With nearly 8 million Americans working in construction, now is the time to build a successful and rewarding career in the growing industry with a professional certificate. At SDSU Global Campus, we offer five professional certificates in construction that focus on different aspects of the industry, including:
- Professional Certificate in Civil Sitework Construction
- Professional Certificate in Construction Estimating
- Professional Certificate in Construction Practices
- Professional Certificate in Construction Project Management
- Professional Certificate in Construction Supervision
These certificate programs cover a wide range of construction topics and serve as pipelines for building a career in the construction field.
Professional Certificate in Civil Sitework Construction
Simply put, civil site work construction is when you prepare a site for development. Some tasks include clearing, grubbing, shoring, and acquiring heavy site work equipment for excavation and utility installation.
By learning skills such as equipment utilization, blueprint reading, and more, this program will prepare you for working on various construction sites. Therefore, graduates of this program can work on job sites like city projects, residential housing projects, roadways, schools, bridges, and more.
With an expected growth rate of 12% in the next ten years, earning a professional certificate is beneficial now more than ever. The program can be completed entirely online in just five months. Graduates of this program can expect to earn a median salary of $88,310 and apply for jobs such as excavator contractors, construction project managers, field engineers, and more.
Professional Certificate in Construction Estimating
Construction estimating is when cost estimators collaborate with engineers, contractors, architects, and clients to calculate accurate estimates of time, materials, and labor necessary to complete the project. Most importantly, construction estimating determines how much money the project will cost.
Students who enroll in this program can take courses such as Estimating and Bidding, Construction Blueprint Reading, and Estimating Civil Construction. During these courses, students will learn about construction mathematics, estimation terminology, quality control and oversight, and more.
At the end of this three-month, fully online program, students can read blueprints, analyze various components of construction projects, communicate with contractors throughout the bidding process, and most importantly, be successful construction estimators.
Professional Certificate in Construction Practices
Each stage of a construction project plays a crucial role in ensuring the project is completed successfully. Even though some construction professionals choose to have a specialty, many professionals like having the ability to function in any construction-based role. Therefore, students enrolled in the construction practices program will take eight construction-based courses and learn about everything from blueprint reading, construction law and math, to environmentally-friendly building techniques, and more.
Like other professional certificate programs, this one is taught entirely online and can be finished in five months. Scott Graydon Carter, founder of Graydon Enterprises and a graduate of the professional certificate program in construction practices, feels that this program helped him advance his career while accommodating his busy schedule.
“The use of the internet allowed a flexible and complementary learning platform that had little to no interference with my day-to-day responsibilities,” Carter said, “I found that having reasonable course deadlines kept me focused on the courses, which appeared to be structured for working professionals both in content and demand.”
Professional Certificate in Construction Project Management
As a construction project manager, you are responsible for leading your team in nearly every aspect of a project. Throughout this program, you can take courses like Planning and Scheduling, Construction Equipment Methods, and Construction Project Management. During these courses, you will learn about equipment management, planning, scheduling, legal aspects of construction, the principles of green construction, and most importantly, construction project management.
According to Dakeba Jones, the vice president of business development at The Filmore Group and graduate of the professional certificate in construction project management, this program has been beneficial in terms of networking with industry professionals and learning new ideas.
“The great thing about the program was all the interaction with my peers through discussion boards and the experience of the professors. It was important to me to be taught by industry professionals who are in the business,” Jones said.
With more than 290,000 available jobs and an expected growth rate of 8% in the next decade, construction project management is a booming industry to join. Students can complete this program in five months from the comfort of their homes and expect to earn a median salary of $164,790.
Professional Certificate in Construction Supervision
Construction supervisors play a critical role in any project. A supervisor’s primary responsibility is to oversee large construction teams and make data-driven decisions to move the project forward.
Throughout this program, you will take courses like Leadership and Motivation, Problem Solving and Risk Management, and Construction Productivity and Cost Management. You will learn technical, management, and people skills, such as effective leadership, accident prevention, cost control, contract comprehension, and more.
According to Mark Gonzalez, a graduate of the professional certificate in construction supervision and superintendent of the Turner Construction Company, taking these courses helped him take his career to the next level.
“Courses in safety, scheduling, insurance, and liability address things that are prevalent and ongoing in construction, so having a good educational background in these topics really stood out on my résumé in a positive way. San Diego State is well known by many, and having completed coursework from this institution is great to have on your résumé,” Gonzalez said.
Like the rest of our construction certificate programs, this program can be completed entirely online in five months. Graduates of this program will enter an industry with an expected growth rate of 7% in the next ten years and can apply for jobs such as project coordinators, superintendents, inspectors, and more.
How to Start Building Your Construction Career
As you can see, building a career in construction is a solid investment for your future. With a plethora of job availabilities in each subcategory of construction practices, you can surely find the right niche for you. Visit SDSU Global Campus to learn more about our professional certificate programs in construction and start building your career today.
