Prepare for interviews with specific examples of successful projects you’ve completed, challenges you’ve overcome, and teams you’ve led. If you’re interested in becoming an engineering manager, check out our Master of Science in Engineering Management program to see how you can achieve your professional goals. While becoming a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) is optional, it can increase your career opportunities by communicating your level of industry competency to prospective employers. In addition, you may be required to work extra in the evenings or on weekends to fulfil tight deadlines as the project needs. Your employer will engage you as an apprentice and expect you to work a minimum of 30 hours each week. Your time will be divided between on-the-job training and college or training.

Obtaining a position in management for construction is not something you can do overnight. To be considered for one of these positions, you have to meet a couple of requirements. Most companies require you to at least have a bachelor’s degree in construction management or a similar degree. Some companies will also require you to have some on-site experience before hiring.

Construction Project Manager Career Path

You have to wear a lot of hats as a project manager, and because of that employers are usually looking for candidates who meet a wide range of qualifications and have certain certifications. Generally, most project managers have at least a bachelor’s degree in construction management, civil engineering, or a related field. You’ll also likely need four or more years of experience, with most project managers having at least six. Construction project management jobs vary and cover a range of construction work, from small-scale builds to large-scale construction projects. You can expect to find positions at varying levels and stages of a construction process, with the required skills, qualifications, and certifications. When writing a construction project manager resume, be sure to emphasize your experience and the soft skills you’ve gained that relate to the job, as well as any certifications.

An experienced project manager can make good money, with PayScale reporting an average salary of around $75,000. If you think you have the skills and drive to become a construction project manager, here are some things to consider. When comparing construction managers vs. project managers, you can see that the two functions how to become a project manager have some overlap, but can be completely separate jobs. However, it is easy to confuse both roles since the tasks and responsibilities overlap with smaller projects. With smaller projects, the construction project manager’s responsibilities may also include some of the functions of a construction manager.

Qualifications

Engineering management is an advanced role that requires a degree and years of industry experience. Since education is a substantial financial investment, it’s important that a career in engineering management offsets this cost. According to https://remotemode.net/ a government report, the median annual compensation for engineering managers is $135,040. Working in bigger enterprises or increasingly specialized roles, however, offers opportunities to earn well above the median as a seasoned manager.

To see the average construction project manager salary in your area, register or log in to your iHire account and head to our Salary Research Tool. The reasons why some project managers shine compared to others involves mastering essential education and skills needed to handle such a stressful job. The exact role of a project manager on a project will depend on the project.