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Construction management certifications are stamps of approval from reputable third parties. Earning one or more of these credentials is optional if you want to be a successful general contractor or land a leadership role in an architecture and engineering firm or a real estate developer. Still, a construction management certification can fast-track your career growth and open plenty of doors for you.
Getting certified demonstrates your ability to collaborate with various construction specialists, supervise projects and prevent budget overruns. Being a construction manager doesn’t only come with prestige and higher pay. It also allows you to stay in the business longer while protecting your body from chronic health conditions you may live with after retirement.
Learn about how to get and stay certified, the different types of construction certifications and notable examples to show you how they work.
Here are five steps to earn a professional certification and increase your chances of becoming a construction manager.
The academe and credentialing bodies are the most common sources of training programs for construction professionals. However, the former generally offer certificates, and the latter develop and provide certifications. Certificates focus on learning and serve as proof of educational achievement. In contrast, certifications revolve around competence and are awards you earn to demonstrate that you possess specific skills and meet industry standards.
CareerOneStop is the ultimate source of information on construction management certifications employers in the United States care about. The U.S. Department of Labor sponsors this platform. Use its Certification Finder to find all current programs for diverse construction occupations and subindustries, including residential building construction and land subdivision, from credentialing bodies.
A single query for “construction management” can return thousands of certifications from hundreds of organizations. Comparing all is exhausting, and many are, unfortunately, irrelevant to the occupation. Use Certification Finder’s filters to search by industry, type and organization. Click “construction managers” under Related Occupations to narrow down your search to a few dozen and more quality suggestions.
Consider these factors when comparing construction management certifications to decide on the ones worth taking:
Professional certifications typically require ample work experience and at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. Some programs require applicants to have been in the construction business for more than two years, but others accept individuals with less experience and nothing more than a high school diploma.
Regardless of the work experience requirement and your educational attainment, you need documents, tangible evidence of completed projects and verified references to prove you’ve been working under the tutelage of an experienced construction manager for up to 12 months and your level of formal education.
Enrolled in required classes, attend lectures and complete modules within the expected time frame. Synchronous training sessions may accept in-person and virtual participants.
Asynchronous learning means you don’t have to be online at the same time as your instructor and classmates, so it offers considerable flexibility for trainees with full-time jobs. You can consume it in your own time, although you can’t ask questions and receive feedback immediately. Blended or hybrid training is a combination of instruction-led live sessions and self-paced learning.
Many fail construction management certification exams due to inadequate preparation. Underestimating the exam’s difficulty, focusing on incorrect concepts, overrelying on personal experience, studying using low-quality resources and managing time poorly are common mistakes.
Retaking a professional certification exam can be inconvenient and costly. Dedicate enough time to study, use quality training materials and answer questions based on best practices instead of pragmatic, real-world shortcuts to achieve a passing score.
Grasp the exam’s logic to avoid including factually correct but irrelevant information. Manage test anxiety to improve focus and finish the exam on time.
Based on the construction management certification programs found on CareerOneStop, the four main types are:
Here’s a short list of worthwhile certifications for aspiring construction managers on CareerOneStop.
| Certification | Certifying Body | Over Two Years of Work Experience Required | Renewal | Renewal Prerequisite/s |
| Certified Construction Manager | Construction Manager Certification Institute | Yes | Every three years | Continuing educational units or continuing professional development |
| Certified Construction Quality Manager | American Society for Quality | No | Every three years | Continuing professional development |
| Registered Construction Inspector — Engineering | American Construction Inspectors Association | Yes | Every one year | Continuing educational units |
| Construction Workforce Development Professional | National Center for Construction Education and Research | No | Every five years | Oral or written reexamination |
| LEED Green Associate | Green Business Certification Inc. | No | Every two years | Continuing educational units |
| Safety Trained Supervisor Construction | Board of Certified Safety Professionals | Yes | Every five years | Oral or written reexamination or continuing professional development |
| Construction Superintendent Certification | National Center for Construction Education and Research | No | Every three years | Continuing professional development |
| Certified Construction Specifier | Construction Specifications Institute | Yes | Every three years | Continuing educational units |
| Certified Healthcare Constructor | American Hospital Association | Yes | Every three years | Oral or written reexamination or continuing educational units |
Earning a single construction management certification can be challenging, let alone multiple credentials. Follow the steps, pay attention to program types to study those that align with your professional goals and begin with your search with the most popular certifications to have a sense of direction.
