Constructing a bright future

Constructing a bright future

A group of RMIT students have identified themselves as future leaders of the global construction industry after winning second place in an international competition.

Students Awards Ceremony Members of RMIT's Trojan Corporation announced first runners up in Toronto, Canada. From left: Sze Chern Ng, Yuhan Sun, Zihao Wang, Phillip Stojakovic and Peter Wong

The Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB) Global Student Challenge is a highly-recognised annual international competition for undergraduate construction management students.  

Students must apply classroom learning to run their virtual construction companies in a highly competitive environment, using the full range of skills from marketing, estimating and bidding to financing, human resources, project management and long-term investment.

This year’s competition attracted more than 60 teams from universities in Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. At the conclusion of the preliminary rounds, RMIT’s Trojan Corporation finished sixth, securing a place in the finals and a trip to Toronto, Canada, for team members Yuhan Sun, Phillip Stojakovic, Sze Chern Ng, and Zihao Wang.

The team went on to perform brilliantly during three gruelling days of finals, moving from 6th to 2nd place and defeating other highly-fancied teams from Cambridge University, Loughborough University, Curtin University and Chongging University in the process.  Toronto’s George Brown College became the first Canadian team ever to win the challenge.

Team member Yuhan Sun said that the whole process of the competition was inspiring.

“Learning about company operations, realising the importance of teamwork, coping with competition and pressure, and, at the final, networking with global leaders in the construction industry was a priceless experience for us,” Sun said.

“To succeed in this competition we had to think like directors, act like directors, and be directors. Indeed, the whole experience lifted our thinking to a higher level, because we had to make decisions on a more strategic level throughout the competition, and had the chance to see the ripple effects of our decisions on different departments within our company.”

Associate Dean of Construction Management, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, Peter S.P. Wong, who supervised the team, said event organiser Chartered Institute of Building and academics from the other universities praised the outstanding performance of the RMIT team.

“The brilliant outcome once again justifies RMIT's construction management undergraduate program reputation as a world-class program and explains why our construction management graduates are so valued in the industry,” Wong said.  

Trojan Corporation team member Phillip Stojakovic said one of the highlights of the trip was meeting global construction leaders and learning about the different approaches, motivators and barriers within the construction industry in other regions such as China, Dubai and the UK.

“Overall, the experience and result that we achieved in the Global Student Challenge 2018 has enhanced our knowledge, professional development, aspirations and allowed us to foster relationships with some of the global construction industry leaders,” he said.

Story: Karen Phelan

23 July 2018

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23 July 2018

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