Construction Management / Estimating

This foundational course equips learners with the safety knowledge, trade mathematics, technical reading skills, digital literacy, and career-readiness habits required to succeed in construction management and estimating. Students complete OSHA 10-Hour Outreach training and hands-on first aid/CPR certification within the course. Every lesson is explicitly connected to the skills tested in the NCCER Project Management, OSHA 30, and CMAA CMIT credential exams.

How the course runs. 7 blocks: Hazard Recognition and OSHA 10-Hour Construction Outreach; First Aid, CPR, and AED for Construction Sites; Trade Math and Measurement for Estimating; Reading Construction Documents: Drawings, Specifications, and Standards; Digital Tools for Construction Management; Technical Reading and Professional Writing for Construction; Career Readiness and Professional Development in Construction Management.

What competent looks like. Demonstrate compliance with OSHA general industry and construction hazard recognition standards sufficient to pass the OSHA 10-Hour card requirement. Perform trade math calculations—including area, volume, unit conversion, percentage, and waste factors—accurately enough to support quantity takeoff and cost estimating tasks. Read and extract information from construction drawings, specifications, and contract documents using standard industry terminology. Use foundational digital tools—email, spreadsheets, cloud storage, and PDF markup—to organize and communicate construction management information. Produce professional written and verbal communications appropriate for a construction management workplace, including meeting minutes, RFIs, and a personal career plan. Perform hands-on CPR, AED operation, and basic first-aid procedures to current American Heart Association or Red Cross standards.

Students learn to build, read, and control construction project schedules using industry-standard methods including the Critical Path Method (CPM), Gantt charts, and resource-loaded schedules. Emphasis is placed on real project scenarios, schedule recovery, and the scheduling knowledge areas tested by the NCCER Project Management and CMAA CMIT credentials. Students use scheduling software and hand-calculation techniques to develop schedules from scope documents and subcontractor input.

How the course runs. 10 blocks: Scheduling Fundamentals and the Construction Lifecycle; Work Breakdown Structure and Activity Definition; Network Logic and the Critical Path Method; Gantt Charts and Scheduling Software Basics; Resource Loading and Crew Leveling; Schedule Compression: Crashing and Fast-Tracking; Schedule Monitoring, Updates, and Earned Value; Contract Schedule Requirements and Milestone Management; Subcontractor Coordination Schedules and Look-Ahead Reports; Schedule Presentation, Defense, and NCCER/CMIT Exam Alignment.

What competent looks like. Develop a complete CPM network schedule from a defined project scope, identifying the critical path and all activity durations with supporting logic. Produce a resource-loaded Gantt chart that accounts for crew availability, material lead times, and subcontractor sequencing. Perform schedule updates using earned value progress data and identify schedule variances requiring corrective action. Apply schedule compression techniques—crashing and fast-tracking—and evaluate their cost and risk trade-offs in writing. Interpret contract schedule requirements and submittal deadlines, aligning the project schedule with milestone and liquidated-damages provisions. Use scheduling software (Primavera P6 or MS Project) and Gantt-based tools to produce professional schedule deliverables suitable for owner and subcontractor distribution.

Students learn to prepare complete, accurate cost estimates for commercial and residential construction projects using industry-standard quantity takeoff methods, pricing databases, and digital tools. The course moves from reading construction drawings and specifications through labor, material, equipment, and subcontractor pricing to producing a bid-ready estimate with markup and contingency. Lessons align with NCCER Project Management cost control competencies and CMAA CMIT knowledge areas covering project cost management.

How the course runs. 10 blocks: The Estimate Lifecycle and Bid Documents; Reading Construction Drawings for Estimating; Quantity Takeoff Methods and Units of Measure; Digital Takeoff with Bluebeam Revu; Pricing Labor: Crew Rates, Productivity, and Prevailing Wage; Pricing Materials and Equipment; Subcontractor Bids, Scope Gaps, and Bid Leveling; Indirect Costs, Overhead, Profit, and Contingency; Estimate Review, Scope Verification, and Common Errors; Complete Estimate: Integrated Takeoff and Bid Assembly.

