Department of Building Construction Management

Purdue University

An ELECTRI 21 study funded by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) entitled " Developing a Curriculum for Electrical Building Construction and Contracting" (Lew & Achor, 1994) found that 96 percent of the contractor respondents to a needs survey felt that a college educational program was needed in electrical construction management. Sever a] fundamental tasks needed to be performed in order to develop a specialization in electrical construction management. The tasks not only included the development of courses, but also the development of student recruitment programs, placement programs, hiring of qualified faculty, internships, development of student organizations, and equipping laboratories. Additionally, major discussions with inclusive representatives and other universities conceraing the content and goals of such a specialization had to be accomplished initially to give the program direction.

Key Words: Specialty contracting, mechanical construction, electrical construction, curriculum development, consortium, internships, advisory board, NECA, MCA, electrical construction management option, mechanical construction management option.

A study and survey sponsored by ELECTRI 21 (Lew & Achor, 1994) compiled the current state of affairs in the area of electrical construction management education and how it was being addressed in higher education construction programs. The survey also explored the technical skills and management requirements which the survey participants felt should be established in curricuta in order for students to graduate job-ready for electrical contractors. One hundred sixty electrical contractors and ninety United States colleges and universities were surveyed with a thirty nine percent rearm rate.

The principal conclusions of the study were:

There is a definite need for electrical construction management education at the college and University level.

Currently man) college and universities focus on the management aspects of general construction (Sym, et a], 1995) (Alter. 1996). 1 he next important step is to develop programs that address the specific needs of electrical construction in the areas of management and technical skills and knowledge.

There was an extensive agreement between electrical contractors and educators that there should be a combination of mechanical and electrical subject matter in curriculum (Kocartz. &Alte,~ 1996).

Marketing programs me needed for recruiting students, placement of students in the industry, and the development of electrical construction management programs in several universities.

The electrical construction industry and educational institutions are now beginning to recognize the importance of offering to students courses in electrical construction management. Considerable work must still be accomplished in order to develop programs upon which the electrical contractors and educators agree. The educational institutions and construction industry agree that many benefits will result with people entering the construction industry that have additional specialty-contracting-specific management and technical skills.

A follow-up survey of sixty large electrical and mechanical contracting firms on the feasibility of specialty construction education was completed in late 1996 in an effort to augment the 1994 Lew and Achor study. The results of this survey we summarized below.

A survey of electrical and mechanical contractors was conducted to obtain opinions from the construction industry on the feasibility of specialty construction education. Sixty (60) contractors were randomly selected- 30 each from the electrical and mechanical areas. All sizes of contractors were selected to give the survey an accurate representation of the industry. The survey was specifically sent to owners or CEOs of the selected contractors. The results of the survey obtained from 46 contractors, evenly split between electrical and mechanical contractors, are presented in Appendix IF of the paper together with a copy of the survey form. Aft of the written comments received from the survey me contained in the Appendix. A brief summary of the results of the survey are presented in the following paragraphs.

Support for the electrical and mechanical programs is indicated by the survey results. 87%ofthe respondents indicated support for internships, while 68% would support a coop position in electrical/ mechanical construction. 96% of the respondents said they would hire graduates from the programs and 87% said they would send their employees and children to be students in the programs. Technical support for laboratory facilities was indicated by 90% of the respondents while financial support would be given by 56%. Most of the respondents, 89%, felt that electrical and mechanical faculty need in-depth field and work experience, and all believed that a NIS degree with ten (10) years experience was preferred over a Ph.D. with no experience. 91% responded that there is a need for university level education in electrical/ mechanical building construction. 49% of the responding contractors believed that most management positions in electrical/ mechanical construction required a four year degree. A conclusion drawn from this 49% figure is that support for university level education and other methods of training managers wilt likely always coexist. Several comments am be summarized conclude that the greater the responsibility of the position, the more likely a college degree is required.

It is interesting to note that only four respondents made no written mention of training efforts, two of these said no format training exists, while the other two had no response. The conclusion is that training of management personnel is an important consideration of company management. Frequently mentioned types of training were OJT, in-house (with and without outside professional help), NECA seminars, MCA seminars, FMI seminars, and formal education at local colleges. The authors conclude that the sandy is statistically significant to state that support for university level construction management education and continuing education exists within the electrical/ mechanical construction industry,

Goals and Objectives

The primary outcome of the ELECTRI 21 study was the development of an electrical construction management specialization in the Department of Building Construction Management at Paribas University. With the achievement of the following goals and objectives the Department of Building Construction Management has been able to begin to offer to the electrical construction industry an employee that is responsive to the needs of the industry.

The basic differences between managers of general contracting firms and those of specialty subcontracting firms are that managers of specialty subcontractors have a much greater responsibility for directly monitoring and managing the field labor of their own work forces, and require a more complete understanding of the materials, components, installation techniques, and dynamic electrical and mechanical systems than do their general contracting counterparts. The traditional general contracting delivery method finds managers administrating contracts and managing subcontractors, with very little direct supervision of field labor. The skills required to perform these tasks are those typically taught in most construction management or construction engineering courses at the university level. The skills and knowledge required by the specialty subcontractor project manager as detailed above we typically absent, or minimal, in most construction education programs.

