Building Resilience in Construction Management Students

The objective of this research was to explore how resilience skills can be developed in construction management students. The research examined the nature of resilience and the importance of the development of such skills for construction management graduates entering the world of work. The research data was collected using three separate stages. Firstly a desktop audit of eight construction management degree courses in Australia was undertaken to determine the nature of resilience training and content in existing construction management degrees. Secondly a series of interviews with a range of construction management university teaching staff was held to probe the depth and application of resilience-building components in the curriculum. Finally, from this data a series of case studies were developed to assist in the teaching of resilience in construction management degrees in Australia. These case studies were then validated with a group of industry professionals who had an understanding of the nature of resilience as it manifested itself in industry contexts. The research also offers new insights into the interplay between teaching content and developing soft skills in university students. The results suggested that resilience can be progressively developed in curriculum for construction management students and evidence from the industry professionals indicates such development forms an essential part of the skill set needed to ensure a successful career in industry. The research thus offers practical case studies in resilience that can be used by those involved in developing graduates entering the construction industry.