The Chartered Project Planner

By Dr. Zulk Shamsuddin

A planning engineer works to plan and organize work for a construction project. These engineers often specialize in a specialization, such as highway, high-rise, or bridge. A planning engineer performs several tasks, including assisting the project architect with developing plans for a new project, preparing cost estimates for project services, and managing the design, planning, and construction of construction projects.

The Chartered Project Planner ™ (ChPP) is a gold-standard skills certification for individuals with skills and experience in project planning and scheduling, project management, risk management, analytical skills, organizational governance, and executive communication.
It forms the basis of the assessment that applicants must pass to gain the Chartered Project Planner status and inclusion in the Directory of Certified Professionals of The GAFM Academy of Finance and Management ®.
Individuals with skills-certified credentials are sought-after by top international recruiters who are constantly looking for skilled professionals for their global customers.

Stand out from the crowd with the GAFM® Chartered Project Planner certification and the exclusive post-nominal title “ChPP” after your name.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9781312413627

Book preview

Copyright © 2022 Zulk Shamsuddin, PhD / GAFM ACADEMY

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9781312413627

INTRODUCTION

A planning engineer works to plan and organize work for a construction project. These engineers often specialize in a specialization, such as highway, high-rise, or bridge. A planning engineer performs several tasks, including assisting the project architect with developing plans for a new project, preparing cost estimates for project services, and managing the design, planning, and construction of construction projects.

The Chartered Project Planner ™ (ChPP) is a gold-standard skills certification for individuals with skills and experience in project planning and scheduling, project management, risk management, analytical skills, organizational governance, and executive communication.

It forms the basis of the assessment that applicants must pass to gain the Chartered Project Planner status and inclusion in the Directory of Certified Professionals of The GAFM Academy of Finance and Management ®.

Individuals with skills-certified credentials are sought-after by top international recruiters who are constantly looking for skilled professionals for their global customers.

Stand out from the crowd with the GAFM® Chartered Project Planner certification and the exclusive post-nominal title ChPP after your name.

Benefits of Becoming a Chartered Project Planner

Project Planners determine and develop the most suitable and economically viable construction and engineering methods for projects. They are involved throughout the development stages and are present on-site during the build to oversee procedures.

Project Planners use mathematics, scientific principles, and technology to analyze problems and provide solutions to increase an organization’s efficiency, build new products, create technological advancements, and design newer, safer, more innovative, and cost-efficient solutions. They aim to make sense of complex systems and improve existing processes.

Get the Chartered Project Planner certification and enjoy these benefits:

Get noticed by top Recruiters

This credential will boost your career toward professional Project Planner positions. 

International recognition.

Assurance for clients of high standards and ethical practice.

Use of the post-nominal ChPP or Chartered Project Planner after your name on business cards, CVs, and personal portfolios.

Stand tall with others when you introduce yourself with this exclusive certification card during networking, business events, conference, training, and anywhere.

Certification Has Its Privileges

The Value of Certification

Certificates and Certifications, the names for these credentials sound confusingly similar. But there are important differences. Here’s what you need to know about these resume-enhancing options and how they might advance your career.

What is a Certificate?

Earning a certificate is about education. Certificates are academic credentials awarded by colleges, universities or other educational institutions. Students in certificate programs learn new knowledge in a specific subject or discipline and earn a certificate by successfully completing the coursework. "An ideal student for a certificate program is someone who is willing to go through the experience of growing their own skillset, being real about what they want to learn, and working with others. Many certificate programs have few, if any, admission requirements, making them an excellent option if you want to move forward in your career. The programs are usually non-credit and take less time to complete than a degree. Certificates are commonly listed on resumes as education, and some meet education requirements for first-time or renewed certifications.

What is a Certification?

When you have professional knowledge and experience, you need a certification that allows you to prove it.  Certifications indicate mastery of skills or standards. Professional certifications are granted by industry groups or career-related organizations. These groups assess your qualifications, usually through an exam or application process. Many certifications include the privilege to use a related designation following your professional title. Certification differs from a license, which permits you to work in a certain profession and is usually issued by government or regulatory agencies.

Benefits of Certification

Certification helps in learning new technologies, skills, and abilities for a specific promotion. Earning a new certification or an advanced certification in a particular area of expertise can help in advancing your career.

Professional certification shows consumers and potential employers that you are committed to your profession and are well-trained. It gives them confidence in your abilities and knowledge. Certification makes you more valuable to employers, so you can expect to earn more than someone without certification.

Certifications can give you the chance to learn needed skills and be a quick way to show employers you have those skills. On the other hand, certifications can require studying or coursework, and cost up to several hundred dollars to take.

Project Planner Skills and Qualifications

Project Planners determine and develop the most suitable and economically viable construction and engineering methods for projects. They are involved throughout the development stages and are present on-site during the build to oversee procedures.  Planning, and scheduling is an important part of construction management. Planning and scheduling of construction activities helps engineers to complete the project on time and within budget. Thus, management of resources such as men, materials, and machinery require effective planning and scheduling of each activity.

Day-to-day responsibilities include drawing up work schedules and budgets, delegating tasks, analyzing project specifications and finding cost-effective ways to meet them, liaising with contractors and suppliers, managing resources, and communicating with surveyors, managers, and other engineers. You should be able to analyze data, write reports, and deliver presentations to various stakeholders.  To be successful as a Project Planner, you should demonstrate a sound knowledge of the relevant Engineering discipline and be able to anticipate problems. Outstanding Project Planners should have great attention to detail and be able to handle stress well.

