AlexSXI
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Registered: 10th Jan 08
Location: Colchester, Essex
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i've just finished the first year of my 1 day a week Honours Degree In Construction Site Management, 5 more years 
i'm really enjoying it though 
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sigibbons
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Registered: 10th Feb 04
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quote:
Originally posted by AlexSXI
i've just finished the first year of my 1 day a week Honours Degree In Construction Site Management, 5 more years
i'm really enjoying it though
What sort of things have you been doing in lessons? Do they give you a background in QS and Building surveying if you wish to go with that route?
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sigibbons
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Registered: 10th Feb 04
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quote:
Originally posted by Hamish
I've just completed my 1st year HNC at college in Construction and the Built Environment. Aboultly love it, but ive nver been in the industry before really.
Once ive comleted my 2nd year im looking into courses at Southbank or Westminster uni to convert it into a degree. 5 years in total.
Not to sure if i want to go down the QS or Construction Management route yet.
Out of interst which company do you work for?
Could you not have gone straight in for a degree? Yeah i'm the same i'm split between CM, QS and Building Surveying. I'm hoping the CM degree will give me an insight into all three.
What are you trainee's earning if you dont mind me asking.
I work for a small firm in the south of england, circa 25 employee's, thus meaning i have no future in this company as its just not big enough. But in todays climate i think i should stick where i am and do the course alongside my current work as a carpenter.
Hopefully get taken on by one of the big house builders for trainee CM/QS. Barett's, Taylor Wimpy, Redrow etc.
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AlexSXI
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Registered: 10th Jan 08
Location: Colchester, Essex
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The 4 units i did this year were-
Health and Safety which is fairly obvious- site safety etc
Surveying- very useful, used total stations etc, ideal for a site engineer
Construction Materials and Technology- all about how materials in construction fail.
Construction Maths- good for a structural engineer, working out safe loads of steel beams etc, and other maths like statistics etc
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sigibbons
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Registered: 10th Feb 04
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Thanks Alex.
Sounds interesting, i think you pay more attention and put more effort in if the subject and things your doing are relevant to you.
Is it alot of work? And alot of home work?
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AlexSXI
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Registered: 10th Jan 08
Location: Colchester, Essex
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surveying was 2 assignments (calcs + drawings)
maths was an 2 assignments (calcs, graphs etc) and a 3hr exam
materials was 2 3000 word assignments and a 3hr exam
h+s was 2 3000 word assignments and a 15 minute powerpoint presentation
not that much really over 36weeks
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sigibbons
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Registered: 10th Feb 04
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Ah thats not too bad.
Maths isnt my strong point, did achieve GCSE C grade though. Will i struggle?
Were you taught things like Trigonometry or were you expected to know it already?
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AlexSXI
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Registered: 10th Jan 08
Location: Colchester, Essex
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i got grade c GCSE, i struggled on the maths unit the most but it's still easily passable!, it depends where you study i suppose but the tutors will help you if you want it, nothings to hard in the first year, i expect it'll be different next year!
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sigibbons
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Registered: 10th Feb 04
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Cheers for that bit of info, makes me feel alot better about it now, knowing its not hugely difficult maths and somone with a similar capability has done it.
Like you said though i guess it will get harder, stick at it mate!
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Jules S
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Registered: 24th Dec 03
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quote:
Originally posted by sigibbons
Could you not have gone straight in for a degree? Yeah i'm the same i'm split between CM, QS and Building Surveying. I'm hoping the CM degree will give me an insight into all three.
Hmmmm, I've (sort of) done all three of those.
Depends on how 'hands on' you are really...whether you like designing or whether you fancy managing people/jobs.
I've got a young CM managing one of my jobs at the mo, I would say he is in his early thirties running a £2.5m scheme. I seem to recall he was a chippie too, so i will ask him how he went about getting where he is in terms of qualifications.
QS? not for me on the design side, far too much contractural stuff involved. I might consider a contractors QS role, but again...too much money juggling and contractural arguments. Pay will be 'ok' though.
Building surveying? been there done that. never again. you will be:
A/. designing shitty little schemes of no consequence....or B/. refurbing poor quality stock....and worse still C/. dealing with conservation professionals (believe me you REALLY don't want to go there)
Personally i would go back to the person who told you to do a CM Uni course and ask them their reasoning. Believe me, you won't know much at the end of a uni course (tutors etc will tell you otherwise, but hey, they would do wouldn't they?) You certainly wont walk straight into a CM job because companies simply wont take that sort of risk.
On any of the three options I wouldn't do a full time course, you will learn far more relevant knowledge in the workplace.
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sigibbons
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Registered: 10th Feb 04
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Some very good info, thanks Jules. I would appreciate finding out the route your CM took very much so. And being from a chippie background helps!
What is it you do?
I am a pretty hands on person, being a chippie. But really as i have never experienced any of the discussed jobs i dont know what i'm suited to or would enjoy.
Conservation, your right i dont want to get involved with that sort of thing.
The advice the tutor at TVU gave me was to take an HNC or Degree course. This was vs a CIOB course. I guess he was just saying the former are more recognised and more helpfull in getting a trainee CM job.
I'm thinking i'd do the Foundation Degree while working as a chippie then apply for trainee CM etc job with a large company and then they would possibly want me to complete my degree.
Sound like a good route?
Many thanks for all this info chaps!
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Jules S
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Registered: 24th Dec 03
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quote:
Originally posted by sigibbons
Some very good info, thanks Jules. I would appreciate finding out the route your CM took very much so. And being from a chippie background helps!
What is it you do?
I am a pretty hands on person, being a chippie. But really as i have never experienced any of the discussed jobs i dont know what i'm suited to or would enjoy.
Conservation, your right i dont want to get involved with that sort of thing.
The advice the tutor at TVU gave me was to take an HNC or Degree course. This was vs a CIOB course. I guess he was just saying the former are more recognised and more helpfull in getting a trainee CM job.
I'm thinking i'd do the Foundation Degree while working as a chippie then apply for trainee CM etc job with a large company and then they would possibly want me to complete my degree.
Sound like a good route?
Many thanks for all this info chaps!
No worries.
I'll have a chat with the CM tomorrow, as I talk to him numerous times daily.
I'm a Senior architectural assistant. I don't have design flair to be an 'Architect' but I enjoy producing working drawings and running jobs from the client side on site....ie CM has a problem, he rings me.
I disagree with your tutor....most CM's i deal with are CIOB, they mainly become foremen/finishing foremen then CM's after many years in the trade and experiencing other trades. You can't learn site stuff at UNI, that will never happen until you have a unit called 'how to falsify an extension of time claim' or similar.
Edit: where abouts are you? I mainly use national companies so may be able to point you in the direction of contract mangers who can give you some advice of company structures etc
[Edited on 21-06-2009 by Jules S]
[Edited on 21-06-2009 by Jules S]
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sigibbons
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Registered: 10th Feb 04
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Thanks.
So is your role similar to an Architectual Technician? We we discussing them in the site hut last week.
I do agree with you in regards to CM's being foremen then CM's but after recently checking out careers pages of nationwide building comanpies they all seem to be catering and prepared to take on graduates. So maybe times are changing?
I'm right on the south coast, just between bournemouth and southampton.
Thanks for your help.
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