The outlook for the construction project management industry is looking bright, with an 11% growth predicted in the sector over the next ten years.
If you are interested in getting a role as a construction project manager, then the best time is right now. The position is challenging, but it has a lot of benefits, and job security is looking better than ever.
Read on and discover the many reasons for starting a career in construction management today.
What Is a Construction Project Manager?
If you want to get something built, you need a project. As well as the bricks, mortar, and construction crew, you need someone with the overall vision from beginning to end. That person is the construction project manager.
Usually, the title is shortened to just construction manager or CM. As a CM, you will be responsible for ensuring everything that needs to get done gets done. That includes speaking with the client, overseeing plans, making budget decisions, and managing the construction team.
Who Will You Work With?
In construction project management, you will work closely with engineers, suppliers and the client. You are the link that brings all elements of the project together, and it can be quite stressful to keep all those plates spinning at once.
To be a good construction manager, you will need a cool head and an excellent ability to manage different tasks at once. Your planning skills will need to be top-notch, and you will need to have a head for numbers to manage the budget. You will also need management skills to help you deal with your large workforce and charisma for speaking to and handling the client’s demands.
What Is the Salary Like?
It is a tough job, but it pays well, and the average construction manager can hope to take home an average salary of around $90,000 a year in the US.
However, the highest construction project manager salary could go as high as $185,000 a year for major civil and private projects.
What Training Do I Need?
To become a construction manager, you will need to study. At a minimum, you will need a bachelor’s degree in a construction-based science such as civil engineering or construction management. A master’s degree may open pathways to higher-paid positions and larger construction projects.
Once you have finished school, you can undertake specialist training in building compliance regulations, accident prevention, and plumbing codes. All of this extra knowledge will go towards your overall value as a skilled manager.
Out of college, you should seek an internship with a construction firm to learn the ropes. You may also want to spend some time getting to know the major construction equipment supply companies such as HIAB, as they will be providing you and your team with the essential tools and to get the job done.
Become a Successful Construction Project Manager
Spend some time getting to know how each area of your new field operates so that you have a breadth of knowledge. This will support you further when you undertake your first construction project manager role. Study hard and expand your horizons, and you will have a long and prosperous career ahead of you.
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