WRONG AND RIGHT WAYS TO BECOME A PLANNING ENGINEER
There are wrong and right ways to become a planning engineer. I discuss the wrong way today. I will discuss the the right way in a subsequent post.
Some become planning engineers just by undergoing project management software training. This could be SureTrack Project Manager (for older planning personal), Primavera, Microsoft Project or any other. And once this training is completed, a planning engineer is born!
But if that is all that is done then we have just produced a Primavera or Microsoft Project User or scheduler, and not a planning engineer. They often do not understand the technical processes required to perform the task. They depend on others for virtually everything that needs to be done outside of the software to plan for a project.
There is another wrong way to become a planning engineer that is even worse than the aforementioned. It is people who become planning engineers just by ‘becoming planning engineers’ or by ‘executive fiat’. They have no idea of project management or planning processes or the software. Some do not even have any technical knowledge of the work. All that was needed to make them planning engineers was a pronouncement of some person in position of authority.
“The reason that everybody likes planning is that nobody has to do anything.” Jerry Brown
This often happens in environments where people think that planning is so simple that just about anybody can do it. Usually the individuals concerned are fresh graduates or the planning function is assigned as an additional responsibility to someone in the organization or project team. And in many cases, they are pioneers.
These two cases are quite common.
In fact, even yours truly started the wrong way. Here is how my interview for employment as a planning engineer went.
Company Rep: “Do you know how to use Microsoft Excel?” (Yes, Excel)!
Me: “Yes?”
Company Rep: “How much do you want as salary?”
Me: “So much”
Company Rep: “Well, we will pay you this much. Do you accept?”
Me: “Yes”
Company Rep: “When will you report for work?”
That is pretty much how my first interview for employment as a planning engineer went. I know I had no clue what project planning was or what planning engineers do. It is obvious that the company staff who interviewed me had no idea either.
As you can see, there was no reference to the training, certifications, knowledge of planning processes and engineering or construction experience that a planning engineer needs to have to be able to perform. There was no mention of any project management software or my proficiency in using it.
My first day at work was even more dramatic. The company official handed me a box file of isometric drawings and directed me to the site office where the project team was already working.
Well, I later understood that my duty as ‘planning engineer’ included preparation of spool drawings, and supervision of piping fabrication. Upon completion of fabrication I, the ‘planning engineer’, proceeded to site to supervise piping installation.
The main work of a planning engineer – update of project schedule, project control and reporting became secondary responsibilities.
So that is how I became a planning engineer. I was working as a planning engineer without any formal project management training to provide the theoretical basis for the work or training in the use of requisite project management tools.
I struggled to learn on my own to keep my head above water. I was even put in charge of a USD140+ million project without any training.
Are you in a similar position?
I believe that there are many ‘Accidental Planning Engineers’ (people who are working as planning engineers without any formal project management training) out there.
I will never allow anyone to go through what I went through if I have my way.
How did you become a planning engineer?
What is the right way to become a planning engineer?
I will tell you next week.
Meanwhile click here.