What competent looks like. Perform a complete quantity takeoff for at least three CSI MasterFormat divisions from a set of construction drawings and specifications, with quantities within 5% of instructor key. Price direct costs—labor, material, equipment, and subcontractors—using current published unit-cost databases and local wage data to produce a detailed estimate summary sheet. Apply indirect costs, overhead, profit markup, contingency, and escalation to a direct-cost estimate and explain each line item in writing. Use Bluebeam Revu or equivalent PDF takeoff software to digitally measure and mark up a full drawing set, producing a documented quantity takeoff log. Identify and explain at least five common estimating errors and the quality-control checks used to detect them before bid submission. Interpret bid documents—including instructions to bidders, general conditions, and technical specifications—to determine scope inclusions, exclusions, and allowances that affect the estimate.

This course develops students' ability to read, interpret, and administer the full range of construction contracts used in commercial and residential project delivery. Students analyze contract language, allocate risk, draft routine contract documents, and manage changes, claims, and close-out in compliance with standard industry practice. Content maps directly to the NCCER Project Management module on contract administration and the CMAA CMIT exam domain covering project delivery and contract management.

How the course runs. 10 blocks: Construction Contract Fundamentals and Project Delivery Methods; Contract Types: Lump-Sum, Unit-Price, Cost-Plus, and GMP; Reading Standard Contract Documents: AIA and ConsensusDocs; Contract Risk: Indemnification, Insurance, and Bonds; Key Contract Clauses: Liquidated Damages, Force Majeure, Notice, and Differing Site Conditions; Change Orders and Constructive Changes; Payment Applications, Retainage, and Pay-When-Paid Clauses; Dispute Resolution: Claims, Mediation, and Arbitration; Subcontracts and Flow-Down Clauses; Contract Close-Out: Substantial Completion, Punch Lists, and Final Payment.

What competent looks like. Identify and compare the major construction contract types—lump-sum, cost-plus, GMP, unit-price, and design-build—and select the appropriate type for a given project scenario. Read and interpret standard contract documents including AIA A101/A201 and ConsensusDocs general conditions, locating key clauses on scope, payment, changes, disputes, and termination. Draft a complete change order package, including a time-impact analysis and cost justification, that meets owner and contractor signature requirements. Explain the legal concepts of indemnification, liquidated damages, differing site conditions, force majeure, and notice requirements as they apply to construction contracts. Administer contract close-out by preparing a punch-list, tracking substantial completion, assembling warranties, and processing final payment applications. Apply risk-identification techniques to a sample contract and propose mitigation strategies that protect the contractor's schedule and budget.

This course teaches students the complete procurement cycle for construction projects, from scope packaging and bid solicitation through vendor selection, purchase order administration, and close-out. Students apply estimating and contract knowledge to real bid packages, subcontractor evaluations, and material buyout strategies used daily by project managers and owners' representatives. Lessons map directly to NCCER Project Management procurement competencies and CMAA CMIT knowledge areas covering project delivery and cost management.

How the course runs. 10 blocks: The Procurement Cycle and Project Delivery Context; Scope Packaging and Work Breakdown for Procurement; Solicitation Documents: RFQ, RFP, and Invitation to Bid; Prequalification and the Bidders List; Public Procurement Rules and Small-Business Requirements; Bid Leveling and Best-Value Analysis; Purchase Orders, Subcontracts, and Change Order Administration; Expediting, Submittals, and the Material Procurement Schedule; Procurement Close-Out and Record Management; Procurement Safety: Deliveries, Material Handling, and Hazard Control.

What competent looks like. Develop a complete bid package including scope of work, drawings list, general conditions, and bid form for a defined construction scope. Evaluate subcontractor and supplier bids using a standardized bid-leveling matrix and select the best-value proposal with written justification. Draft and administer a purchase order and subcontract change order in compliance with project contract requirements. Apply public and private procurement regulations, including minority and small-business requirements, to a simulated project procurement plan. Track procurement status using a material-and-subcontractor log, identify schedule impacts, and communicate expediting actions to the project team. Identify procurement-related hazards during site delivery and material handling and specify required PPE and OSHA-compliant safety controls.