The goal when seeking to hire faculty to teach in the areas of electrical or mechanical construction management then, must be to find candidates who have an in-depth knowledge of electrical or mechanical materials, methods, and systems. One would most expect to find this in candidates who have substantial fall-time work experience in these areas As a minimum, the successful candidate should have tor years of experience, with positions in estimating and project management. Additionally, the candidate must also possess at least a Master's Degree in a related area of study. White many academic institutions require a Doctorate Degree as a prerequisite to employment, careful consideration should be given to candidates who have gained significant contracting experience over the course of their careers. It is very difficult to make a case against a candidate who possesses a Master's Degree and ten, to twenty years of practical experience,

See Appendix A for a position announcement encouraging candidates with practical experience to apply.

The greatest challenge in preparing curricula for specialization programs in electrical or mechanical construction management is in creating a comprehensive specialty program while limiting the number of credit hours required, so as to not extend the students academic career, and to not diminish the basic core construction management curriculum.

The process of developing specializations in electrical or mechanical contracting should include a careful evaluation of the core curriculum, and a welt crafted proposal for the development of the specialty option. (Appendix B)

Following the initial proposal, program guidelines and plans of sandy should be created for presentation to the curriculum committee for discussion and approval. (Appendix Q

Upon approval of the program guidelines and plans of study, faculty must fully develop all courses producing all materials required including course syllabi, projects, homework assignments, lab manuals and assignments, overheads and other audio visual reaching aids, software, and lecture news.

Crucial to the success of the specializations are the development of student organizations. The founding of student chapters of organizations such as NECA and the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) serve as a touchstone for students, faculty, and industry. These organizations, when mentored with energy and direction, bring together students, faculty, and industry representatives to participate in educational, service, and social experiences which are fundamental to the longevity and success of specialization options.

The historical success of general contracting oriented student organizations such as AGC, ABC in fostering student, faculty, and industry involvement in construction education provides a compelling example for construction departments considering electrical and mechanical specialization programs. To be successful, the founding of student chapters must include strong support from local contractors, the local association membership, and a dedicated faculty advisor.

See Appendix D for sample student organization charters.

Students considering a career in either the electrical or mechanical contracting industries must not be allowed to earn a degree recognizing a specialization in either area without adequate work experience, An internship model requiring 800 hours of work experience - which is approximately three summers of full time employment, provides the student with an adequate experience base to make sound decisions regarding their future career path, Additionally, a well crafted internship program allows both student and contractor employer a relatively inexpensive means of evaluating each other.

The internship experience must have explicit guidelines so that the student gains progressively more complex experiences, and the contractor receives progressively more value from the process. The student internship experience is intended to be a management internship position, with a broad exposure to field materials, installation practices, labor tracking and management, and contract administration. Internships benefit the electrical and mechanical contractors in the long ran by both providing them with a very inexpensive mews of screening candidates for a meaningful time periods, and by reducing the learning period required for entry level management personnel upon hiring post-graduation.

See Appendix E for Co-ops information and internship tracking procedures.

Without the recruitment of a substantial number of interested students the specialization program will fail. Recruitment and retention of interested students will be crucial to the initial success of the program. The external recruiting of students direct from high school for electrical and mechanical specialization programs will be difficult until students and their families are knowledgeable about the industry and as opportunities. The sons and daughters of electrical and mechanical contractors will be the easiest to recruit in the beginning because contractors will be the first to recognize the benefits of such an education. High school outreach programs can be effective if well planned and targeted to specific high schools man the university, however, they require a great deal or time and planning to be effective on a large scale.

Internal recruiting wilt collect the fit at group of interested students to enter the specialization program. These students will be internally recruited through their exposure to the industry in their respective electrical or mechanical required core courses, and student organizations. The required introductory core courses and voluntary participation in student organizations will provide an excellent medium for educating students on die opportunities available in mechanical or electrical construction and will capture their interest in the industry and the specialization program.

General contractors have been recruiting construction management students for a few decades or longer and have become very adept in their recruiting abilities. In addition, the majority of the contractors who recruit in a department tend to be general contractors. General contractors are so far ahead in their abilities to recruit our students that it will be a great challenge in -citing students interested. Because of the normally huge numbers of general contractors who will be recruiting and the small number of mechanical and electrical contractors recruiting, the electrical / mechanical educator will be challenged in persuading the students to pursue the opportunities in specialty construction.

Mechanical and electrical contractors must be educated in recruiting methods and the value and abilities of students. In addition, they must be informed about the importance of coming to the university to recruit graduates at the proper times during the semester. The specialty contractors must compete with general contractors and others for our graduates. To be successful in recruiting they must provide salaries, entry-level positions, and benefits which are competitive to those offered by the other contractors. Internships and co-op programs can improve this recruiting process. In due time graduates of the specialization program who have taken employment with mechanical and electrical contractors will be returning to the university to recruit for their companies and then process wilt become easier. Mechanical and electrical contractors, if persistent and competitive, should succeed in acquiring substantial numbers of am graduates because eventually the number of specialty firms coming to remit will greatly outnumber other types of contractors.

