GENERAL Contractor 1

[davab]

Hello everyone,

I work at a general contracting company. I am an assistant and will be going to a construction site. My company have paid for OSHA and Lead RRP programs so far. They will also fund LEED certification. Do you guys have any recommendation for other certificates? I think asbestos would be a good choice to have. I just want to hear your thoughts on what could help me for the future as a superintendent.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Keep good records of what certificates you got and when. Keep copies of the certificates, and keep the course material so you can review it when you are trying to actually use the skills you acquire.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[kylesito]

LEARN TO WELD!

That's got to be one of the hardest things to find is qualified welders and engineers who understand welding. It may not be worth your time to get AWS certification or anything but just see if one of your suppliers will let you attend their weld school or work with a trade school in the area. Best thing you can do in my opinion.

PE, SE
Eastern United States

"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Keep your eyes open - see what you need and THEN go after them!! Telling your boss I need a certificate in XYZ will only piss him off UNLESS you really need it.

 

[davab]

Thanks everyone. It was first day at a job site today and there were so many things to learn. I will take everyone's advice and I will keep my eyes open to see what will be useful for my practice.

 

[CivilEngineer401]

I agree with everyone. Dont waste your time with certifications you dont actually need. I have an alphabet soup of certifications all because my previous employers asked for someone to get a certification in XYZ and I always volunteered. Most of these were a waste of time and not worth the yearly renewal fees.

 

[kylesito]

The best lesson I learned in the field was to show the trade guys (ironworkers in my case) that I wasn't a stuffy engineer and was willing to pick up the wrench with them. Obviously, you aren't being paid to sling the steel around but there is a big difference from knowing your role and running from work. See if you can get them to teach you how to use an impact wrench, rig crane loads, or at least show some appreciation for what it's like to carry 50 lbs of gear around the job site all day.

This will carry much more weight than certifications. I spent my first year helping the guys lug the bolt kegs around. My 'engineering job' was to count and track bolts and make sure they were delivered where they needed to be around the project. I could have had laborers move them but I felt bad making them do all the work so I often helped or did it completely on my own. It made a big difference in how the guys respected me and went pretty far in having them be willing to listen to me as the engineer when more technical matters came up.

PE, SE
Eastern United States

"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi

 

[Ron]

Agree with kylesito...hands-on application will go a long way to winning the respect of the field people. When they respect you, they will listen to you and respect your opinion.

I've been a "hands-on" engineer all of my career. Welding, testing, concrete placement...any level of construction....I have pursued and grown from each. I'm a licensed professional engineer, a certified (licensed) general contractor and a certified (licensed) roofing contractor. I've held past certifications as a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and as an ASNT Certified Level III in radiography and Level II in MT/PT. All were relevant to engineering problem solving and consulting....I don't regret the effort required to do any of them. I've managed engineers, contractors and technicians...I could empathize with each and could tell better when their BS was used to get out of something.

Practical experience (in my opinion) makes you a better engineer.

 

[borely]

_{I joined as a member today after coming across this thread on a google search. Im 21 years old, My father has been subcontracting roofing jobs for roughly 7 years. Last year I became a certified roofing contractor and as of about a month ago, certified contractor. I was majoring in business then decided to switch to engineering at miami dade college. I try to learn new information every day and prepare myself for future opportunities. My plan is to pursue an engineering career and continue day by day to involve myself more in my business. My father has only done roofing, but i thought a general license would also help us expand. I havent had an opportunity to speech to anyone who is a professional at what i intend to do so any sort of feedback will be greatly appreciated!}

general

 

[borely]

the 2nd listed license is certified General contractor**^