Fundamentals of Cost Estimating | Live, Online

This course has something for everyone – whether you have years of experience or are new to the industry. Don't be misled by the '101' - over 30% of our course attendees have 10+ years of industry experience! Perfect for procurement professionals and buyers, developing leaders, as well as operations and administrative staff. This course is the industry knowledge boot camp that will support your team's success.

Facilitated by VICA’s most in-demand course instructor, Debbie Hicks, this course puts you front-and-center with a training team of 3 ICI practitioners. You’ll walk through each stage of the RFP process with these real-world experts, and hear the perspectives of a Project Owner, Consultant and Contractor at each step in the process. Walk away with practical tips and tools to support your next successful proposal. Part of our "Managing Construction Series" of courses.

Where do we run into problems most often with contract compliance and how do we mitigate these problems? It starts with reading and understanding the contracts and we will do just that by exploring clauses from CCDC 2, 5A, 5B, 14, and 15.

The Good, the bad and the ugly! - Supplementary clauses modify contracts in different ways that impact risk in project delivery. In this course you’ll gain insights into the costs and risks associated with changes to standard contract clauses, as well as the reason why these clauses are frequently modified. Features CCDC 2, 5A, 5B, 14, 15, CCA 1 and provincial standard contracts.

Learn how to avoid common mistakes in your submittal processes. This workshop will walk you through the process from start to finish!

This workshop will take you through a thorough review of the CCDC 2 contract. Walk away with a solid understanding of the ins-and-outs of this key construction contract and be better equipped to manage your contractual relationships in future.

Learn how to improve your change management processes! This workshop will walk you through the change management processes outlined in common standard construction contracts (CCDC 2, CCA 1 & CCA 19) and review key forms from CCDC 24: A Guide to Model Forms.

Managing construction meetings effectively is not as easy as it sounds! This course will teach you how to create and implement meeting protocols, record more effective minutes, and more. You’ll walk away with a resource manual packed with practical checklists, templates and how-tos that will help you set up the processes and procedures you need in the office or jobsite.

Learn how to avoid having the last 3% of a project becoming 15% of the effort. This comprehensive course will walk you through every step of a project close-out and teach you how to expedite and simplify the takeover of a project by the owner from the contractor. *Includes updated content reflecting changes to CCDC2-2020 'Owner Take-Over'

This comprehensive course will teach you how to reduce costs, save time, improve quality, and reduce scope changes by creating an effective Construction Execution Plan (CEP) at the start of your project.

More and more frequently private sector companies and government organizations are releasing RFPs as part of their procurement process and moving away from traditional bidding. In this hands-on course you’ll work on a real RFP case study and walk through the steps of developing a successful response. Plus, get practical checklists, spreadsheets, and how-tos you can use when you’re back on the job.

Improve your knowledge of estimating! Gain the skills you need to accurately estimate projects and prepare a successful bid. Course topics include project analysis, risk analysis, bid strategies and processes, Construction Division Codes, as well as bonding, insurance and much more!

Learn how to design and read various construction financial reports and improve financial systems within your organization. You'll walk away from this course with a solid understanding of accounting processes as they relate to construction projects.

This course will develop your skills and knowledge of how to manage a construction project. We will use the PMBoK (6th Edition) approach to gain an understanding of the various processes and constraints that project managers face on the job. You will also learn how to successfully manage a complex project and receive essential project planning tools to avoid risk and benefit your bottom line.

This course will provide participants with the practical skills to effectively and proactively deal with conflict situations and avoid litigation. Course topics include the Builders’ Lien Act, collecting debts, bonding, insurance, environmental law, safety law, and much more!

Construction supervisors and leaders will develop an understanding of how to manage people in a construction context. Participants will improve their skills in leadership, communication and enhance their ability to build a collaborative team culture.

Sadly, proper detailed planning is becoming a lost art in the construction industry. This course aims to reverse that trend by providing crew leaders with a strong model that will improve their crews’ (and by extension their companies’) performance. The course focuses on providing a strong foundational knowledge of task planning that can be applied to any work and is equally applicable to the supervisors of crews for trade and general contractors.

Avoid financial and legal mistakes that commonly result from misunderstandings of the Builders Lien Act! Join us for this short, content-packed course that will help you understand the rights, remedies, and processes created by the Builders Lien Act.

Walk away from this workshop with the foundational legal know-how to navigate through a project’s tender and construction phases.

