In almost every case, a construction contract will stipulate a specific duration or completion date wherein the contractor must complete the project. Since construction projects require a lot of work, the scheduler gives detailed descriptions of the work scope. This scope includes the work activities, milestones and sequences that must take place to meet the expected completion date.

The project schedulers in construction are the professional who is responsible for creating and updating the project timelines. They work closely with the project managers, especially during the planning phase, to develop viable master schedules to present to the employer. The contract will base its closing date on such a schedule.

Project schedules are usually put together by two types of schedulers working together but with different roles. The first is someone who gathers the necessary information such as budget and resources and inputs it in a scheduling software like Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, or Astra Project. Those responsible for this must know the software intrinsically, manipulate it to get the best possible project timelines.

The second is the professional scheduler who knows and understands the processes and methods in construction. Also, they know how the software works, but more on a practical level, not intrinsically. The professional scheduler’s primary focus should be to know the best practices for construction projects and incorporate that into the schedule.

The project schedule needs to be able to work closely with technical experts, project leads and project managers when it comes to creating, implementing, and managing the timelines. All this works towards achieving project goals on schedule, preventing project issues and protecting the contractors from risks.

Project scheduler responsibilities include making thoughtful decisions regarding material and resource procurement, sub-contractor choices, coordination of duties, and the duration of tasks. To create the projects schedules, they need to work closely with stakeholders, management, and field engineers to link critical activities across all required assignments.

During the whole project, schedulers must maintain constant communication with all stakeholders and workers involved. Doing so allows them to identify issues immediately and make changes to the timelines and duties assigned. This aspect is crucial as it ensures proper management of key responsibilities. Additionally, adequate communication helps create accurate status reports showing the progress that shows where individual projects are concerning the final project goals.

While the required tasks can vary depending on the job, such qualities are the basics that a project scheduler should include in their CV.

The most common scheduling management system that project schedules use in the construction industry is Microsoft Project (MSP). MSP is a project management software made for those within the team who need to gather and integrate vast amounts of information.

They need to condense all every role, activity, and staff inclusions to formulate an accurate and viable timeline regarding a scheduler. Scheduling management systems need to cater to specific project needs like task assignments, resource management, and creating and adjusting project timelines.

Such a scheduling management system should also integrate project scheduler requirements with features like Gantt Charts, workload management, report creation, collaboration platforms, and organised file storage systems.

Overall, the ability to become a project scheduler depends on your experience. Still, it is also best to consider the certifications and skills that can clear your path, making it easier to advance in the field.

The job description for a project planner and a project scheduler is somewhat similar. Both professionals need to consider every aspect of the project to create viable project controls that meet the employer’s needs. The difference is that a project planner handles a more comprehensive responsibility range. The primary function of a project scheduler is to determine and meet the timeline of the project.

The job description of the project manager is to provide general oversight on the whole of the project. The project planner reports to them should there be any realisation of possible issues. The project scheduler then supports their final decisions to mitigate the situation by creating an alternative timeline based on new information.

While project scheduler responsibilities can take time to build and learn, the opportunity for career growth expands exponentially. The construction industry has recently seen tremendous growth and is always on the lookout for more professionals to fill crucial job vacancies.

One of the benefits of a career as a project scheduler is that you aren’t limited to that profession. Because it crosses professional status, you can opt to consider options as a project manager or planner once you have mastered the current job setting. This is because the job description overlaps at specific points with those two professional career paths as well.