Results of a pilot study to examine the effective integration of apprentices into the industrial construction sector

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 391-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aminah Robinson Fayek ◽  
Ahmed Shaheen ◽  
Ayo Oduba
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Industrial Construction ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
The Impact

The industrial construction sector in Alberta has recently undergone a period of rapid growth, resulting in a shortage of skilled workers in almost all of the major industrial sector trades. To meet these shortages, a need has arisen to increase the utilization of apprentices on industrial construction projects. In an effort to address this issue, the Construction Owners Association of Alberta has established a goal of developing an industry Best Practice on how to improve the on-the-job portion of apprenticeship training and identify means by which the industry can more effectively use apprentices. The challenge is to increase their usage in a cost-effective manner that also provides apprentices with adequate training opportunities. Before this can be done, the impacts and benefits to the various parties involved in industrial construction must be quantified and assessed. This paper describes the findings of a pilot study that was conducted on a major industrial project to help in quantifying the impact of the use of apprentices in the industrial construction sector and to identify methods of effectively increasing their use while simultaneously enhancing their on-the-job learning experience. The main conclusion of this paper is that apprentices can be effectively incorporated in industrial construction, and they can be both productive and cost-effective, provided they are given adequate instruction and supervision. The lessons learned from the study are discussed to provide insight into conducting future studies. Recommendations for an industry Best Practice on the effective utilization of apprentices are presented.Key words: apprentice, electrician, industrial construction, journeyman, labour force, pipefitter, productivity, training, work sampling.

Chemical Deliquification of Unconventional Gas Wells

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.. Francis-LaCroix ◽  
D.. Seetaram
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Large Deviation ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Offshore Platforms ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Current Production

Abstract Trinidad and Tobago offshore platforms have been producing oil and natural gas for over a century. Current production of over 1500 Bcf of natural gas per year (Administration, 2013) is due to extensive reserves in oil and gas. More than eighteen of these wells are high-producing wells, producing in excess of 150 MMcf per day. Due to their large production rates, these wells utilize unconventionally large tubulars 5- and 7-in. Furthermore, as is inherent with producing gas, there are many challenges with the production. One major challenge occurs when wells become liquid loaded. As gas wells age, they produce more liquids, namely brine and condensate. Depending on flow conditions, the produced liquids can accumulate and induce a hydrostatic head pressure that is too high to be overcome by the flowing gas rates. Applying surfactants that generate foam can facilitate the unloading of these wells and restore gas production. Although the foaming process is very cost effective, its application to high-producing gas wells in Trinidad has always been problematic for the following reasons: Some of these producers are horizontal wells, or wells with large deviation angles.They were completed without pre-installed capillary strings.They are completed with large tubing diameters (5.75 in., 7 in.). Recognizing that the above three factors posed challenges to successful foam applications, major emphasis and research was directed toward this endeavor to realize the buried revenue, i.e., the recovery of the well's potential to produce natural gas. This research can also lead to the application of learnings from the first success to develop treatment for additional wells, which translates to a revenue boost to the client and the Trinidad economy. Successful treatments can also be used as correlations to establish an industry best practice for the treatment of similarly completed wells. This paper will highlight the successes realized from the treatment of three wells. It will also highlight the anomalies encountered during the treatment process, as well as the lessons learned from this treatment.

scholarly journals The Optimization of Building Deconstruction for Department of Defense Facilities: Ft. McClellan Deconstruction Project

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley Guy
Keyword(s):  
Economic Efficiency ◽  
Department Of Defense ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Maximum Amount ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Building Structures ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Total Labor

