Driving productivity in the infrastructure sector

Inspired from the recent Infrastructure New Zealand Building Nations conference, Beca Senior Civil Engineer Arden Hermans reflects on integrating her contracting experience into design teams and how to drive productivity and efficiency in New Zealand’s infrastructure sector. As the founder of Girls in Infrastructure®, current Chair for the Women in Infrastructure Network in Northland, and an Engineering New Zealand Ambassador, Arden is actively promoting efficiency and productivity uplift across Aotearoa. 

Productivity in the infrastructure and construction sectors has long been a topic of intense discussion. In New Zealand, boosting productivity is not just a matter of economic urgency but societal need, given our small population and limited resources.  

New Zealand's infrastructure investment levels are higher, as a proportion of GDP, than the OECD average, yet we rank in the bottom 10% of high-income countries for the efficiency of that spend (Te Waihanga New Zealand Infrastructure Commission). To drive significant productivity improvements, a multi-faceted approach is needed, focused on enhancing workforce capability, greater information sharing and strategic planning, and better utilisation of technology such as AI and drones.  

Aligning resource allocation, growing and supporting a broad and diverse talent pool, stable work environments, and empowering our workforce with training, will all help enable projects to thrive. These factors also all relate to the nation’s challenges of poor asset conditions, historic underinvestment in asset maintenance, management and renewals, and the common perception that projects take longer than they should.  

A clear and consistent pipeline of work, free from the three-year stop/start cadence of local and central government election cycles, would also go a long way to enabling our long-term goals of productivity and efficiency. 

According to Te Waihanga, Aotearoa has approximately $64 billion worth of infrastructure projects planned, many of which are set to commence in the next three to five years. With the Government working on a bipartisan 30-year pipeline, Te Waihanga anticipates this figure to grow by as much as $140 billion. However, their forecasts also suggest the country will face a shortfall of approximately 375,000 construction workers by 2025. 

Creating pathways for women and girls in infrastructure 

Increasing awareness among women about the excellent job opportunities in the infrastructure sector is key to addressing the worker shortage and tapping into a wider, underutilised talent pool.  

Women currently make up only 14% of New Zealand’s construction workforce, with a mere 2.5-3% actively working on sites. Initiatives like Girls in Infrastructure®, supported by Infrastructure New Zealand, provide Year 12 and 13 girls with hands-on experience in the field.  

Over the years, I have collaborated with institutions like the University of Canterbury, North Tec, and Whangārei Girls' High School to develop hands-on experiences for students. It's promising to see educational providers recognising the importance of real-life experience, but they require industry support to create sustainable, curriculum-related field trips. 

Unlocking opportunities for hands-on experience and training 

Improving productivity should also involve creating opportunities for design engineers to gain field experience before transitioning to desk jobs. Empowering people with field experience offers insights into constructability and helps engineers understand how their designs impact the construction process. I have consistently found that designs and projects become more affordable, timely, and constructable when approached with a practical and diverse mindset.  

I must also emphasise that every country has unique geographical characteristics. For instance, someone with experience working in Europe may not be familiar with the ground conditions or local procurement opportunities in New Zealand. We cannot forget to support and provide localisation training for our immigrants.  

Implementing apprenticeship schemes and mentor programmes, like the Mentorship Programme recently established by Infrastructure New Zealand, can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. These initiatives help retain and empower skilled workers by making career progression clear and achievable.  

Comprehensive training should be readily available for construction workers, covering advanced technologies, health and safety, construction processes (e.g. compaction methods, concrete pouring, and different concrete mixes), and the importance of quality and environmental considerations. Training should encompass all aspects that affect construction and cater to different learning needs and capabilities.  

Embracing technology, with open eyes 

Integrating technologies like AI for predictive analytics, project simulations, and risk management can pre-emptively address issues that would otherwise cause costly delays. However, the use of AI also comes with risks, including concerns about data privacy, confidentiality, inherent bias in the outputted (and inputted) data, and potential reputational issues. Training our workforce to use AI correctly and understand its risks is crucial. 

I’ve noticed younger generations, who may have never known a world without AI, tend to quickly trust AI outputs over human judgement, which can lead to serious concerns. AI is still learning, ever-evolving, and relies on the quality of the data entered. We need our workforce to recognise that AI can make mistakes, and so we must provide sufficient training in both workplaces and educational institutions to address these challenges. 

Other emerging technologies, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and machine control, have entered the industry in recent years and play a significant role in boosting our productivity in the infrastructure sector. This can be through enhanced health and safety outcomes, and also in terms of quality, quantity and cost efficiency.  

I recall implementing both UAVs and machine control on a project back in 2017. Initially, there was hesitation, but once we understood their limitations and used them appropriately, the benefits were clear. The technologies saved hours and even days of time of a surveyor in the field, or the use of an expensive aircraft, to capture or set out the data. Another great example of technology in action is PIPE-i, a robotic survey vehicle created to address health and safety concerns for workers entering hazardous or confined spaces.  

Excitingly, Beca has recently obtained Part 102 certification from the NZ Civil Aviation Authority, which is essential for any business aiming to operate UAVs safely and within the broader legal framework. Part 102 certification enables companies the capability to operate in most environments within New Zealand.  

Over the past ten years, UAV technology has advanced considerably. However, despite advancements in safety and accuracy, UAVs remain underutilised. Some worry that UAV, AI or machine control will replace human roles, but this is not the case. Instead, they enable us to focus on more important tasks and process data more efficiently. We must move past negative thinking and see the bigger picture and future possibilities. 

Tapping into the future

Boosting New Zealand's infrastructure sector productivity is essential and will not be achieved by doing things the way they have always been done.  

We need to welcome workforce diversity, and increase awareness among women and girls especially, about the many great career paths in infrastructure. With the potential shortfall of workers the nation is facing, workforce development is critical.  

Likewise, we need to see technologies like AI, UAV and PIPE-i, as valuable tools to bridge existing gaps. The future of the sector relies on the integration of technology, and in upskilling and engaging the nation’s workforce with the necessary training, support and opportunity to apply it.  

By leveraging innovation, younger generations, often referred to as ‘digital natives’, can learn new and different skills while achieving the outcomes New Zealand needs – building more infrastructure. Such innovation will enable the sector to offer more stable jobs and abundant opportunities for a greater range and number of people. 

As we look ahead, it is important we all support local and central government in creating a 30-year bipartisan pipeline of infrastructure projects, with a focus on building what our communities need and demand. The road to productivity uplift is multi-faceted, but it is achievable, with concerted effort, strategic planning, and acting with the shared sense of urgency the challenge needs.