Project Planner Duties and Responsibilities

Project Planners decide and develop the most appropriate economic models and engineering methods for projects. They work in a variety of fields such as civil engineering or construction. Project Planners are normally onsite during an engineering project to supervise all stages of work and provide solutions. Most Project Planners work full-time alongside a wide number of teammates, such as site managers, surveyors, and engineers, to ensure a project runs on schedule and that materials are sufficient. Successful Project Planners are comfortable working in fast-paced environments. Although a Project Planner’s day-to-day duties and responsibilities are determined by where they work, there are many core tasks associated with the role.

Making plans using detailed drawings.

Preparing estimates and budgets.

Creating accurate project specifications.

Designing engineering experiments.

Creating technical reports for customers.

Completing regulatory documents concerning safety issues.

Create Project Execution Plans

Deciding on proper engineering techniques and milestone sequences for each project stage is the most important role of a Project Planner. They set targets for activities based on each phase of a project plan and ensure it meets the client’s specifications. Project Planners make estimations for timescales and costs using specialized design software packages.

Project Monitoring and Reporting

Project Planners monitor day-to-day work progress for a project and provide accurate weekly and monthly reports by swiftly communicating potential progress delays or project slippages. Tracking and analyzing field results is another key responsibility. Project Planners continually make comparisons between planned progress and actual progress and report any differences to their lead project manager. They also study the impact of alternative approaches.

Perform Project Coordination

Project Planners analyze expenses and identify opportunities to save costs. They make sure complex projects are handled on time and on budget by overseeing project planning, inventory services, cost control, team leadership, and project management.

Manage Stakeholder and Team Communication

A Project Planner works closely with others involved in a project and directs the daily workload of subordinate team members. They attend crucial meetings and provide current status updates to vendors, supervisors, and other stakeholders.

Drive Process Improvement

Driving continuous improvement by working with leadership teams is a key duty for Project Planners. They identify gaps in key performance areas and plan activities to increase overall project efficiency. Project Planners provide guidance and delivery schedules to facilitate project execution strategy.

Understanding project specifications and developing time schedules and budgets that meet them.

Negotiating with vendors and contractors to secure the best prices.

Observing existing processes, analyzing staff performance, and addressing deficiencies accordingly.

Monitoring and tracking project progress, and writing up reports.

Attending and scheduling meetings as required.

Delegating tasks and ensuring workers receive feedback.

Understanding and meeting all contract requirements.

Communicating with managers, supervisors, and the rest of the team.

Analyzing technical drawings and providing material and cost estimates.

Ensuring all projects are completed on time and within budget.

Project Planners should be self-motivated, extremely organized, and have strong communication and project management aptitude. Employers typically seek candidates with a bachelor’s degree, an engineering certification, and the following skills:

Engineering skills – Project Planners need a strong understanding of technical engineering principles to predict future problems and find solutions for them

Planning and Scheduling – the primary job of Project Planners is to determine the best possible scheduling techniques for a project to get completed on time.

Project Management –understanding how to scope a project and create work schedules to ensure completion within the timeframe and budget allotted is a key duty of Project Planners

Risk Management – Project Planners need to monitor possible risks that may impact the activities associated with project planning and scheduling.

Analytical skills – high levels of analytical problem-solving skills are critical to the performance of this role

Executive Communication – Project Planners need strong verbal and written skills to provide reports to clients and stakeholders as well as articulate complex project plans to team members

Computer skills – Project Planners use specialized computer software for engineering and project management purposes, and also to produce visual presentations, using bar charts and graphs to explain work schedules

HOW TO MAKE YOUR SKILLS STAND OUT

Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume

Emphasize the required job skills in your resume, especially in the description of your work history.

Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter

You can incorporate soft skills into your cover letter. Include one or two of the skills mentioned in this article and give specific examples of instances when you demonstrated these traits at work.

Use Skill Words During Job Interviews

Keep the top skills listed here in mind during your interview, and be prepared to give examples of how you've used each skill.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

The Chartered Project Planner certification program focuses on the following technical skills and competencies:

Planning and Scheduling

Project Management

Risk Management

Analytical Skills

Organizational Governance

Executive Communication

Application for Certification

https://gafm.com.my/application-for-certification/

The main difference between planning and scheduling is that planning determines what and how much needs to be done while scheduling defines who and when the operations will be performed. The process of planning primarily deals with selecting the appropriate policies and procedures in order to achieve the objectives of the project. Scheduling converts the project action plans for scope, time cost and quality into an operating timetable.

Planning and scheduling are two terms that are often thought of as synonymous. However, they are not. Scheduling is just one part of the planning effort. The term planning is used in many ways and in different contexts. We commonly hear about financial planning, such as retirement planning and college education planning. Governments, as well as large corporations, have planning units or teams in almost every department. At the individual level, a young person may have plans for marriage, a career, and so forth. However, in the context of this book, the term planning is restricted to meaning project planning, with an emphasis on construction/engineering projects.

Scheduling is the determination of the timing and sequence of operations in the project and their assembly to give the overall completion time. As mentioned previously, scheduling focuses on one part of the planning effort. Project planning answers the questions What is going to be done? How?

Reviews for The Chartered Project Planner

[Salamiah Sheikh Hussain · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The content is superb, pleasure reading. I like this book because there are soft skills that are important to become a successful project planner.