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What is a Site Manager?
A site manager is a person who coordinates and oversees activity on a construction site. They are responsible for ensuring everything runs smoothly, that work is being completed to a high regulatory standard and that all health and safety guidelines are being adhered to.
Site managers are people with strong leadership and organisational skills. They also have excellent communication skills.
It’s also very important that site manager are up to date with and understand all relevant legislation and regulations.
“A site manager is a person who coordinates and oversees activity on a construction site”
Becoming a Site Manager
Trade Institute of Victoria has an excellent CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Site Management). However, this course as a stand-alone, probably won’t get you very far in the industry. This is because employers are looking for people not only with a high level of knowledge, but also experience. You’ve probably heard it many times before, but there really is no substitute for on the job experience.
The most common path to project managing
Most site managers actually begin their careers as tradies. Whether it be plumbing, carpentry, electrical or bricklaying, these jobs will all give you the chance to learn and improve both your knowledge and practical skills. A CPC30220 – Certificate III in Carpentry in particular will teach you about construction from the ground up. As a qualified carpenter, you get an overview of how all other trades fit together in building.
Beyond a trade qualification
After gaining trade qualifications and experience, many people then seek out higher level building courses. At TIV we administer a range of courses that can help you become a successful site manager. We also pride ourselves on fostering great learning environments so that every student is comfortable asking questions. Our students are successful in the industry because we train them for long-term success, not just a qualification.
The CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building and Construction is a common and popular pathway to many roles in the industry, including that of Site Manager. The course is made up of 19 units. They include:
- Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for low rise building projects
- Manage occupational health and safety in the building and construction workplace
- Produce labour and material scheduling for ordering
- Plan building and construction work
- Apply legal requirements to building and construction projects
Students who have already done this course and wish to do the aforementioned Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Site Management) can gain credits for some units.
“After gaining trade qualifications and experience, many people then seek out higher level building courses”
Another stepping stone to becoming a Site Manager is the CPC50220 – Diploma of Building and Construction (Building). Many students transition up from the CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building and Construction or CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Site Management) in order to gain a fuller understanding of the whole building process. Many also use this qualification to get their builder’s licence as well. The course consists of 27 units. Credit can be obtained for units done in Certificate IV. Units include:
- Apply building codes and standards to the construction process for low rise building projects
- Select and prepare a construction contract
- Prepare and evaluate tender documentation
- Manage construction work
- Manage project quality
- Manage project risk
All these areas of study and experience make for an excellent site manager. Project management is a complex, lucrative and rewarding career.
If you’d like to pursue a career as a Site Manager, please contact us.
