[Closed] Calling Project managers (construction)

Yes, I'd say so.

Traditional procurement of using architectural / surveying professionals is on the demise, whereas contractor led procurement is increasing in popularity, and is where PM's are in demand.

I'm a chartered building surveyor, and was able to gain full (MAPM) membership of the Association of Project Management through the experience route, without having to take the Practitioner qualification - just provide details of projects you've run over the last 5 yrs. maybe you could do the same?

As long as you've got a decent technical background, and have good interpersonal skills, you'll already have a head start on most academic PM's 😆

PS- I've just jacked my job in and my employers want to find a replacement. Where are you based?

Yes, I'm a pm on the M&E side. You have good and bad days but on the whole it's not a bad job. You do need to be technically competent or you won't last long.

Mr Mojo,
I,m in the same business, who do you work for, I'm currently with Crown House Technologies. Work seems to be picking up judging by the amount of agencies on the phone every other day.

Moved away from consulting to project management 5 years ago and it broadened my horizons, i am a cvil engineer and now work all over the world, doubled my salary in 2 years and find work much more stimulating! Much more opportunity out there if youve got some pm experience.

you would do well to look at the CIOB.

http://www.ciob.org

In construction there are two types of Project Manager - one works for the construction company (main contractor) and runs the projects on site, the other is a consultant who manages the project on behalf of the client (working for say, Mace or Turner and Townsend).

The two are worlds apart. Which are you interested in?

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much when I posted this thread, but thank you for the great replies.

In reverse order:

Wallop: I am more interested in the former, although the latter is not unappealing.

Sleepless: Thanks, I check that out.

Earl: That sounds great and demonstrates what I hoped/thought.

Marin: Again, good info, thanks. I am based just south of London.

With regards to the former, most of the project managers I have worked with in my career have worked their way up the ranks from trainee site managers as young'uns - none have come from a consultant background. But then I work for large main contractors on projects ranging from £1-20m. Working for smaller builders is likely a different matter, but you'd still have to deal with logistics, H&S, CDM, all that jazz.

In terms of the latter, working as a PM for a consultancy is mostly just paperwork and being a go-between between client and contractor - I'd avoid it if I were you.

In terms of qualifications, a good starting point is your SMSTS 5-Day qualification (Site Management Safety Training Scheme, through the CITB). This is a good benchmark and it the minimum requirement for many companies to prove you are competent to run a project from an HSE perspective. If you were coming from a different background then I would recommend an HNC, but you are obviously past that. The CIOB is a good professional accreditation to have in senior management, but it's not a requirement of being a good PM.

should add that my initial pm experience came from my consultancy background managing design projects but moved into working as end client PM managing contractors on construction projects to get more site experience and to be honest its what i love doing, couldn't go back to a full time office job now.

I'll swap you mikey

I'm a consultant and project manager (m&e) and much prefer the design side and would like to move away from M&E and into architecture (prob to late for me). Too much stress and long hours with PM and it's all about better bloody buying now, no profit on the tender price for firms these days so the PM has to claw it back from somewhere. Better money in PM though but you pay for it with grief.

Thanks for the comments folks: They are most useful and give me something to think about. Yes, I already have an HNC, in Construction.

More money on consultancy side as a rule

I disagree with that, personally.

Up until recently I was working as a client side project manager, doing refurbishments and new builds. Really enjoyed the job, and being client side brings quite different challenges!

I'd recommend ciob too, I went from non cognate degree (psychology!) to fully chartered in 5 years of intensive but work based learning.

So would I. Architecture is poor in comparison.