Learn how to successfully plan, manage, and administer projects from start to finish in this introductory course. Accessible on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

Gain the knowledge and skills required to visualize the scope and magnitude of a construction project and produce accurate and reliable estimates in this introductory course. Accessible on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

Created for the Canadian construction industry. Learn the core principles of ethical behaviour and gain the skills to evaluate situations and make decisions using an ethical framework. Mandatory course for those pursuing Gold Seal Certification.

Learn about the key changes in CCDC 2 - 2020 and walk away with a clear grasp of the updates and how they will impact you and your team from previous versions.

Learn the basics about CCDC 5A/5B, and CCDC 17 contracts and when to use Construction Management (CM) contracts. Perfect for new staff members and a great refresher for industry veterans.

Whether you are the Project Owner, Consultant, General Contractor or Subcontractor, you need to understand your CM roles and responsibilities throughout all project phases: predesign, design, project delivery and post construction. You also need to be well versed in the CM project drivers and concepts as outlined in the CCDC 5A + 5B in order to fulfil your contractual responsibilities and achieve success. A well-orchestrated Construction Management project drives success for all partners.

Created for the Canadian construction industry. Learn the core principles of ethical behaviour and gain the skills to evaluate situations and make decisions using an ethical framework. Mandatory course for those pursuing Gold Seal Certification.

Gain the knowledge and skills to create, edit, markup, and collaborate on AEC documents using Bluebeam Revu.

Improve your efficiency and learn how to create more meaningful and clearer takeoffs using Bluebeam Revu. Not an introductory course, please review Mandatory Prerequisites section before registering.

Improve your skills in communication and negotiation on construction projects.

Learn the basics of bonding and insurance in construction.

Become a subcontractor of choice for Lean projects! This course will get you started using Lean on your projects immediately. Designed for all members of your team, including forepersons, superintendents, project managers and company owners.

Get a first-hand walk-through of the pull planning process and learn practical strategies for overcoming common challenges in implementing production planning in your projects.

Join Us for a FREE Series Overview and start “Thinking Differently” To manage construction today we are encouraged to “think differently”. The foundation for a successful project is to understand the commitments, expectations, responsibilities, “whys” and risks/rewards for all parties in all the stages/components of a project.

Join us for this free session where we'll cover an intro to the theory of lean productivity, how lean applies to construction, and key concepts.

Learn how to produce estimates more quickly and accurately by harnessing the power of Microsoft Excel. Appropriate for both novice and experienced Excel users.

Free for VICA Members! Hosted by EllisDon & VRCA, join this session to get the inside scoop on bidding Canadian federal government contracts that require security clearances and learn how to register with the Contract Security Program (CSP).

FREE for VICA Members! Learn about key changes to CCA 1 – 2021. Walk away with a clear grasp of the updates, how they correspond to the CCDC 2 – 2020, and how these document changes will impact you and your team.

Gain a basic and practical understanding of Canadian construction contract and subcontract essentials. Accessible on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

This workshop covers the unique contractual conditions when a Project Owner employs this Project Delivery Method and essential insights for improving your chances of success with Design-Build. We will focus on the crucial clauses in the CCDC 14 + 15 contracts and the fundamental elements of Design-Build for project success. Delivered by a training team of ICI practitioners, you will gain insight into the technical skills, as well as the challenges and opportunities from each partners’ perspective.

Designed for experienced users as well as newbies – this course will improve your baseline understanding of Bluebeam Revu. You’ll learn interface navigation, keyboard shortcuts and much more! Walk away with tips and tricks to increase your speed and accuracy.

Build on knowledge gained in Bitesize Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics. Learn how to turn your highlighters into a data-rich takeoff tool! This session will cover standard measurement tools and settings, various customization options, and the results in the Markups List. *Mandatory Pre-requisite, Bitesize Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics

Build on knowledge from Bitesize Bluebeam courses 1 & 2. In this advanced Bluebeam Revu course, you’ll learn custom estimating tools, rich data collection, and how to report and export your data. *Mandatory Pre-requisites, Bitesize Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics & Bitesize Bluebeam 2: Basic Material Takeoffs & Estimates

Build on knowledge gained in Bitesize Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics. Are your drawings a mess with random page labels, no hyperlinks, sheets out of order and all combined in a bloated document? This course will teach you a quick workflow that will fix all these pain points and improve your consistency and accuracy in document management. *Mandatory Pre-requisite, Bitesize Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics

Build on knowledge gained in Bitesize Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics. This course is for design and construction professionals in both the office and jobsite looking for ways to build consistency, speed, and accuracy of data collection. Learn to create and place custom punch symbols, quickly embed images or videos, and create summary reports. *Mandatory Pre-requisite, Bitesize Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics

Yes, there are tools in Bluebeam Revu for Civil Designers and Engineers! In this course you will learn navigation and markups, workflows like Calibrating Plan & Profile drawings with different X-Y scales, ideas for Cut & Fill calculations, combining several PDFs into one large area map, and adding images. We’ll also look at ideas for bidding and tracking field survey projects.

