Heather BrinkOwner/CEO| Brink PM Solutions LLCBlacklick, Oh, United States
I am a project manager with a Master's degree in Project Management. I have worked on small facility upgrade type construction projects and would like to focus primarily on construction type projects. I have been accepted into Purdue's MS in Building Construction Management Program. I am looking for input from those who are currently working in the construction area of project management if this would be beneficial to pursue. Any thoughts? Saving Changes...
Heather, viewed through the lens of business value the question you need to ask yourself is "why?" Academic qualifications are important to a given point, beyond which the ROI in terms of career advancement is negligible or even negative if one factors in opportunity cost. If your goal is career advancement, I'd be inclined to think that your academic knowledge base is more than adequate and would suggest pursuing more hands-on, professional opportunities in the field. Taking time out for academic achievement can of course be fulfilling, but it is no substitute for real life experience. Might be better therefore at this time to pursue networking opportunities with professionals that could lead you to more career relevant activities. Saving Changes...
Al TaylorI.T. Contractor| IndependentWaterloo, Ontario, Canada
Heather...u have great credentials..congrats ! Reach out to Mike Quirk - Chicago based PM in the construction industry...you can find him on facebook...tell him cousin Alistair referred you....good luck! Saving Changes...
Heather BrinkOwner/CEO| Brink PM Solutions LLCBlacklick, Oh, United States
Trevor and Al, Thank you for the responses. I appreciate the feedback.
Saving Changes...
Working in the construction area of project management myself (namely, sign construction), I sought out the PMP certification first due to its general nature. Of course, my organization doesn't recognize it nor did they pay for it. Haha! However, it was beneficial in that it was a good framework with knowledge, skills, tools and techniques for any construction project I've taken on.
To keep up my PDU's, I've since earned the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) title from the Scrum Alliance and used that to participate in daily "Scrum-but" meetings at my office. Construction projects tend to drag, so daily scrums help speed things up.
I'm also working on my PMI-ACP certification, too, as Agile seems to be taking over a lot of projects, not just with software. Granted, construction lends itself to Waterfall by nature (you have to build a foundation before a roof, after all). Yet with customers constantly changing requirements, Agile's focus on hitting moving targets lends itself to customer satisfaction by its very nature.
In addition to certifications, being involved with my local PM chapter has helped me meet people in various industries, even outside construction. Several folks have recommended other certifications on my short list for the coming year, like Lean and Kanban. My 2 cents is to keep learning and certifications are a great way to do it if only for the reward of self-renewal.
Best,
David Jarrett, PMP, CSM
Charleston, SC Saving Changes...
Heather BrinkOwner/CEO| Brink PM Solutions LLCBlacklick, Oh, United States
David,
Thanks for your response. This would be more a personal endeavor for me. I basically like learning new things. I had not thought of going after additional certifications as I am not in a position to gain the practical experience needed for many of them. I will look into Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) from the Scrum Alliance, maybe that will speed some things up where I am at too.
Academic qualifications are definitely great but you need to have hands on experience to validate your academic qualifications. Moreover to maintain your professional knowledge overtime, you will need to develop professionally by attending professional conferences, courses and trainings. Saving Changes...
