S A M P L E C A R E E R E X P L O R A T I O N R E P O R T : C O N S T R U C T I O N P R O J E C T M A N A G E R

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E X P L O R E

General Career Field Description

A construction site is a challenging environment to work in; whether building a stadium, zoo exhibit, or wind farm project. People who choose construction as their career must be willing to work in ever-changing conditions, alongside heavy equipment, and have a strong respect for working safely and efficiently.

People who are drawn to the construction industry may enjoy:

• Working outside and being on the move for most of the day

• Building or repairing things or using their hands

• Solving problems or conflicts

• Working on a team

• Traveling to and living in new placesTarget Field under constructionConstruction on a wind project

For this Career Exploration, we have focused on the field of Renewable Energy and the position of a Wind Farm Construction Site Project Manager. We have chosen to follow Ashley, an Assistant Project Manager for Morten-son Construction, a general contractor based in Minneapolis. Ashley has been working in the industry for six years and enjoys the outdoors as well as traveling and exploring new locations, an advantage of working in the industry. She feels the work place environment should be fun and an enjoyable experience for all personnel involved in the project. The sense of a team effort and accomplishment from completing a project is worth the hard work and the best part of the project.

A blade sits ready to be installed at a wind farm

The team does “Stretch and Bend” before the start of each work day

Ashley enjoying some ski time outside of work

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The following job description was taken from an open Project Manager position listing at Mortenson Construction.

Team Leader

• Mentor and manage team members, time management, and develop client relationships on a single project

• Foster strong teamwork orientation and be a resource for valuing and promoting diversity

• Provide leadership in developing the safety culture on the project site

• Analyze and resolve work problems

Drive Business Results

• Direct contract administration, procurement, scheduling and costing

• Supervise project, staff oversight and mentoring, risk management, and quality control

• Manage coordination of site logistics to include road work, heavy lifting, electrical work and power

• Provide direction to the project team to complete projects safely and on time

• Deliver a profitable project in accordance to financial standards

Develop Talent

• Develop leaders through active career sponsorship and provide the right responsibilities and work assignments to cultivate growth and development

• Support and encourage team member career learning and development

• Seek self development through feedback, new knowledge and opportunities for personal growth and development

Champion Customer Service

• Develop new business opportunities relative to a particular customer

• Portray a positive attitude and demonstrate professional customer services skills

• Create and foster a project team culture of far superior service to the customer

• Develop and implement a quality plan that ensures the design and construction of a project meets or exceeds the customer’s specified performance criteria

• Primary liaison when negotiating customer contracts

• Work according to standard instruction and established procedures

Demonstrate Character

• Promote a respectful environment for all team members

• Lead and promote healthy work/life balance

• Model exemplifying our code of ethics at all times

• Ensure business operations are consistent with Mortenson’s values

E X P L O R E

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E D U C A T I O N R E Q U I R E D / P A T H

Students interested in entering the construction field can prepare early in their education. A focus on math and science will help develop the skills needed to pursue their dream of being a builder. Team sports, clubs, student council, and other extra curricular activities are also excellent ways to build teamwork and leadership skills!

As a leader in the field of construction, a project manager must have the skills and knowledge to complete a safe, successful, and quality project.

Basic Skills Required

• Strong leadership, communication, problem solving, initiative, and teamwork

• Detail oriented

• Driver’s license is required

Typical Job Requirements

• Four year college degree in one of the following: Construction Engineering, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Architectural, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering or equivalent

• Experience gained through field and project engineering roles prior to becoming a PM

• Superior customer service skills required

• Ability to handle exposure to dirt, heat, dust, noise, and office environment

• Computer skills in Microsoft Office

Where can you find programs that offer degrees in the fields described above? The midwest has many schools known for their construction-type majors. Below are just a few choices:

North Dakota State University Purdue University University of Wisconsin Iowa State University

University of Minnesota Dunwoody College

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Want to explore more ideas for work in Wind Energy? Check out the jobs de-scribed on the Careers in Wind website.

http://www.careersinwind.com

W O R K S E T T I N G

Wind farms are being constructed across the globe. Mortenson Construction has offices in the United States and in Canada. If a person takes a field position in Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups, they must be willing to relocate to project sites.

A typical wind project construction schedule may last from 6-10 months. Before the project manager heads out, or mobilizes, to the construction site, they may work in the Minneapolis office to plan for the upcoming project, order materials and equipment, and to assemble a team that will successfully build the project. Once the team mobilizes, the project manager and other team mem-bers will work from a construction trailer on the project site. They follow the progress of construction, and may even be required to climb a turbine! The project office could be located on a remote mountain ridge in the Canadian Rockies or in the middle of a Midwest farming community. After the project has completed, the project manager will return to the home office to finish up final paperwork and “close-out,” before they are assigned to their next project.

