5 Top Construction Management Jobs
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Estimation and Costs
- Philosophy
- Landscape Architecture
Many great career specializations in construction management are available for today's job candidates. Construction management is all about managing and coordinating the many and often complex processes involved construction. While general construction management is certainly a field all unto itself, here, we will look to some of the more specialized career routes available in the industry today. Here are five great examples.
1. Architecture
Architecture and its design and theory are as important to the construction process as virtually any other component. Those specialized to work on this side of the field are primarily involved with initial designs and brainstorming how a construction project will work and what it will build.
How big will the building be? What materials will it be made of? How will it be shaped? These are the concerns of the construction management professional specialized in architecture.
2. Engineering
Engineering is similar to architecture work but does have a few differences. Those specializing in engineering will often handle some of the more complex problems that architects may encounter in the design and even implementation processes. Civil engineering is yet another sub-specialty within this area that more specifically deals with problems encountered on public and government lands or situations involving such interests.
How exactly can this architect-designed structure stand on this wetland and not sink into the ground? How can the current design be adapted to also include effective earthquake stabilization systems in this area of regular tectonic activity? These are just a few examples of the more complex issues confronted by the engineering specialties.
3. Estimation and Costs
Estimations and matters of cost represent yet another very important specialty area of construction management. At the beginning stages of any project, an extensive process of cost estimation must be used in order to provide, or "quote" customers agreed-upon construction prices. If the numbers aren't accurate here, a business can be suspect to experience heavy losses as well as their customers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes this line of work as follows: "Cost estimators collect and analyze data in order to estimate the time, money, materials, and labor required to manufacture a product, construct a building, or provide a service. They generally specialize in a particular product or industry."
4. Philosophy
Some may be surprised that matters of philosophy could work their way into something like construction. However, there are truly any number of ways philosophy can and does affect construction projects and even the practices and policies of many firms in the industry. Eco-conscious design and materials vs. price, style and design appropriate for certain goals or environments, even the types of workers chosen for the jobs and how they are chosen – these are all forms of philosophy that construction companies often confront unintentionally or purely by choice.
5. Landscape Architecture
Landscape architecture is similar to general architecture in its focus on design and creation. However, in landscape architecture, the landscape, or outdoor parameters of the construction site, are addressed all unto their own. Here, factors such as usable space, curb appeal, areas of focus, and even safety must all be carefully planned. They must also be arranged in a way that is conducive to all other factors and attributes of the overall site. With all of these things considered, it's easy to see how this area commands its very own specialty practice area.
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The above-mentioned specialty areas of construction management provide some fantastic career opportunities. These, however, represent only a portion of the different specialties in this particular industry.