Savannah Technical College to Offer Construction Management Program

Associate Degree and Diploma beginning winter quarter

 

This winter, Savannah Technical College will begin offering courses leading to an associate degree and diploma in Construction Management. The new programs were approved at this month’s meeting of the State Board of Technical and Adult Education. The program will be a part of the college’s Industrial and Public Service division and complements current instructional programs including masonry and historic preservation.

          “It’s for the person who wants to be a hands-on contractor in a small operation or the lead supervisor for a large crew,” says Mike Patterson, Dean of Industrial and Public Service programs. “It involves everything you need to know how to do to construct a building.”   Even though residential construction is well off the peak of several years ago, Patterson notes that the skills learned translate easily from residential to industrial sites.

          Construction managers plan, direct and coordinate a wide variety of construction projects. Savannah offers the third-highest paying jobs for construction managers in the state. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, faster than average growth is expected for construction managers and there is a growing importance placed on the certifications offered by programs like this at the college level.

            The associate degree program is 105 credit hours and contains classes on tools and safety, materials, print reading, site layout, footings/foundations, framing, roofing, exterior finishes and trim, interiors, estimating, drafting, code review, scheduling and contracting as well as the college core. The diploma program is 88-credit hours and contains similar coursework. Plans are to work toward articulating the associate degree program with bachelor’s level programs offered at area universities.   Before classes begin in January, faculty members who teach in the program will participate in training allowing them to be certified by the National Center for Construction Education and Research.   For information about the program specifically, call 912.443.3395.   For information about admission to Savannah Technical College, call 912, 443.5517 or visit www.savannahtech.edu.