BSC, MSc, PgDip or HNC?????? Construction

Oldernotwiser

From the point of long term career development I think you'd be mad to do an HNC rather than a Master's! It might be easier in the short term but going for the quick money is seldom the best option for career development. Also, you're getting a good bit of funding for a Master's from your employers; fees for an HNC will be much much less, so you'd be turning down free money as well!

andyc444

Hi,

just read your thread from 2006, how did it all pan out in the end. I am in almost the exact situation at the moment and would greatly appreciate your advice and info on which route you decided with and how it all went.

Thanks

Greg34

Hi,

I stumbled across this discussion by chance and it mirrors the exact situation I'm in at the moment. I've been working for a Local Authority for the past 5 years, the past 18 months of which have been spent in the Project Management Dept working in a non-technical role but alongside Architects, Surveyors, PM's and contractors in the delivery of major works refurb schemes to Council housing.

I decided that I wanted to develop a career in Construction when I moved to my current role and have a non-cognate degree in Media Studies from 12+ years ago. When I attended a local college open day to make enquiries about the HNC/Foundaton degree in Construction Managment, I was advised that due to my lack of previous experience or relevant qualifications I would have to do at least the first year of a BTEC National Certificate in order to qualify for entry! I had no idea about conversion MSc's and was not advised that as a graduate I had this option available to me, or that I had an outside chance of being accepted on a construction-related postgrad course.

As a result I ended up enrolling on the BTEC (via part-time day release) and am set to complete it in June of this year. However, I've managed to get some PROPER advice this time around and am set to start my MSc in Building Surveying in Sept, whereas most of my current classmates are now looking at HNC or BSc courses to help them in their next career step.

I would say there are certain benefits to starting at a lower academic level to your current non-cognate qualification though, especially if you're not working in the industry and have no experience to draw on. I've learnt a fair bit from my current classmates who may be 10+ years younger than me, but as trainee QS's and site managers have certain knowledge of site operations and industry practice that has proved to be interesting and useful from my own personal perspective. I guess it all depends on what exactly you want to do within the industry, but I'm a firm believer in having a full understanding of a subject if you want to be truly proficient in your field of work.

My future Course Tutor has already admitted that the MSc conversion course skims over the basics in an effort to get students up to postgrad standards and so I'm grateful that I already have 2 years work experience and a Level 3 qualification under my belt as a foundation on which to build.

To be honest I'd rather do a 2nd degree in Building Surveying to get a thorough and detailed knowledge of the subject, but time and finances rule this out as a viable option.

I guess some will disagree but I'd be interested to see what other people think...

Oldernotwiser

I think that any college who makes a graduate do a level 3 qualification is more concerned in filling their course than they are with the graduate's future career!

Greg34

Ha,ha,fair enough! I do feel slightly duped I won't lie - but at the same time does it seem quite right that a graduate with a completely random degree can do an MSc conversion course, start their diary and complete their APC for RICS within 3 years with no prior knowledge or experience of construction? This is what I couldn't quite get my head around when I went to the open day for the MSc, especially when the course programme only allows one semester to bring students up to speed in the basics of construction and property law??

The college I'm currently attending had also insisted on two of my classmates completing the National Certificate before progressing onto the HNC, both have 6+ years of construction experience - one is a Contracts Manager for a small building firm and the other's a Project Co-ordinator - but only have GCSE's to their name. The idea that I could potentially be chartered before either of them seems slightly bonkers to me!

I actually wanted to do a postgrad in Construction Management (in preparation for a move into PM), but none of the Uni's I've spoken to are prepared to take me on without at least a couple more years experience and possibly an HNC (even with a non-cognate degree). It's either a) I move onto a Level 4 qualification with the bulk of my current classmates and then continue to postgrad (taking an extra 2 years to complete the HNC first) - or b) enrol on the conversion MSc Building Surveying course and wait for a Surveyor position to come up at work, so that I can at least gain some technical experience in the meantime. With time ticking, I guess the second option is the more sensible...

Oldernotwiser

Greg34 wrote: »

Ha,ha,fair enough! I do feel slightly duped I won't lie - but at the same time does it seem quite right that a graduate with a completely random degree can do an MSc conversion course, start their diary and complete their APC for RICS within 3 years with no prior knowledge or experience of construction? This is what I couldn't quite get my head around when I went to the open day for the MSc, especially when the course programme only allows one semester to bring students up to speed in the basics of construction and property law??

But that's what a conversion course is for,to convert a degree in a non related subject to something relevant. They exist in other subjects as well, like Law and Psychology.

I can quite understand that you feel at times that you don't have the depth of subject knowledge that others have but I think that you may be downplaying the transferable skills that you'll have gained from your degree. After all, few graduates use their degree vocationally and are recruited for those skills and other abilities rather than their subject knowledge.

Greg34

That's fair enough, I can't argue with that. If I have difficulties raising the funds for the MSc and can only afford to do the HNC in the meantime, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world anyway. I can then start my diary for the APC pretty much at the same time as I start the postgrad, provided I'm in a surveying post by then (as has been advised by the Course Tutor).

Cheers

Greg34

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But that's what a conversion course is for,to convert a degree in a non related subject to something relevant. They exist in other subjects as well, like Law and Psychology.

I can quite understand that you feel at times that you don't have the depth of subject knowledge that others have but I think that you may be downplaying the transferable skills that you'll have gained from your degree. After all, few graduates use their degree vocationally and are recruited for those skills and other abilities rather than their subject knowledge.

OK, another variable has just been thrown into the mix - I've been offered a place on an MSc course in Project Management, which is acredited by RICS & CIOB in addition to being recognised by the APM. This was following an interview and individual assessment by the Course Tutor, who felt that my experience plus non-cognate degree were sufficient entry qualifications.

Now I'm unsure as to which course to go for - Building Surveying or Construction Project Management, bearing in mind that I have no direct experience of either. I'm guessing that the conversion course is more suited to my current situation, but long-term I'm not sure whether Building Surveying is for me - it was only ever going to be an intermediary step towards Project Management... I know plenty of Building Surveyors who are Project Managers but is the MSc in Project Management transferable for anything else construction-related? The last thing I want to do is gain a qualification and be unable to use it because I have no experience, would the Building Surveying MSc be more sensible as it's specifically designed to prepare non-cognates for a career change?

Greg34

Well, 20 months on and I'm in the second year of my MSc/PgDip in Building Surveying and just finished a year as a Maintenance Surveyor at the same local authority. It's been incredibly tough and both work and study have been a steep learning curve but it feels like it's starting to come together now.

Still want to move into project management, but with the way the economy is at the moment I can't see there being many opportunities for
advancement in that particular area right now!

All good though, the trick is to stay positive and focused - 18 mnths ago I wouldn't have imagined myself to be where I am now so I really can't complain... Roll on 2012!

Notmyrealname

Thanks for the update Greg. It makes for a nice start to the day to read some good news.

Carry on carrying on......