This course develops the safety management knowledge and skills that construction project managers and estimators apply daily on active jobsites and in the office. Learners study OSHA construction standards, hazard identification, incident investigation, safety program administration, and cost integration so they can protect workers and keep projects compliant. Lesson content maps directly to OSHA 30-hour Construction Outreach topics and to the NCCER Project Management and CMAA CMIT safety competency domains.

How the course runs. 10 blocks: OSHA Construction Standards Framework and Employer Duties; Hazard Identification and the Hierarchy of Controls; Fall Protection — Standards, Systems, and Inspection; Electrical Safety, Lockout/Tagout, and Temporary Power; Scaffolding, Excavation/Trenching, and Confined Space Safety; Hazard Communication, SDS Management, and PPE Selection; Incident Investigation, Recordkeeping, and Incident Rate Calculation; Developing and Administering a Site Safety Program; Safety Cost Integration into Estimates and Schedules; Subcontractor Safety Plan Evaluation and Compliance Reporting.

What competent looks like. Identify, evaluate, and document construction site hazards in accordance with OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 subpart requirements and prescribe appropriate controls using the hierarchy of controls. Develop and administer a written site-specific safety program including emergency action plan, hazard communication plan, and toolbox-talk schedule. Conduct a formal incident investigation, complete standard recordkeeping forms (OSHA 300/300A/301), and calculate incident rates used in contractor pre-qualification. Apply lockout/tagout procedures and scaffold, fall protection, electrical safety, and confined-space entry requirements to realistic construction scenarios. Integrate safety costs—personal protective equipment, training, inspections, and incident reserves—into a project estimate and schedule. Evaluate a subcontractor safety plan against owner and regulatory requirements and produce a written compliance report suitable for a project file.

Students learn to use Procore's cloud-based construction management platform and Bluebeam Revu to manage project documentation, drawings, RFIs, submittals, budgets, and field observations throughout a project lifecycle. Instruction connects each tool's features to real CM workflows covered in earlier courses and to the documentation and communication competencies tested by the NCCER Project Management and CMAA CMIT credentials. By course end, students can set up a project, mark up and issue drawings, track cost and schedule data, and produce the audit-ready records required on commercial jobsites.

How the course runs. 10 blocks: Construction Technology Landscape and Course Orientation; Procore Project Setup and Directory Management; Drawing Management and Plan Distribution in Procore; Bluebeam Revu Fundamentals: Markup and Annotation; Bluebeam Quantity Takeoff and Measurement Tools; RFI and Submittal Management in Procore; Budget Tracking and Change Management in Procore; Field Observations, Daily Logs, and Inspection Reports; Document Control, Close-Out Package, and Transmittals; Integrated Project Simulation: Full Workflow Capstone Lab.

What competent looks like. Configure a new Procore project with the correct directory, permissions, and folder structure required for a commercial construction project. Create, distribute, and close out RFIs and submittals in Procore following the response-time and routing requirements typical of commercial contracts. Use Bluebeam Revu to mark up construction drawings, perform quantity takeoffs linked to the estimate, and publish a marked-up drawing package with a summary report. Track budget line items, commitments, and change events in Procore's budget tool and reconcile variances against the baseline estimate. Produce a Procore daily log and inspection report that meets OSHA recordkeeping expectations and project-specific safety documentation requirements. Integrate Procore and Bluebeam outputs into a coherent project documentation package suitable for owner reporting and later use in the Capstone course.

Students apply every competency developed across the program—scheduling, estimating, contracts, procurement, safety management, and digital documentation—to a single, realistic commercial construction scenario from bid package through closeout. Each student produces a complete project delivery package and defends it before a panel of industry evaluators, replicating the professional standard required for NCCER Project Management and CMAA CMIT credential holders.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: Project Kickoff: Interpreting the Owner's Program and Assembling the Delivery Framework; Integrated Estimating, Scheduling, and Procurement Planning; Safety Plan, Change Management, and Project Controls Documentation; Portfolio Compilation and Capstone Defense Preparation.