See Appendix F for Recruiting procedures

Specialization programs in electrical and mechanical construction management will only be successful with the combined support of industry and the ASC faculty community. Industry support will provide direction on curriculum, a place to send our finished product - the students, and a source of financing. The ASC faculty community, given the financial and time constraints placed upon faculty and departments of construction, would be best served by collaborating in the development of specialization programs. To that end, a forum should be created where contractors, industry association representatives, and faculty from various universities can meet biannually to develop and execute strategic planning in the specialization options. Issues to be discussed and strategized include the needs of the industry, industry expectations, the needs of the universities, a review of existing programs, curriculum issues, marketing of specialization programs, placement of graduates and hums, finding and hiring qualified faculty, student organizations, and laboratories and facilities requirements.

See Appendix G for Meeting Minutes of tat Conference

As with any successful business venture a comprehensive marketing plan must be created if the specialization programs are to succeed. While there are more electrical and mechanical specialty contractors than there are general contractors in the United States construction industry, many of them are small in size - measured both in annual revenues and number of employees, and they are uncertain of what a graduate in construction management can do to help their firm. The role of the consortium of contractors and educators should be to create a plan to educate those contractors of the value that well trained graduates can bring to their organizations. Again, as with recruiting, the general contractor population is well ahead in this arva, long ago recognizing the value of hiring construction management graduates to build a cadre of employees for the future. Successful education of contractors in this area wilt benefit not only the contractors, but also the universities by providing input into the educational process by bringing their areas of expertise into the classroom, by providing alternative career paths for the students, by sitting on advisory heads, and by providing supplemental funding to construction management programs. The NECA and MCA national organizations wilt be most effective in gaining industry support among contractor members for the specialization programs.

Most construction management programs will be starting from ground zero and do not have necessary space, resources, materials, and equipment for development of electrical and mechanical construction laboratories. Laboratories will consume materials which are not reusable. To be successful, a well thought out plan for lab utilization and development Must Occur. We foresee a great deal of enthusiasm from electrical and mechanical manufacturers to donate materials and equipment for laboratory development. Each school must define its own laboratory objectives because each school is unique in its allocation of resources.

Electrical and mechanical laboratory work is critical for providing students with skills in the application of materials, methods, installation practices. This application knowledge is required to prepare students for course work in estimating and project management. The laboratory is the most effective way to provide students with this applied knowledge.

If electrical and mechanical specialization programs are to be evaluated there must be some quantitative means of measuring success. Certainly, specialization programs should be held to the same high standards as the general construction education programs, but it should be kept in mind that all new programs need a well conceived plan, the support of university administration and the industry, and adequate resources to execute the plan. With those items in place, some expected metrics to examine would include the number of students enrolled in the specializations and the enrollment trends over time, the percentage of students placed with electrical and mechanical contractors, the medium salary levels of graduates placed with specialty contractors as contrasted with those placed with general contractors, the number of specialty contractors participating in the internship, co-op, and hiring process, the amount of funding brought to the respective programs - both internal and external funding, and the amount of universty support in the form of faculty, physical space, and development resources.

The electrical and mechanical contracting industries have demonstrated a Clem desire to participate the construction management education process. They recognize that the product produced at the university level - the students, provide them with a means of re-populating an industry plagued by a poor public perception. Further, as an entire generation arises which is told by parents and guidance counselors that the construction industry is a poor career choice, the construction industry must collaborate with those universities who have programs in construction management education.

More importantly, though, is that as the specialty construction industry continues to grow more sophisticated in its business practices, contractors we recognizing that the management skills being taught at the universities, and the students who are learning those skills, are what wilt provide them with a competitive advantage in the industry. The difference between a successful contracting enterprise and an unsuccessful one often rests on only the slimmest of margins - margins which can be influenced most be the execution of good management practices. Specialty contractors are already good at the trades which they pursue. The added value that construction management education programs can bring to them is in the form of graduates who are well schooled in basic construction management practices who have also been provided with the fundamentals of the specialty contracting industries in the areas of materials, methods, installation practices, estimating, and labor trucking and productivity enhancement. Universities who offer specializations in electrical and mechanical construction management will provide a valuable service to the industry and be rewarded for doing so.

Recommendations

The following recommendations are the outcome of the 1st Electrical/ Mechanical/ Academia Construction Management Conference.

1. Create a consortium of contractors, industry associations, and faculty to design and execute a strategic plan in the area of specialty contracting education.
2. Create a joint marketing task force to develop a marketing plan to inform the etecorical and mechanical contractors of the product produced in construction management education programs.
3. Develop student chapters of national specialty contracting organizations.
4. Create a national internship / co-op cleannghouse for students and contractors in specialty contracting.
5. Create industry advisory boards in the specialty areas.
6. Develop an exchange of curricula among educators nationally in the specialty areas.
7. Develop a national distance education curricula and delivery mechanism to overcome the obstacle of inadequate institutional funding.
8. Develop national faculty recognition programs for faculty in the specializations.

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Last updated: September 09, 2004.