A construction supervisor schedules and plans work and manages records of different materials being used and developments made. All these records are incorporated in his report to superintendent. The supervisors are also responsible for reporting on things like safety, costs involved and personnel. They also need to examine if all specific safety rules and regulations are followed. They communicate company policies and rules to the rest of the workers. When any of the workers has complaints or grievances regarding their employment, the supervisor schedules the meetings with the representative of the union to find effective solutions. The construction supervisor must be well acquainted with procedures and union contracts.
In some rare cases, particularly on small vocations, the supervisors work with their squad and are known as working supervisors. On a larger scale, they spend most of their time in supervising activities. They must be able to understand different plans and blueprints. They recommend well qualified workers to handle certain tasks in different ways. However, sometimes, they can also watch over the training session of newly appointed laborers.
Academic, Skill Set and Training Requirements
Most of the construction supervisors are previous union workers who have performed their way up to the trade of construction. Usually, the diploma of high school is essential for various trades of construction industry, however an increasing number of companies are appointing construction supervisors with training.
Moreover, they should possess a deep acquaintance with construction activities. They usually learn from past experiences how the specific job is performed, what issues to foresee, and what the effective solutions are. The supervisors who start as trainees and then move to become skilled as well as experienced workers know very well what to anticipate from the workers. Also, they are attentive to the policies of management and are responsive to the worker’s approach towards the policies. The construction supervisors are experienced enough with grievance procedures and union negotiations which aids them out in avoiding issues with workers. The companies look for the people having leadership capability along with skills and experience in construction industry.
Benefits and earnings
The salary of a construction supervisor varies greatly on the basis of location and nature of work, experience, size and number of team members supervised. The mean earnings for supervisors were around 50,980 dollars in the year of 2004. Most of the employers also facilitate paid vacations, holidays and health insurances as well.
Employment Outlook
The employment opportunities for construction supervisors are expected to increase tremendously. The situation of local economy will have an effect on the extent of construction in some particular region. More development can be anticipated in highly populated areas, especially in metropolitan parts, where infrastructure and buildings are needed to be replaced or rebuilt. The spending of government on schools and roads will also influence the entire job market.
Overall, the employment outlook and advancement possibilities in the construction industry are good. So, plan your career as a construction manager or supervisor and enjoy huge earnings.
