The Clough Project Management Academy aims to identify and select future project leaders to undertake an intensive project management program of development.

Development will consist of e-learning, a 360-degree feedback tool, workshops and specific on-the-job experiences and will culminate with a residential program at Stanford University in the US.

Participants will progress from a Clough certified project practitioner to project manager, before obtaining certification as a project master. Successful students will also receive the globally recognised Project Management Body of Knowledge accreditation from the US-based Project Management Institute.

“The Australian resources sector has witnessed cost and schedule overruns on the majority of projects executed in recent years,” Clough managing director Kevin Gallagher explained.

“Lack of project management expertise has been cited as one of the root causes of this industry issue.

“Clough will develop the leadership, management, technical and communication skills that will see Clough certified project managers recognised as the best in the industry.”

The first participants will commence training with the academy in March with the launch of the certified practitioner course.

In addition to the Clough Academy investment the firm will continue its support of the Clough Scholars’ program, which has awarded more than 200 scholarships to the brightest engineering students in Western Australia over its 47-year life span.

Clough is a part of South African engineering firm Murray & Roberts. It delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange in late 2013.

In September last year Clough announced that the Clough AMEC joint venture was awarded a $A70 million front end engineering design (FEED) contract for Arrow Energy’s proposed Bowen Gas Project in central Queensland.