The construction sector has a variety of career paths available, and a Construction Manager role is one of the most varied on offer as it includes a mix of project management, health & safety, financial budgeting and client liaison. It has become an increasingly popular career choice due to the rising salaries on offer and the growth of job opportunities available.
What does a Construction Manager do?
A Construction Manager coordinates and supervises construction work. Sometimes known as a Site Manager, the Construction Manager is required to organise and provide direction for various operations within a building project. That includes preparing cost estimates, budgets, work timetables, managing labour and material levels, reporting work progress to clients, all while communicating with the many stakeholders involved in the project.
The job requires a lot of multi-tasking as the Construction Manager may be handling contracts, hiring subcontractors and coordinating schedules for multiple site locating, not to mention handling crises, and ensures everything meets safety standards.
Do I need a degree to become a Construction Manager?
To be considered for a Construction Manager role you firstly need to have considerable experience in the industry. You will need to be able to provide real life examples of handling project control and management, design, construction methods and materials, understanding and adhering to building codes and standards plus contract administration and cost estimation. Qualifications such as a HND/HNC, foundation degree or degree in a relevant area, such as building engineering, architecture studies, civil engineering, construction management or construction engineering would also be required.
Are there different kinds of projects a Construction Manager works on?
Typically, the projects that a Construction Manager would be involved in would fall into the following categories:
· Residential –housing projects including apartments
· Commercial – privately funded projects such as shopping centres, hotels, banks and warehousing
· Industrial – power and manufacturing plants and warehousing units
· Infrastructure – heavy civil projects such as tunnels, roads, bridges or airports.
· Environmental/Agricultural – works to provide water supplies, drains, barns and specialised fencing
· Institutional: projects for the government or other pubic organisations to build schools, hospitals, military facilities, museums and police stations
Where can I begin my career in Construction Management?
Some of the best Construction Managers come from a trades background and truly understand the whole build process stage by stage. By working their way up into more senior positions, they also develop an understanding of the challenges within each role that gives them appreciation for their work force when in a management position.
There is also the academic route to enter into construction management and there are a wide range of Universities to choose from across the UK that offer relevant degrees including:
· Teeside University - Construction Management (with Foundation Year) BSc (Hons)
· Glyndwr University – Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· Liverpool John Moore University – Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Westminster – Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management BSc
· University of Wales Trinity Saint David – Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Portsmouth – Construction Engineering Management Bend (Hons)
· University of Bedfordshire – Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Suffolk – Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· Sheffield Hallam University – Construction Project Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Greenwich – Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Derby – Quantity Surveying & Commercial Management BSc (Hons)
· University of West of England - Quantity Surveying & Commercial Management BSc (Hons)
· University of West London – Construction Project Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Reading – Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Wolverhampton - Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· Coventry University - Quantity Surveying & Commercial Management BSc (Hons)
· Kingston University - Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· University of East London - Construction Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Salford - Construction Project Management BSc (Hons)
· University of South Wales - Construction Project Management BSc (Hons)
· Nottingham Trent University - Quantity Surveying & Commercial Management BSc (Hons)
· University of Brighton – Project Management for Construction BSc (Hons)
· Oxford Brookes University – Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management BSc (Hons)
· Loughborough University – Construction Engineering Management BSc (Hons)
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