<p>You stated a while back that I should not go into CM if I didn't want to get my hands dirty. I was hoping you could elaborate more on what you meant. Do you ever actually participate in the manual labor, say if you were short on staff? I was under the impression that it's an office/field type of job, yet mostly managing. I guess it is a construction site however, so you're probably not going to come home squeaky clean :) I don't mind getting my hand dirty @ all, however I don't want to come home dirty everyday either :) Thanks for your input. I am pretty sure I'll pursue Structural, but I would love to get into CM down the line.</p>
<p>Hi, I'm not ken but just to share my 2 cents. </p>
<p>If you choose to take up CM, the most common career route is to become a project engineer / manager with a builder or a consultancy firm. There are differences between the 2 employers but I'll just elaborate on one first.</p>
<p>Being a PM with a builder doesn't mean you'd literally get your hands dirty, but you'd be expected to be familiar with all the nitty-gritty details of construction - know how cranes operate, how to build tall buildings in winter etc.. (I don't btw)</p>
<p>You (1) need to understand not only structural drgs, but mechanical, electrical, architectural drgs as well (2) use the most cost-efficient and labour-efficient mode of construction (3) plan and execute works according to schedule (4) use engineering judgement to continually assess if proposed designs or construction methods are safe (5) manage your manpower and resources efficiently (6) have to be communicative: you are the one dealing with the client, with authorities, with the landowners surrounding you and with your own colleagues (5) think fast - be prepared to deal with difficult situations or emergencies on site (6) and most importantly, always be aware what your guys are doing on site and ensure safety at all times.</p>
<p>Basically, you help to translate design into reality...</p>
<p>I didn't mean actually doing the work, but your hands will get dirty (literally). Your boots will get muddy if you're doing civil work. Your hands will get greasy if you're doing mechanical work. There's always going to be dust. Chances are you'll be sweating at some point during a summer day (unless you're in the very final stages of the project when they already have the AC working).</p>
<p>Basically, you're not always in a clean office environment with the temp set at 70 in your own quiet little office sitting in front of a computer in a comfy chair.</p>
<p>Thanks, that's exactly the info I was looking for. Now that they've developed a PE for those in construction, do you think you'll sit for the exam? I guess my question is, is there any benefit to having a PE license in the CM field. I assuming there would be SOME benefit, as it is highly sought after...just wondering if the benefit is worth the effort, from what you've seen in the field...</p>
<p>If you're working for a construction manager like I am, you probably won't have the qualifying experience to sit for the exam. If you work for a contractor, you have a better chance to get the required experience if there's a PE above you. They do more construction engineering, which is what the exam covers.</p>
<p>You can easily get by without being licensed, especially if you're doing mostly management tasks. There are actual engineers who work for contractors though; they mostly do the design of temporary structures, for which you do need a license for. I also know that under the laws of my local department of buildings, cranes have to be inspected by a PE. </p>
<p>So yes, it would be useful if you work for a contractor, but no so much if you're doing managerial tasks.</p>
<p>EDIT: From what I've heard, the construction depth section is pretty easy, so I think it's worth the effort... for now. It has only been offered one time so far though, so I'm pretty sure they'll make it more difficult later on.</p>