Deconstruction is the selective dismantling of building structures to recover the maximum amount of primarily reusable and secondarily recyclable materials in a safe and cost-effective manner. Deconstruction is a labor intensive process and can be difficult to achieve in a time-efficient and economical manner for light wood-framed buildings. Deconstruction techniques that balance hand and mechanical labor must be developed to maintain the integrity of materials for reuse and obtain maximum salvage value per unit of cost and time-on-site. This project entailed the removal of three identical WWII-era two-story wood-framed barracks buildings at Ft. McClellan Army Base, Anniston, AL, using hand deconstruction, combined mechanical and hand deconstruction techniques, and a traditional demolition method, i.e., mechanical reduction and disposal, in order to determine “optimal” deconstruction techniques based on salvage value per unit of cost. The maximum practical materials salvage from the study buildings using 100% hand deconstruction techniques was 39% of the mass by weight. A combination of hand and mechanical techniques was discovered to have approximately the same economic efficiency as 100% hand deconstruction, measured as a ratio of gross cost per salvage value, with a 44.6% reduction in total labor-hours, and a reduction of only 7% of salvage materials by weight. These findings indicate the potential for greatly increasing wood-framed building deconstruction practice relative to the additional time-on-site and labor that is required, compared to demolition, while optimizing economic benefits. This paper describes the research methods and deconstruction techniques employed, and lessons learned to advance the practice of deconstruction to be more economically competitive and time-efficient.

The Impact of MCAST Apprentices on Insurance Companies Operating in Malta - A Manager’s Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-153
Author(s):  
Joseph Schembri
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Insurance Firms ◽  
The Impact

This study probes the MCAST insurance apprenticeship scheme and the impact of apprentices on the local insurance companies, acting as sponsors. This study is of particular relevance since the local insurance firms are experiencing growth but have the challenge of employee turnover and skills shortage. This research study investigates the work-based learning experience of students, the mentoring of apprentices and the supervising procedures adopted by MCAST and the insurance firms. The purpose is to analyse the impact of MCAST trainees on local insurance firms and depict practical recommendations to ameliorate the learning experience of the apprentices. The recommendations emanating from this study, assist MCAST to develop high-performance apprenticeship schemes and assist the local insurance industry, in the recruiting and training of young employees. This qualitative research gathers data through nine in-depth, semi-structured interviews and adopts the Grounded Theory Methodology to address the research problem and attain the stated objectives. The researcher adopts the constructivist approach incorporating an inductive and abductive stance. The findings emanating from the data illustrate the need to promote the insurance industry as a provider of stable and fulfilling careers with the possibility of job mobility. MCAST and the insurance firms need to enhance their collaboration to promote the insurance apprenticeship, among young learners, even at secondary level. An overhaul of the mentoring and supervising approach is needed to provide a work-based learning experience of excellence to MCAST apprentices. MCAST apprenticeship is considered by the insurance executives as the best training opportunity to recruit skilled workers and create networks. The scheme is cost effective to the firms and is considered as a long-term investment in human resources. A well-planned strategy to enhance collaboration and share knowledge between the leading VET provider of the Maltese Islands and the insurance industry is required for the benefit of the apprentices who are the future employees of the local insurance firms.

scholarly journals Discovering Best Practice for Establishing Evacuation Centers for Vulnerable Populations: Findings from an Australian Pilot Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s93-s94
Author(s):  
Mayumi Kako ◽  
Malinda Steenkamp ◽  
Benjamin Ryan ◽  
Paul Arbon ◽  
Yosuke Takada
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Preparation Period ◽  
Vulnerable Population Groups

Introduction:Potentially vulnerable population groups in disasters include the elderly and frail, people who are isolated, and those with chronic diseases, including mental health conditions or mobility issues. The 2011 Queensland flood disaster affected central and southeast Queensland, resulting in 2.5 million people being adversely affected. Seventy-two local government areas disaster were activated under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, which was more than 99 percent of Queensland. The issues regarding the role and responsibility across governments relating to planning, setup, and management of evacuation centers will be discussed.Aim:This paper will report the preliminary findings of a pilot study undertaken with local government officials and humanitarian agencies in Australia concerning their involvement in planning for, setting up, and managing evacuation centers for vulnerable populations in Australia during the Queensland floods in 2011. The objective is to illuminate the challenges officials faced, and the resolutions and lessons learned in the preparation of evacuation centers through this event.Methods:The study involved interviews with local government and relevant agencies’ officials who have been involved in establishing evacuation centers for vulnerable populations during the 2011 floods. Six officials were recruited from local government areas affected by the disaster in Queensland, Australia. Semi-structured phone interviews were audio-recorded and thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software.Results:Three core themes emerged: 1) understanding of the importance of preparation, 2) challenging evacuation center environments, and 3) awareness of good governance principles.Discussion:This pilot study demonstrated that communication with stakeholders during the preparation period prior to a disaster is essential to best practice for evacuation center management. Understanding and being aware of good governance is also an important element to establish evacuation centers effectively.

