Project Management Tips for Successful Work in Construction

Best project management tips

Whether you’re working as a project manager or are looking to start, you need to know what makes a great project manager.

The best way to learn project management for building and construction is by studying courses, diplomas and degrees in the industry.

While formal qualifications like these are important, it’s also essential to choose trainers who have been project managers themselves and can speak from experience.

As a registered training provider committed to “builders training builders”, we are recognised across Victoria as one of the top schools for learning construction project management.

Here are our tips for how to get into project management or become a better project manager than ever before.

Start as a tradie

A lot of our students who are project managers or want to become project managers start their careers as tradespeople.

The reason why people like to start their careers in construction as tradies is because as a tradie they learn the essentials—nuts and bolts—of how building work gets done. 

As a project manager you’d be collaborating with or even supervising workers like tradespeople, so it helps to know a bit about what they do before you lead them.

It’s possible to become a project manager without starting in a trade, so remember that this is just one of our project management tips that work for you.

Get a cert 4

There are many ways to become a project manager but one of the fastest is by doing a Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) (CPC40120).

This certificate has no formal education entry requirements and you only have to be 18 years or over to begin. 

In the Certificate IV in Building and Construction,  you learn the skills and knowledge to supervise or manage low-rise residential construction projects like single storey houses.

It also gives you the skills to run your own business if you want to and apply for your builders registration with the VBA.

One of our top project management tips is to do our builders registration mentorship program which is free for all students in our Cert 4. 

The builders registration application is quite hard but you can improve your chance of succeeding by doing our free mentorship.

Get a diploma

There are so many different types of project managers—even within the construction industry alone.

Project managers can adapt their skills from one area of construction to another but it does help to have one area of specialty.

So among our tips for project management success is to get qualified in managing your preferred type of projects.

If you want to work on mid-rise residential projects like double storey homes or apartment buildings, you could do the Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) (CPC50220).

This diploma is the next level up from the certificate 4, teaching you how to do those bigger more complex projects.

Take a pathway to university

If you didn’t get the grades to go to university but want to manage large construction projects, you could take an alternative pathway.

Our building school has partnered with Victoria University to help aspiring builders get bachelors degrees.

When you complete your Diploma of Building and Construction (Building) (CPC50220) with us, you gain entry into one of these Vic Uni courses:

• Bachelor of Building Surveying
• Bachelor of Building Design
• Bachelor of Construction Management

Take our pathway to the Bachelor of Construction Management and you could become a project manager of large-scale commercial and mixed-use developments. 

Do professional development

Already working as a project manager? You can develop your project management skills without doing a certificate, diploma or degree.

Instead, learn tips for project management by upskilling with short courses. 

Also known as micro credentials, short courses are a way to keep your skills current, brush up on the latest best practices, and build your confidence.

You can even ask your employer to pay for your micro credentials, which they are often happy to do as it brings value and knowledge into the business. 

Where to get the best project management tips

Get the most current project management tips from those in the know by doing a certificate 4, diploma or degree in building and construction.

Choose our building school to learn under trainers with real experience as project managers and construction leaders. 

Micro-credentials and short courses are another way to sharpen your skillset while working as a project manager or applying for that new promotion. 

Thinking of becoming a project manager? Chat to a course advisor about the best pathway for you on 1300 534 363 (LEGEND) or request a callback today.