Administrative teams have unique document workflows that demand a different set of tools compared to design and construction teams. A typical Bluebeam class concentrates on design markups, estimating and collecting field data, but this class is very different! In just two hours you’ll be ready to combine documents, mark for redaction, apply digital signatures and several other important administrative tasks.

Have high overhead costs, underbidding, and low productivity eaten up what remains of your modest profit margins? In this course, instructor Wayne Newell draws upon 35 years of financial and construction contracting experience to help you recognize problem projects, identify unwanted expenses, increase productivity, manage overhead expenses, and address labour shortages.

Many contractors have labour productivity concerns, high overhead costs, below-budget profits and one continuous headache with cash-flow. If you’re responsible for any aspect of profitability in your company and you’ve never been trained to read, produce and analyze financial reports, you need to take this course to discover where expenses and profits are hiding. This course will teach you your numbers and how to use them.

Business success is not an accident, it is planned – yet, very few construction companies regularly practice any type of strategic planning. Strategic planning will transform your business. Imagine being able to make better than average profits, expand your capacity, ensure success and build a healthier company. This course was designed to do just that. It isn’t a miracle cure, it’s a program that teaches the fundamentals of strategic planning to construction professionals.

This course will teach you how to apply Lean principles throughout the life of a project with a focus on Takt time and Last Planner System implementation strategies. Using a virtual workflow simulation, you’ll learn how to apply Lean Construction tools and walk away with the ability to begin implementing Lean tools on your projects immediately.

Learn the fundamentals of interpreting construction specifications. This course covers the basics of reading and interpreting both general and technical specifications.

Foster an environment that supports mental health. Creating an Acceptable Workplace Culture makes sense when we understand the impact of unacceptable behaviour. It’s important to have a clear grasp of how physical safety, productivity, retention, individual mindset, attitude, teamwork and time management are affected when workplace culture is (or isn’t) functioning to its highest potential.

This practical, hands-on course will teach you how to complete material take-offs for pricing or even ordering purposes. Using the example of a small commercial structure, attendees will complete a detailed and comprehensive quantity survey/material takeoff for items of work including earthwork, substructure, and superstructure. *Students should have a working knowledge of blueprint reading and be prepared to complete math exercises

This hands-on course is a comprehensive overview of managing risk within the construction industry. You will learn how to create and apply a risk management plan and walk away with practical tools you can use to mitigate and manage risk on your projects.

This intro course will walk you through contract documents used at various stages of a project, from what is required to form a valid contract, the components in a tender call/invitation to tender, document hierarchy, to change orders and directives, and more! *Please note, this is an introductory-level course.

This course is a cheat sheet to help you conquer construction management. In the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) environment we work in daily, it can be tough to respond to change with agility and manage time, tasks, and talent successfully. Whether you’re just starting out or have decades of experience, this course will provide you with a new set of tools and teach you to re-evaluate and apply old tools to your projects or business in strategic and unconventional ways.

Building on skills learned in Bluebeam Revu: Estimating Level 1, this course is a deeper dive into using Bluebeam Revu for estimating at a more advanced level. Please review Mandatory Prerequisites section before registering.

This course will give you a deep dive into using Bluebeam Revu as a digital document tool. Built specifically for individuals that have a solid foundation of Revu, this course expands on that knowledge to help you identify changes more easily and create easy to navigate documents with hyperlinks. Please review Recommended Prerequisites & Course Requirements sections before registering.

This course will give you a deep dive into using Bluebeam Revu as a digital document tool. Built specifically for individuals that have a solid foundation of Revu, this course expands on that knowledge to help you improve your workflow efficiency by utilizing Spaces, Stamps, Digital Signatures, and PDF Forms. Please review Recommended Prerequisites & Course Requirements sections before registering.

Companies with strong, healthy, cultures outperform their competitors. Leaders on site or at the office have a direct impact on project performance, productivity, staff recruitment, and retention. Now is the time to invest in your key personnel and develop high-impact leadership in your team! This 6-week program is packed with practical tools and designed to help you apply what you learn in real-time, including one-on-one coaching sessions with your instructor (a Certified Executive Coach).

Join us for this free info session about our NEW, 6-week, High-Impact Leadership program with Tony Healy. Tony will walk you through the program workshops and coaching sessions, and you’ll get to know the science behind his approach to leadership development. Get answers to all your questions – don’t miss this session!