THE CREATION OF NOVEL AND MARKETABLE SERVICE IDEAS

2011 ◽  
Vol 08 (01) ◽  
pp. 113-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. CHANG
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Time Zone ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Parallel Teams ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Impact

Novel and marketable service ideas are useful to most service enterprises. However, the literature has identified several reasons for innovations in services as lagging behind those in manufacturing. Some service enterprises believe that service ideas and innovations are readily imitated by competitors. Others view the impact of service innovations on profitability difficult to assess because specific innovative service elements are typically bundled with many other service elements when delivered to or used by customers. Some service enterprises do not have in-house groups specifically dedicated to innovative pursuits, making it difficult for them to systematically produce new service ideas. Furthermore, because services are usually produced and consumed concurrently, any failure tends to expose the service enterprise immediately, unlike the manufacturing companies which can minimize such risks of exposure by conducting pilot testing away from the marketplace. As a result, many service enterprises are said to shy away from aggressively pursuing new service development projects. It does not have to be this way. This paper describes the combinatorial, heuristic, and normatively guided method, which when correctly applied to a service enterprise enhances the generation of new service ideas in a systematic, speedy, and cost-effective manner, and without requiring the creation of a dedicated and rigid organizational structure. Virtual teams of the "stealth" type are set up to address innovation needs related to marketability and cost competitiveness. These teams may include frontline customer-facing employees as well as customers, suppliers, and other external experts, who can work together despite geographical and time-zone constraints. The application of this method toward developing a specific new service idea is discussed in greater detail. The integration of a "stealth" team can also be readily applied to the front end of a typical stage-gate service development process, whereby parallel teams are engaged to address critical issues and steps needed to successfully market a service idea before initiating costly development, thereby raising the service enterprises' overall probability of developing commercially successful new services over time.

Incorporating Pavement Smoothness Benefits to Enhance the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Pavement Type Determination Process

2020 ◽  
Vol 2674 (5) ◽  
pp. 563-571
Author(s):  
Max Grogg ◽  
Kelly Smith ◽  
Chris Williges ◽  
Scott Schram
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Pavement Management ◽  
State Highway ◽  
Type Selection ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Federal Highway ◽  
Accepted Practice

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s Pavement Policy as codified in 23 CFR 626 states, “Pavement shall be designed to accommodate current and predicted traffic needs in a safe, durable, and cost effective manner” to be eligible for federal highway funding. To meet this requirement, state highway agencies have developed pavement type determination (PTD) policies, also known as pavement type selection, and implemented pavement management. Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT)’s PTD has been in place for many years; but in 2018, Iowa DOT looked at enhancing their PTD process to address gaps between past practice and best practice. Among the enhancements, user benefit as defined by pavement smoothness was utilized when net present value (NPV) alone could not definitively distinguish a preferred alternative. The smoothness benefit would become the divisor in a cost–benefit (C/B) ratio that would be used to determine the preferred alternate for the PTD. The cost portion of the ratio would remain the NPV of agency costs for the construction and projected rehabilitations during the analysis period. After a literature review and interviews of comparable state DOTs, several modifications to Iowa DOT’s PTD and the C/B ratio were analyzed and adopted. The modifications range from accepted practice changes, such as the use of a longer analysis period (50 years), to unconventional techniques, such as the consideration of smoothness. Iowa DOT believes these changes provide a more robust PTD. They are also considering additional improvements based upon additional research and policy making.

