Job Description: According to bls.

com (2019) “Construction managers plan, coordinate,

budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish”. In my specific industry Project
managers supervise the flow of data from the architect, construction companies, fabrication
department, installation departments, and set up schedules that all parties agree to hold the
project to. My understanding of the day to day of a project manager in my company is that they
will coordinate with the members of the project team to ascertain where the project is in
alignment with the schedule. The PM or project manager will receive TKO or take off data for
material on the project and make Purchase orders for the materials needed for the specific
phase that it is needed for on the project. It is also important for the PM to maintain lean
practices when managing a project, so as not to overwhelm one area of the project with
material, or work. This is also important to keep from having open spaces in the schedule
where people are not able to be productive, costing the company larger profits. Project
managers also have to communicate regularly with the customer, architect, Construction
Company, field installers, and fabrication facility. This is important because the customer may
change a design element in the building, or the architect may want a design element that does
not meet code, and all parties’ downstream need to be notified of any changes to maintain
productivity.
General Career Path: To paraphrase workront.com (2020) there are two ways to
become a project manager or PM. The first is by becoming an “Accidental PM” where
you aren’t hired as a PM, but you find yourself with the roles, and responsibilities of a
project manager. The other is a planned PM, or someone who has sought out the
Project manager roles, and had properly been trained to handle the responsibilities. In
the company that I work for you can work your way up to becoming a Project manager.
You can apply to become an Assistant Project manager. As an assistant PM you help
the Project manager complete his or her duties, and learn how the job is done, and how
the company want you to go about doing it. Depending on experience, and education
requirement completion you can then become a Project Manager by applying for the
position internally. You can also complete the education requirements on your own, and
just apply for the position straight away. Most companies prefer experience for such a
vital position, thus it makes more sense to become an assistant Project manager as a
stepping stone.
General Education Requirements: According to bls.com “Construction managers typically
must have a bachelor’s degree, and learn management techniques through on-the-job training.
Large construction firms increasingly prefer candidates with both construction experience and a
bachelor’s degree in a construction-related field.”(2020). This is true in my company as well,
but they also require specific certifications as well. There are two certifications that can
get to be a project manager. The first certification is the CPAM, or the Certified
Associate in Project Management. The second is the PMP, or Project Management
Professional certification. According to workfront.com “ You can qualify for the CAPM
certification if you have at least 1,500 hours of work experience (about 10 months in a full-time job) plus
a high school diploma or associate’s degree, or if you complete 23 hours of education, which we’ll cover
in the next step. There are two ways to qualify for the PMP, both of which require 35 hours of
education. The first requirement includes a four-year degree, minimum 4,500 hours of work experience
(about two and a half years in a full-time job), plus required project management education. The second
includes a secondary degree, 7,500 hours of experience (about four years in a full-time job),
plus the required educational training. Someone with minimal experience might decide to
pursue the CAPM certification first, then work as a project manager until they qualify for the
PMP certification. Someone who already has years of informal project management under their
belt might decide to go straight for the PMP.” (2020). For me personally it would be
beneficial to get the CPAM first, and get into a PM position, then work my way into a
higher PM roll by advancing my education, and skill set. One method available is
through the University of Utah. According to Utah.edu (2020) “The Project management
fundamentals program is geared towards professionals who do not have formal project
management training” According to Utah.edu (2020) “After completion of this program,
depending on individual circumstances, students may consider preparing for the Project
Management Institute (PMI) Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) or Project
Management Professional (PMP) exam. It would make the most sense for me to complete
my associate degree, and follow it up with the U of U’s Project management
fundamentals program to gain the PM position in the shortest possible time.
Average Salary: According to blm.gov (2020) “The median annual wage for construction
managers was $95,260 in May 2019”. This figure was calculated for the United States of
America, but I wanted to find a more local set of numbers, because I like living in Utah.
According to Salary.com “The average Project Manager II salary in Salt Lake City, UT is
$94,662 as of October 28, 2020, but the range typically falls between $82,634 and $108,374.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education,
certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.” (2020). I
wanted to check these numbers against another source for national numbers to make
sure that is was beneficial to plan a career in Utah. According to northeastern.edu
(2017) “In the U.S., a project manager with a PMP certification makes $120,000 annually as
compared to $95,000 without one.” These numbers are similar enough to help me make
my decision, but North Eastern’s numbers, have convinced me to peruse the PMP
certification as well.
Job Outlook: According to bls.gov “Employment of construction managers is projected to
grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Construction managers are expected to be needed to oversee the anticipated increase in
construction activity over the coming decade. Those with a bachelor’s degree in construction
science, construction management, or civil engineering, coupled with construction experience,
will have the best job prospects” (2020).
Pro’s, and Con’s: This career field has some substantial pro’s and con’s for me. One of
the biggest Pro’s is the sense of accomplishment in seeing a completed building, and
knowing that I was a key component in that building existing. Another big Pro is the Pay.
A bigger con for me is the work life balance. Project manager have a lot riding on their
projects. Often they are in control of how millions of dollars are being spent. Many PM’s
that I know work long overtime hours, and find themselves thinking about their projects
when they are home. The other big con is the stress. As said before millions of dollars
are often in the balance with big jobs, and also the reputation of the company and
yourself. It is a big pill to swallow.
FIT: Currently I do not think that I am a good fit for this career. I do however think that
after going through the proper training, and taking advantage of the knowledge, and
training of those in my company that I may be a good fit for this position in the future. It
is a goal that I can, and will strive to accomplish. Not only for my benefit, but for the
benefit of my growing family.
 SOURCES

Bls.gov (2020) https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/construction-managers.htm

Northeastern.edu Shayna Joubert (2020) https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/ways-to-

increase-pmp-salary/

Salary.com (2020) https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/project-manager-ii-salary/salt-

lake-city-ut

Utah.edu (2020) https://continue.utah.edu/proed/academy/certificate/project-

management-fundamentals-certificate

Workfront.com (2020) https://www.workfront.com/project-management/career