Inspiring the Next Generation of Project Managers: Embedding Sustainability in Engineering Projects through Project Management Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Sustainability is focussed on avoiding the long-term depletion of natural resources. Under the terms of a government plan to tackle climate change, a driver for improved sustainability is reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK to almost zero by 2050. With this type of change, new themes are continuously being developed that drive engineering projects, such as developing new cars and new power generation methods, which encompass challenging lead times and demanding requirements. The implementation of strategies and key concepts, which may engender sustainability within engineering and engineering projects, presents an opportunity for further critical debate, review, and application through a project management lens. Sustainability incorporation in project management has been documented in academic literature (Okland, 2015), with this emerging field providing new challenges. For example, project management education can provide a holistic base for the inculcation of sustainability factors to a range of industries, including engineering project management. Likewise practitioner interest and approaches to sustainability in project management are being driven by the recently Chartered profession of Project Management. Whilst this body makes a significant contribution to the UK economy across many sectors, it also addresses ongoing sustainability challenges. Therefore, by drawing on research and practitioner developments, the authors argue that an improved focus on sustainability in engineering project management may be achieved by connecting with the next generation through solution-based approaches and embedding sustainability issues within project management tools and methods.