How Long does it Take to Become a Construction Project Manager?
How to become a construction project manager
Looking to get a professional career in construction with a top salary and conditions?
Become a construction project manager and you could earn a six figure income (based on recent averages) while enjoying job security in the future.
The great thing about becoming a construction project manager is that it doesn’t take too long.
Here are a few different pathways to becoming a construction project manager.
Do a Certificate
Become a construction project manager by doing a CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building).
This certificate teaches you the skills and knowledge to manage low rise residential construction projects like homes and units.
With this qualification you can do jobs like registered builder, site supervisor, site manager, surveyor and more.
You’ll also learn the skills to run your own business if you want to.
So how long does it take to become a construction project manager via a certificate 4?
If you have no experience or less than 3 years’ experience in construction, you do the standard stream of the certificate 4 which is 2 nights per week for 45 weeks.
Therefore it will take just under a year to get qualified plus however long it takes you to apply for and secure a project manager job.
If you have more than 3 years experience in construction, you can do the experienced stream of the certificate 4 which is 2 nights per week for 38 weeks.
So the experienced stream of the certificate 4 will take about 9 months plus the time it takes you to find a job as a project manager.
Get a Diploma
The Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) (CPC50220) is similar to the Certificate 4 in Building and Construction in that it teaches you how to supervise and manage construction projects.
The Diploma of Building and Construction is more advanced because it qualifies you to work on low or mid-rise residential construction projects up to 3 storeys high.
Free TAFE initiative
The role of construction project manager is in demand with not enough skilled workers available to fill all the jobs.
In other words, there’s never been a better time to become a construction project manager as there are plenty of jobs available.
To sweeten the deal, these 2 qualifications for construction project manager are included as part of the government’s free TAFE program.
Both the Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) (CPC40120) and Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) (CPC50220) are tuition fee free for eligible students in Victoria.
Register as a builder
Once you get your Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) or your Diploma of Building and Construction (Building), you can also apply for a builders registration with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA).
Applying for a builders registration is a difficult and complex process and a lot of people fail their application every year.
But when you do your Certificate 4 in Building and Construction (Building) with us, we offer a free Builder Registration Mentoring Program.
In this free mentorship, you get paired with an experienced registered builder who helps you do your application successfully.
Earn a Degree
If you want to go beyond low and mid rise residential construction management, you could do a Bachelor of Building (Construction Management).
With this Bachelor’s degree you’d be able to manage even bigger construction projects and earn a higher salary.
If you don’t have the grades or the education requirements to do this degree, you could take a pathway to university by starting with our Diploma of Building and Construction (Building).
Once you get your Diploma with Builders Academy, you get guaranteed entry into Victoria University to do a Building and Construction (Building).
This bachelor’s degree normally takes 3 years to complete full-time but with the diploma under your belt, you might be able to do it faster by getting recognition of prior learning (RPL).
How long does it take to become a construction project manager?
There is no single way to become a construction project manager so how long it takes will depend on what type of project manager you want to become and the pathway you take to get there.
To become a project manager in residential construction, you could start with a certificate or diploma which takes under a year to get and then work your way up to the project manager role.
To become a project manager on large construction projects, you can get a Diploma or bachelor’s degree which adds more years to your journey but pays off with a higher salary.
Looking at pathways to university to become a construction project manager? Chat to a course advisor about your options on 1300 534 363 (LEGEND) or request a callback today.