that at the moment exists in our imagination? Joining me in Episode 38 is Peter Wilkinson, the founder and director of SamWilko Advisory, where he works with small-to-medium-sized enterprises, mid-tier, corporate businesses, and government in the Transport, Construction and Consulting Services sectors. He is the author of “The Steel Ceiling: Achieving Sustainable Growth in Engineering and Construction”. With over thirty years of experience, he has worked in the infrastructure, mining, defence, utilities and property industries, both locally and internationally. Peter is passionate about the industry and is gifting the industry with his knowledge and insights through a new book "The Steel Ceiling". Published by Wiley, this book looks at historical data to predict what's around the corner for the construction industry. This is a must-read for those determined to build successful and sustainable engineering and construction businesses. Useful Links: Sam Wilko Advisory: https://samwilkoadvisory.com/ Order the Steel Ceiling: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-steel-ceiling-peter-wilkinson/book/9781119910442.html Follow Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samwilkoadvisory/ More about Shivendra & Co: www.shivendra.com Reach me: hello@shivendra.com

Episode 37: David Castledine - Policy meets practice | The Competitive Contractor Podcast

This is an episode you don’t want to miss. The pain is real, and the facts reveal it. 35% of civil contractors in NSW lost money on projects in FY21 and many more continue to operate on wafer-thin margins. And while the infrastructure boom might be keeping many of us busy, is it constructing or damaging an industry vital for the country’s future? Join David Castledine in this episode as we speak on policy meeting practice. We hear the effort behind the scenes to address the challenges faced by civil contractors, have more women join the industry as well as various approaches to ensure the voice of the industry is heard by decision-makers. David is Chief Executive Officer of the Civil Contractors Federation (New South Wales). Since joining he has instigated and overseen a significant restructure of the organisation, with consequent significant increases in Member services and advocacy representation. Links: CCF NSW: https://www.ccfnsw.com/ Dozen Dos: https://www.ccfnsw.com/News/NewsBlog/ArticleType/ArticleView/ArticleID/240 For more details about this episode or the Competitive Contractor Podcast, visit www.shivendra.com or drop us a line at hello@shivendra.com

Episode 36: Patrick Munsey - The future is here, shall we give it a go? | The Competitive Contractor Podcast

Ever wondered how, we as leaders of the construction industry can leave a legacy and contribute to the vision of making the construction industry more advanced, more productive and safer? Well, one thing is for certain - it can be done and it is becoming increasingly easy to do that. How you may wonder? What if I said that an opportunity provided to a young high school student many years ago today has led to an Australian start-up that could change how projects are planned. And that’s just the start of the story. Without giving much more away, I am delighted to have Patrick Munsey from Aivia Group with me today. Patrick Munsey is a partner at Aivia Group, a professional services and consultancy firm that provides the capture, processing, and analysis of geospatial data, primarily derived from drones. They specialise in photogrammetry and reality modelling for aerial mapping and asset inspection applications across a wide range of industries. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-munsey/ Website: https://www.aiviagroup.com/