This paper assesses a project-based learning (PBL) intervention implemented in a third-year Construction Management module, which simulated pre-contract planning and contractor-subcontractor interface management through industry mentorship and authentic assessment. Students collaborated in multidisciplinary teams—including a main contractor and HVAC, electrical, and plumbing subcontractors—creating MS Project schedules and delivering oral presentations that were evaluated by external assessors. The assignment brief is being triangulated, among assessor evaluations, and consolidated student reflections to analyse learning outcomes. Feedback from assessors highlighted recurring professional challenges, including coordination inefficiencies, incomplete design information, sequencing conflicts, and the effective use of contractual mechanisms (e.g., extensions of time (EOTs), notifications of potential delays (NOPDs), and variations) alongside evidentiary records. Students reported a reinforced understanding of planning, interface management, communication, and teamwork, while also identifying constraints such as time pressures, imbalanced workload distribution, resource gaps, and the necessity for clearer assessment criteria. The results are consistent with literature on experiential learning and authentic assessment, which emphasises the importance of industry engagement, reflection, and explicit criteria in enhancing readiness for the workforce. Several refinements are suggested: phased timelines, an interface-management toolkit (including an interface register, request for information (RFI)/NOPD logs, and evidence plans), explicit rubrics, and milestone-linked mentor clinics. This study offers a replicable, industry-embedded PBL model for construction education and provides actionable design principles aimed at enhancing curriculum relevance and preparing graduates for professional practice.
Keywords
Project-Based Learning; Construction Education; Industry Mentorship; Interface Management; Authentic Assessment.