YOUR CAREER IN BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
What is construction management?
Construction management or building and construction management is the planning, executing, and directing functions of construction projects, including small and large-scale building, and engineering projects. In 2019 construction accounted for 9% of all Australian jobs, making it one of the fastest-growing and largest industries. By 2023, it’s projected that there will be an additional 120,000 new roles in the industry.
Managing building and construction projects is one of the highest paying roles in Australia, mostly due to the skill level, job responsibilities and challenges that come with managing any project. As a building and construction manager, you will be looking after multiple teams of labourers and a variety of stakeholder groups, all whilst balancing budgets, costs, timelines and resources.
What are you looking for?
Skills that employers are looking for
Employers are looking for professionals with a good work ethic, problem-solving skills and individuals who are organised, efficient and can keep to strict deadlines. People skills are a must in this career, as construction managers are dealing with different stakeholders every day. The ability to delegate effectively is crucial to managing work teams, and employers highly value professionals who are proactive in planning, communicating and executing tasks.
HARD SKILLS
- Numerical and analytical skills
- Procedural knowledge
- Proficient in project management technology
- Writing and documentation management skills
SOFT SKILLS
- Ability to prioritise
- Problem solving skills
- Leadership skills
- Ability to delegate effectively and efficiently
TRAITS
- Adaptable
- Motivating
- Logical reasoning
- Calm under pressure
- Continually seeking improvement
JOB ROLES
construction foreman
Foremen work alongside or under the site supervisor to manage one, two, or several work teams. This is more of a people management position, providing correct documentation and leadership support to employees.
site supervisor
Supervisors work underneath the Construction Manager or Construction Project Management team and oversee the general day-to-day management of the worksite’s people, processes and operations to ensure the site is operating effectively and efficiently.
construction manager
Construction Managers oversee and manage multiple functions within the construction process, including people and budget management, policy creation and documentation and stakeholder management. This role has lots of responsibilities over a variety of areas and requires excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
construction project manager
Construction Project Managers oversee and manage multiple functions specifically for large-scale construction projects that require a lot of organisation and planning. CPMs are responsible for people and budget management, policy creation and documentation and stakeholder management. This role has a lot of responsibilities over a variety of areas and requires excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
ESTIMATING MANAGER
This role is often for professionals looking to progress from a construction management role into a more strategic management role within an organisation. As one of the most important aspects of a project is cost and meeting budget requirements, estimating managers are responsible for project cost estimation and managing the financial side of construction projects.
construction foreman
Foremen work alongside or under the site supervisor to manage one, two, or several work teams. This is more of a people management position, providing correct documentation and leadership support to employees.
site supervisor
Supervisors work underneath the Construction Manager or Construction Project Management team and oversee the general day-to-day management of the worksite’s people, processes and operations to ensure the site is operating effectively and efficiently.
construction manager
Construction Managers oversee and manage multiple functions within the construction process, including people and budget management, policy creation and documentation and stakeholder management. This role has lots of responsibilities over a variety of areas and requires excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
construction project manager
Construction Project Managers oversee and manage multiple functions specifically for large-scale construction projects that require a lot of organisation and planning. CPMs are responsible for people and budget management, policy creation and documentation and stakeholder management. This role has a lot of responsibilities over a variety of areas and requires excellent leadership, communication and organisational skills.
ESTIMATING MANAGER
This role is often for professionals looking to progress from a construction management role into a more strategic management role within an organisation. As one of the most important aspects of a project is cost and meeting budget requirements, estimating managers are responsible for project cost estimation and managing the financial side of construction projects.
What does an average day look like as a construction manager?
A day in the life of a construction manager is challenging but extremely rewarding. As a construction manager, you will be checking in with the work teams you are responsible for, to ensure they have everything they need to complete their jobs and keep the project running to schedule. You will also be potentially meeting with stakeholder groups to address concerns, such as shareholders, other management professionals and community leaders where the project is located. You will be checking on the status and provision of materials and resources to ensure everyone has the tools they need to complete their respective jobs.
Construction management in Australia
Despite the events of 2020 and restrictions placed on projects, building sites and construction work, the current Australian construction industry is still speculated to see strong future growth.1
Most common industries:
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Currently, only 12.1% of the construction workforce is female, however this number is set to increase over the next 5 years as gender norms continue to be challenged and attractive salary packages continue to increase in the industry.2
Average weekly earnings of Construction Managers are over double all jobs average, at $3,450 compared to $1,460 for all jobs.1
1Job Outlook, 2020 2ABS, 2019
YOUR CAREER IN construction management
This qualification is designed for professionals in the building and construction industry looking to progress into management roles.
Learn to develop, manage and execute operational plans, manage WHS and project risk, manage budgets and financial plans, and develop skills to lead teams effectively and strategically plan for the success of projects.
Potential Career Outcomes
Site Supervisor $89k
Construction Foreman $101k
Construction Manager $110k
WHY STUDY WITH CAL?
Real Outcomes. Guaranteed.
Our Real Outcomes Guarantee is our commitment to you and your career goals, ensuring that your studies will give you real-world benefits.
Our team, assessments and feedback are all focused on helping you in your career, not just completing your course. As the only RTO offering this, our guarantee is part of our ongoing work to go beyond just a piece of paper.
[I] started on the tools ... [then went on to study] project management/construction management, which then saw me lead into the role I am now and the company that I'm with. Everyday I use the topics learned, it doesn't end at study, from risk assessing to quality control and so on.
[It] was good to get first-hand knowledge from people who have done this for many, many years. I was able to implement that in my learning, which has now rolled over into my career.
tell me more
Corey W. / Contracts Administrator
CAL Careers Hub and Career Counselling
We support you beyond achieving your qualifications - we want to help you be as prepared as possible for taking the next step in your career. Our Careers Hub gives you complimentary and exclusive access to resources and personalised advice from our in-house Career Coach.
My experience with Jenni the career counsellor was exceptional...The feedback was so helpful. She was encouraging too, and made me feel more sure about how to 'sell myself' to the target employers. I am very impressed with CAL's careers hub - many resources that I will use. Thank you very much for your help.
- Samantha M.
Every member of our team is here to support you beyond achieving your qualifications. We want you to be as prepared as possible for taking the next step in your career. As a CAL student you'll gain access to our Careers Hub through our online learning hub ‘Spark'.
Learn more about the cal career hub
Construction Management Blogs