The map below highlights where Ashley has worked on wind projects.

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W A G E S A N D B E N E F I T S

Based on information from the Bureau of Labor Standards, earnings for construction managers of large projects, such as wind farms, vary with the size of the project, geographic location, and experience. The median annual salary for construction managers is $82,330, but site managers of wind farm projects can make over $100,000. Because they travel for their job, they also earn subsistence, or a travel allowance, to cover their lodging expenses and trips home while they are on the road. Some team members will even ge a company vehicle and cell phone as part of their compensation package. Team members, like Ashley, who work for Mortenson, earn benefits in addition to their base salary. These benefits include:

• Medical and dental coverage

• Flexible spending accounts

• 401(K) plan

• Life, short term and long term disability insurance

• Paid time off (PTO)

• Sabbatical leave program

• Family time off (for bereavement and for births)

• Tuition assistance program

Typical views on a project site Ashley in the field

Panoramic views of a project site

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R E A C H O U T

AN INTERVIEW WITH ASHLEY ZINSLI, ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER (APM) FOR MORTENSON CONSTRUCTION

What were your favorite classes in school?

Steel structure design, concrete design, equipment utilization, and construction law.

When did you know you wanted to work in construction (how early in your schooling)?

Freshman year of college. I originally went to school for Computer Engineering and realized after my first semes-ter that, while computer programming was fun, I could not sit behind a desk for the rest of my life.

What are some of your personality traits that match well with a career in construction?

Enjoy the outdoors and a fast paced environment; problem solving; critical thinking; ability to meet and work with new people every day and on every project; I’m light hearted and enjoy being a part of a team.

Where did you go to college/what degree did you graduate with?

Purdue University; Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering and Management

Why did you choose this program?

Honestly, I wanted to build ski resorts and lodges. I’ve always loved the mountains and my dream was to work in the mountains. I saw construction as an opportunity to fulfill my dream and utilize my degree. I also enjoy under-standing how things are assembled / built.

Outline your career progression at Mortenson.

I started out as an intern for the company during college, then progressed from an Field Engineer to a Project Engineer, and then to an Assistant Project Manager.

What is an alternate path for someone to take to become a PM? Could a craft person become a foreman and eventually a PM?

Absolutely. All though it’s an “unconventional” career path, as long as an individual succeeds and works hard at all the intermediate steps in between, there is no “correct” career path.

What do you like about your job?

The fast paced environment, and being able to travel to places I’ve never heard of and otherwise wouldn’t travel to. I also enjoy being able to go out into the field and see the project progress, and being an integral part from taking dots on a map (conceptual design) to an operating wind farm, while knowing the end result is creating perma-nent jobs for people and helping the energy crisis/environment.

Ashley on top of a turbine

Ashley enjoys the springs at the bottom of a mountain near one of her projects

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What parts challenge you to stretch and test your abilities?

The ability to juggle and manage numerous issues (design, safety, qual-ity, cost) at once, while tracking and trying to improve site productivity (self perform crews and subcontractor crews).

How many hours/week do you work?

When on the job site, it is typical to work over 40 hours/week.

What is the most interesting place you have traveled through your work?

Northern British Columbia. Being able to see moose, deer, elk, and bears on a weekly basis at work, while being in the mountains, was an unforgettable experience.

Please list all of the states you have worked in for your job.

Minnesota, Texas (twice), Illinois, Montana (twice), Ontario, British Columbia.

What part of your education has been most useful in your career?

Construction Management, equipment utilization, engineering economics, and business psychology.

What from school do you use every day?

Construction management and productivity analysis.

What advice do you have for others who might be interested in this field?

It’s an exhilarating field, not to mention the market is expanding and always seeking qualified professionals. If individuals do get involved with the industry, my advice would be to explore where you go and become involved in the town’s events. Every small town has its treasures and you’ll find the locals can become friends for life.

Has working with renewable energy changed the way you feel about the environment?

Absolutely. There’s a certain amount of pride one can take in being a part of this industry. It’s cutting edge technology and can be a positive world movement for the environment.

What is the next step you will take in your career?

Next on the books is becoming a Project Manager in addition to becoming involved in different sectors of the industry (transmission and distribution, solar, etc.)

R E A C H O U T

Ashley and her team enjoy a “jam session” break, playing Rock Band on Wii

A bulldozer clears the path after a snowy night on the project site

A crew talks about their plan for the day