What competent looks like. Produce a complete bid package for an assigned commercial project including a fully itemized quantity takeoff, trade-by-trade cost estimate within ±10% of instructor benchmark, and a written basis-of-estimate narrative. Develop a CPM schedule in Primavera P6 or equivalent that identifies the critical path, incorporates owner milestones, and sequences all major trade packages for the assigned project. Draft a project execution plan that integrates a site-specific safety and health plan (compliant with OSHA general industry and construction standards), a procurement log with RFQ timelines, and a contract administration workflow. Use Procore and Bluebeam Revu to manage, mark up, and transmit all project documents—RFIs, submittals, meeting minutes, change-order logs—in formats consistent with industry practice. Evaluate project performance against baseline cost and schedule using earned-value metrics, identify variances, and propose corrective actions in a written project status report. Defend all project deliverables before a panel of industry and faculty evaluators, responding to technical questions and demonstrating professional communication skills aligned with CMAA CMIT competency standards.

Students complete 243 supervised hours at a construction management, general contracting, or specialty subcontracting employer site, applying estimating, scheduling, procurement, and project controls skills learned in the classroom to live projects. A credentialed site supervisor evaluates professional conduct, technical competence, and safety compliance at mid-term and final intervals. This course bridges academic preparation to employment and directly reinforces NCCER Project Management field-application competencies and CMAA CMIT professional-practice domains.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: Placement Orientation and Site Safety Integration; Estimating and Quantity Takeoff on a Live Project; Scheduling, Procurement, and Project Controls Support; Final Supervisor Evaluation and Externship Reflection.

What competent looks like. Apply job-site safety protocols—including PPE selection, hazard identification, and OSHA 30 regulatory knowledge—consistently throughout all 243 placement hours with zero safety violations recorded by the site supervisor. Perform at least two real estimating or quantity-takeoff tasks (material, labor, or equipment) on an active project, producing documented calculations that the supervising project manager reviews and signs off as accurate. Update or assist in maintaining a project schedule using CPM logic (Primavera P6, MS Project, or employer's chosen tool) for a minimum of one active project, demonstrating ability to flag critical-path variances. Participate in at least three formal project-management processes—such as a subcontractor bid review, RFI response, submittal log update, or owner progress meeting—and document each in the externship journal. Demonstrate professional communication standards by drafting or contributing to at least two project documents (meeting minutes, cost report, change-order log, or procurement summary) that are accepted into the project record by the supervisor. Receive a passing composite score on the employer's mid-term and final evaluation rubric, confirming readiness for entry-level construction management employment.

This capstone review course systematically covers every knowledge domain tested on the NCCER Project Management credential, OSHA 30 Outreach completion requirements, and CMAA Constructor Manager-in-Training (CMIT) examination so that students enter each exam with demonstrated competency. Lessons rotate between targeted content review, timed practice questions, and full-length mock exams with instructor-led debrief to close remaining gaps. Test-taking strategy, time management, and documentation of eligibility requirements are also addressed.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: NCCER Project Management Domain Review and Practice; OSHA 30 Construction Content Review and Scenario Practice; CMAA CMIT Examination Domain Review and Practice; Full Mock Examinations and Exam-Readiness Debrief.

What competent looks like. Demonstrate mastery of NCCER Project Management core knowledge areas—project planning, scheduling, cost control, procurement, and leadership—by scoring 70% or higher on timed practice sets drawn from each domain. Correctly apply OSHA 30 Construction Outreach content including hazard recognition, fall protection, electrical safety, scaffolding, excavation, PPE selection, and rights and responsibilities, achieving 70% or higher on domain-specific practice questions. Apply CMAA CMIT examination content across cost management, time management, quality, safety, risk, and professional practice domains, scoring 70% or higher on representative practice items. Complete a full-length timed mock examination for each credential under simulated test conditions, achieving the program benchmark of 75% or higher on each mock before sitting the live exam. Organize and submit all required eligibility documentation—training records, NCCER Registry enrollment, OSHA 30 sign-in sheets, and CMAA CMIT application materials—accurately and on time. Apply proven test-taking strategies including question parsing, elimination, time-per-item pacing, and educated guessing protocol to maximize performance on multiple-choice certification exams.