Construction managers
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
Construction managers plan, organize, lead and evaluate the activities of a construction company, department or projects. They typically manage projects from start to finish, including overseeing the schedule, budget and resources.
They need to have good organizational and leadership skills. They also need communication skills because they speak with other workers, suppliers, customers, neighbours and community members. Individuals need to help workers when needed and make sure that projects are on schedule and on budget.
Depending on the employer and the project, a construction manager might have a different title, for example, project manager, senior project manager, project director or senior project director.
Job Titles
Duties
Construction managers:
- Plan, organize, lead and evaluate construction projects from start to finish
- Make sure the project stays on schedule, on budget and meets deliverables
- Prepare and submit construction project budget estimates
- Plan and prepare construction schedules and project milestones as well as track progress
- Prepare contracts and oversee any changes
- Develop and put in place quality control and risk management plans
- Negotiate business services and union contracts
- Prepare reports for clients and team members
- Oversee the purchase of building materials
- Hire and supervise subcontractors and staff
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
17,025% Employed Full Time
71%People in this job do some of their work in an office but are mainly at the job site. Sometimes, an office is set up in a trailer or other temporary facility on the job site.
People in this job manage projects, renovations or construction in these locations:
- Houses
- Apartment/condo buildings
- Hospitals and schools
- Warehouses, office buildings, stores and malls
- Manufacturing plants, pulp and paper mills and other facilities
- Roads, bridges and other large-scale infrastructure projects
Construction managers work with general contracting firms, trade companies, architectural or design companies and engineering consultants. They may also be self-employed.
They generally work more than 40 hours a week, depending on the project schedule and if there are delays or other issues. Often, construction managers are on call seven days a week in case of emergencies.
People in this job may need to climb ladders, get onto high scaffolding or into small spaces and lift heavy objects. They review completed work, help others on the site and work out a solution to a problem.
Being on a job site means that construction managers deal with various weather conditions, depending on the season. Safety is a priority and workers must stay up to date on health and safety regulations to ensure everyone follows them.
Career Pathways
Progression to senior management positions is possible with experience and education/training.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Construction managers may require:
- A degree in construction management or in a construction-related professional engineering field, like civil engineering
- A master’s degree in project management or a related field, depending on the size and complexity of the project (extensive experience in the construction industry may substitute for post-secondary education requirements)
- Several years of mid-management experience in the construction industry, including experience as a project co-ordinator, site supervisor, trade lead or construction supervisor
- Professional engineering status or Red Seal certification
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Construction & Trades Supervision/Management
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
17,025Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 395 | 2.3% |
| Kootenay | 385 | 2.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 11,120 | 65.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 250 | 1.5% |
| Northeast | 240 | 1.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 2,220 | 13.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 2,420 | 14.2% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
10,220Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 180 | 0.1% |
| Kootenay | 220 | 0.8% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 6,820 | 1.9% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 130 | 0.6% |
| Northeast | 150 | 1.3% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 1,560 | 1.5% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 1,160 | 0.6% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 8,470 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 600 |
| Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 180 |
| Utilities | 160 |
| Public Administration | 140 |
Insights from Industry
According to industry sources, a good construction manager must have critical thinking skills and be able to make informed decisions quickly. This is because the day-to-day work is always changing. For example, supply chain challenges create opportunities for construction managers to solve problems.
Construction managers may have to speak publicly at community meetings or deal with angry neighbours or community members.
Ongoing education and training are important to a successful career. Companies look for construction managers with up-to-date technology and software skills. A degree from a post-secondary school in construction or project management and ongoing training/education may earn workers a higher salary.
There are many areas in construction and each one of them needs a specific skill set. People in this job can build a career that is interesting, challenging and rewarding. There are many career paths – from working on small residential renovations to large infrastructure projects – and individuals can specialize in a particular area. Also, it’s become more common for clients to hire in-house construction managers or project managers to work on large projects.
The number of women in this career is slowly increasing and some companies are focused on building a foundation of equity, diversity and inclusion in this industry.
Resources
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British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA)www.bccassn.com
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BuildForce Canadawww.buildforce.ca/en
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Canadian Construction Association – Gold Seal Certificationwww.goldsealcertification.com
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Canadian Home Builders’ Association of British Columbia (CHBA BC)chbabc.org
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Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA)www.icba.ca
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Northern Regional Construction Association (NRCA)www.nrca.ca
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Red Seal Programwww.red-seal.ca/eng/welcome.shtml
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Skilled Trades Employment Program (STEP)www.stepbc.ca
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SkilledTradesBCskilledtradesbc.ca/
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Southern Interior Construction Association (SICA)www.sicabc.ca
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Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA)www.vicabc.ca
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Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA)vrca.ca
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WorkBC Trades Trainingnumber41media1.gathercontent.com/item/12593104
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what it's like to be a construction manager.
Watch the video below to see what it's like to be a construction manager.