This course is a comprehensive and practical guide for managing one of the most critical areas of construction contracting: preparing, pricing, gathering, submitting, negotiating, and getting paid for all changes to construction projects. Walk away with a course manual that includes over 25 example checklists, forms, and letters – your blueprint for successful submittal of proposed change order pricing and issuance of change orders.

Learn how to create and manage project schedules using Microsoft Project 2016.

Follow-up course to “MS Project 365 Basics.” This is an in-depth course on the features of Microsoft Project and how to use it as a project management tool.

This course is a comprehensive overview of budget cost estimating for construction projects and the various processes, procedures, pitfalls, and risks involved.

CCA has teamed up with WomanACT and the Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology (SCWIST) to foster safer and harassment-free workplaces. This complimentary micro-lesson training series aims to tackle harassment, especially impacting women. The goal? Less stress, boosted productivity, and greater retention of women in the workforce.

Missed our spring sessions? You’re in luck! Due to popular demand, additional fall seminars are now scheduled. The Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC) returns this year with updates to key industry contracts: CCDC 2-2020 & and the Ready-for-Takeover milestone, CCDC 5a. 5B, 17, and 30. VICA is thrilled to be hosting an in-person seminar to keep you in the loop about these changes!

Due to the complexity of modern-day construction, many projects encounter issues that lead to claims and disputes between the parties. Almost none go according to plan. Knowing how to best prepare for potential claims and disputes; before, during and after the construction phase of a project, is crucial to maximizing the likelihood of recovering damages.

Are you ready to elevate your career in construction site management? Gain the skills and knowledge you need to excel as a construction site supervisor with our comprehensive course designed specifically for professionals like you. As the backbone of any successful construction project, a competent site supervisor plays a crucial role in ensuring that projects are completed safely, on time, and within budget.

This 2-part online program is for entry-level architectural or engineering designers, apprentices, entry-level tradespersons, project coordinators, assistant project managers, new project managers, estimators, specialty sales representatives, or anyone in career transition looking for a refresher.

Unraveling Risk is an exploration of risk management within the landscape of construction contracts and the often-overlooked world of Supplementary Conditions (SCs) in standard contracts such as CCDC and CCA 1.

Discover how the Transformative Leadership program works, ask questions, and experience the value firsthand through a 30-minute workshop on 'Managing Through Uncertainty'.

How much do you actually know about Indigenous Peoples and issues? Would you like to build a better understanding of some of the issues you hear in the news? If the answer is "yes!" then Indigenous Awareness training can be a helpful way to get off on the right foot. Indigenous Awareness training provided by Indigenous Corporate Training Inc.

Stay ahead of the curve by addressing common concrete issues before your next pour. Brought to you by Herold Engineering, this seminar provides an overview of the current curing wisdom and addresses new challenges that have arisen as concrete technology has evolved. Whether you're an owner, ready-mix supplier, concrete worker or finisher, this seminar will enhance your knowledge and provide effective solutions to prevent premature damage, scaling and flaking in your projects.

Do your leaders have the tools and skills to thrive in today’s high-pressure, high-change environment? This program blends strategic leadership tools with coaching-driven insights, giving senior leaders the skills, peer network, and support they need to accelerate impact.

Join BC Hydro and VICA to discuss the current and planned hydroelectric facility, transmission and substation projects from BC Hydro taking place on Vancouver Island through 2031. Bring your bag lunch to listen as BC Hydro reps discuss the various projects across the island as well as the planned procurement schedules and opportunities. This FREE event is intended to keep our construction partners in the loop on major BC Hydro projects from Victoria to Campbell River, to the Gulf Islands!

Geared towards setting a solid foundation for people management, this in-person three-hour intensive training is designed to equip you with key HR skills. You’ll walk away with practical, simple-to-implement, tried-and-tested tools and strategies to manage your people proactively.

Elevate your communication skills and transform your workplace dynamics with Essential Communication: Tools for Talk in Construction! This course offers the foundations of understanding people’s motivation, patterns of behavior and language.

Discover practical Lean principles and the Last Planner System® through hands-on activities, gaining tools to enhance project efficiency and overcome implementation challenges.

Pull up a seat and join us for this interactive, hands-on workshop and free lunch at VICA Victoria! Featuring real SuperForm ICF materials to interact with, this is your chance to learn how ICF is installed and delivers as a resilient construction method and energy-efficient design material.

Learn how to build a Passive House building! Gain a good understanding of the interactions and interdependencies of building components in a Passive House project. This course also enables you to understand the impacts on energy efficiency of any change orders and to collaborate with designers to solve problems involved in the construction process.