Hello!
I completed an AA during my time in the Army. Transferred into a construction management bachelors program to start in the fall. Also accepted a job as a project engineer paid intern with a concrete repair company in the Baltimore area to start in July.
Looking for advice as to what certifications I should pursue and how to best attain them in the next couple of years with a goal of becoming a project manager within the concrete industry.
I am aware of the PMP cert offered by Syracuse university and did the initial assessment with them. I’m not sure if I can do it at my own pace or within a cohort. Can anyone offer insight? At my own pace would be optimal for my busy schedule.
Thank you in advance.
Answers
Hi Andre,
Thank you for your service and for posting your question. I was also enrolled with Syracuse University for the Lean Six Sigma training. Feel free to message me - I'm happy to set up a call with you whenever you have the time and let you know what the courses were like and how intense the program is. It is definitely self-paced, but you have up to a year to complete everything, including the final test and they try and support you throughout the process.
Hope this helps.
Josh
Everyone above has given some great advice. To add to it, I think it would be worth pursuing a class in Project Management that utilizes MS Project. In the construction industry, knowledge of how to construct and update a project schedule will be key, and MS Project is the tool to use. This skillset cannot be undersold, in my experience. There are very few people who are truly excellent at it, and in your preferred line of work, it will be a necessity. If you don't want to pay for a class, you can also buy an MS project textbook like the following and learn at your own pace: https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Project-2016-Step/dp/0735698740/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528474546&sr=8-1&keywords=ms+project+2016
There is a lot of open-source software you can use if you do not have MS Project and functions essentially the same way. Best of luck!
Andrea Gnilka
Are you planning on staying in the construction, concrete market? You have selected a narrower market for project management, so prior to obtaining a general PMP, see what the industry requirements are. Do some search on line for positions that you would be interested in. You may reach out an do some Informational Interviewing of folks in PM within the Concrete industry. If the industry seeks general PM Bachelor degree individuals your less specific education and certificate would be fine. If they have their own industry certification, which is more technical for the concrete industry, at least short term that may be a better path. For instance Human Resources has SHRM and two levels of certification via the trade association, that many companies want in HR managers. If you find this is typical of concrete industry, then focus on that for the short term. Hope this helps, many industries have trade association certifications, that are required in that industry, or looked for. Hope this helps, thanks for your service and God Bless.
I highly recommend the online degree program from Liberty University. My daughter just graduated with a BS - the best in the country in my opinion. And I think Wharton has the best Masters program (I took their graduate marketing program). Liberty offers two different course lengths - which allows you to go at either a slower or faster pace.
It will take some time and effort, but enjoy the process and you'll have something significant when you finish that is respected in any industry. You can't go wrong with this effort.
https://www.liberty.edu/online/business/bachelors/certificate/project-management/
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