The role of perforators in chronic venous insufficiency

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
T F O'Donnell
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Improve Patient Care ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Wound Dressings ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Consensus Document ◽  
Grade Method ◽  
Compression Bandages ◽  
Effective Manner

Thesis Venous ulcers (VU) consume considerable resources in healthcare systems, up to 1% of healthcare budgets in industrialized countries. Best practice guidelines (GLs) incorporate evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations in a cost-effective manner and have been associated with improved and less costly outcomes for many diseases. Objectives To determine whether there are common elements in GLs for VU and their evidentiary strength. Methods A systematic analysis of GLs for VU that were identified through clinicaltrials.gov, a government-sponsored website, and from experts outside the USA. Results Ten of 12 GLs on VU (7 North America and 5 Europe) were evidence-based, with the majority using the GRADE method. Only two had been developed or updated within the last three years. Venous duplex and ankle ABIs were recommended in all. Debridement was suggested in two, while simple non-adherent wound dressings were favoured in nine, and hydrocolloid in two. Only one GL discussed a range of dressing options, dependent on the condition of the VU. High pressure multi-layer compression bandages were favoured in 10. Only two focused on the importance of improving ankle joint mobility. Conclusions While there are numerous evidence-based GLs for VU, the majority may lag recent developments in the field. There is consensus on the elements for dressings and compression among the various GLs, which should facilitate the development of a common consensus GL, similar to that for DVT/PE. To improve patient care and reduce wasted resources, it is imperative for specialty societies to develop this consensus document.

Information Technology Customer Service: ―Best Practices‖ Processes For Operations

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Keith Wright ◽  
Charles J. Capps III
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Information Economy ◽  
Customer Support ◽  
Formal Program ◽  
It Managers ◽  
Service Managers

In today’s information economy, information technology customer service managers require increasingly technologically advanced, but cost effective operations. These managers have a Byzantine array of standards, methodologies and best practice frameworks that offer hundreds of pages of detailed, but often confusing, guidance. This article attempts to offer a simpler guide for IT managers beginning a formal program to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the day- to-day operation of their customer support services. The paper’s goal is to summarize and clarify important key concepts from the literature, and also present lessons learned from consulting experiences with several large organizations. Finally, the paper offers ideas for future empirical confirmation of the recommendations summarized here.

Enterprise Crowdsourcing Platform to Improve HR Workflow

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 5-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Zuev
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Hr Management ◽  
Practical Project ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Hr Managers ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Small Parts

Crowdsourcing technologies may solve a wide range of business issues: improve efficiency of HR management, increase customer loyalty and maximize economic efficiency of whole enterprise. The recent years best practice has shown how crowdsourcing is gaining particular relevance of human resource management, allowing HR managers to resolve organization relevant problems in quick and cost-effective manner. Important advantage of crowdsourcing сomes from his main ability: decomposition of tasks into small parts and the ability to perform it’s remotely, via Internet. Thanks to this, not only large corporations, but also small and medium-sized businesses can execute a large-scale projects in a short time. This article discusses the main approaches and principles of practical project management via crowdsourcing platforms, using as the example “Beorg Smart Vision” solution.

scholarly journals A Simple Method to Map Groundwater Depth and Water Quality for Leogane, Haiti and Elsewhere

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Michael Edward Kalinski ◽  
Nicholas Duda ◽  
Herby Lissade ◽  
Harry Donaghy
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Groundwater Depth ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Deep Aquifers ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
System 2 ◽  
The Impact

In the aftermath of the January 2010 Haiti Earthquake, the streets of downtown Leogane were paved to mitigate waterborne disease using humanitarian relief funds. After paving, many of the shallow water wells in Leogane dried up. It was believed that the new pavement disrupted groundwater recharge and negatively impacted the wells. Therefore, a project was performed to assess groundwater conditions in a cost-effective manner using a rapid, inexpensive, non-intrusive geophysical approach. The scope of the project included 1) surveying the new pavement system, 2) surveying water wells in Leogane, 3) testing the well water for coliforms, 4) performing geophysical DC resistivity testing to map groundwater depth and 5) developing a groundwater map to assess the impact of the pavement on the water table. As a result of this project, it could not be concluded that the new pavement was a factor in the groundwater fluctuations observed in the water wells in Leogane. It is more likely that some of the drop in the water table was due to the earthquake itself and some of it was caused by seasonal fluctuations in the water table. It was also observed that all the water wells that extract water from shallow (less than 6 m deep) aquifers in Leogane contain coliforms due to their proximity to household latrines, although a second deeper aquifer was identified and found to be coliform-free. With respect to broader impact, this methodology represents a relatively simple approach to mapping groundwater and assessing water quality that can be easily applied to other communities in the developing world to guide their efforts to develop and manage groundwater.

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