Any site managers here?

[saleen836]

Looking to do the SMSTS course this year, a few questions..
Is it an intensive 5 day course?
Is it worthwhile or is there an alternative?


Looking to step away from trade on site to assistant manager (to start), apart from a first aid course is there any other courses I should be looking at?

[badboyburt]

Yep an intensive 5 day course, also get yourself a NVQ L6 Diploma but I suspect this will come later in your development.

What is your trade ?

[Krise]

I know when I did it with my company we split it over 2 weeks, 3 days one week and 2 days the week after.

If your employer will sponsor it maybe you can enquire about doing it this way ?

It was pretty easy to be honest with a 100% pass rate in the group I did it with.

You will find that if your seasoned in construction you will be surprised at how much you already know, but it will also be of use as I learned a hell of a lot, should also help with the transition of being on the tools moving into foreman / assistant or site manager.

[saleen836]

badboyburt said:

Yep an intensive 5 day course, also get yourself a NVQ L6 Diploma but I suspect this will come later in your development.

What is your trade ?

Tape/jointer both on commercial and new build sites.

Krise said:

I know when I did it with my company we split it over 2 weeks, 3 days one week and 2 days the week after.

If your employer will sponsor it maybe you can enquire about doing it this way ?

It was pretty easy to be honest with a 100% pass rate in the group I did it with.

You will find that if your seasoned in construction you will be surprised at how much you already know, but it will also be of use as I learned a hell of a lot, should also help with the transition of being on the tools moving into foreman / assistant or site manager.

I'm a sub-contractor so will be paying out of my own pocket

[Krise]

If your paying out of your own pocket then just do the 5 days and get it over and done with,

Where are you based ? If your planning a move from trade to manager I would expect to take a hit on earnings as good site manager here in London is probably £35/45 ish salary wise, a good tape and jointer working all year round is probably clearing a fair bit more than that

Kris e

[myvision]

Worked in construction for 20 years never heard of a tape/jointer what is it that you do?

[Countdown]

myvision said:

Worked in construction for 20 years never heard of a tape/jointer what is it that you do?

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200...

[saleen836]

Krise said:

If your paying out of your own pocket then just do the 5 days and get it over and done with,

Where are you based ? If your planning a move from trade to manager I would expect to take a hit on earnings as good site manager here in London is probably £35/45 ish salary wise, a good tape and jointer working all year round is probably clearing a fair bit more than that

Kris e

I'm based in Wiltshire, labour prices in most areas have taken a big hit in the last few years but it is more to do with not wanting to be struggling in my trade as I get older rather than financial.

myvision said:

Worked in construction for 20 years never heard of a tape/jointer what is it that you do?

Can I ask what you do to not have heard of what I do?

Countdown said:

myvision said:

Worked in construction for 20 years never heard of a tape/jointer what is it that you do?

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200...

Yes, but the first answer is wrong so just look at the 2nd, in short... it is used on most new build nowadays as when done correctly it is cheaper,quicker, cleaner and 90% crack free.

[GuinnessMK]

I did the SMSTS course in 2008 on a 5 day intensive. It was very good and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to be a Site Manager.

I've just completed the 3 day refresher, and they have changed the books that come with the course (which you get to keep). They are much more user friendly now.

I'd note that most adverts for site managers ask for an upgraded CSCS card and the 3 day First Aid at Work qualification.

Good luck.

[myvision]

myvision said:

Worked in construction for 20 years never heard of a tape/jointer what is it that you do?

Can I ask what you do to not have heard of what I do?


Spent the last 20 years building tunnels.

[GuinnessMK]

myvision said:

Spent the last 20 years building tunnels.

Not much call for plasterboard in tunnels then!

That's one of the things I love about construction, it's such a broad industry.

[saleen836]

GuinnessMK said:

I did the SMSTS course in 2008 on a 5 day intensive. It was very good and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to be a Site Manager.

I've just completed the 3 day refresher, and they have changed the books that come with the course (which you get to keep). They are much more user friendly now.

I'd note that most adverts for site managers ask for an upgraded CSCS card and the 3 day First Aid at Work qualification.

Good luck.

Will start off as an assistant first then work my way up (that is the plan anyway)

[phumy]

saleen836 said:

GuinnessMK said:

I did the SMSTS course in 2008 on a 5 day intensive. It was very good and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to be a Site Manager.

I've just completed the 3 day refresher, and they have changed the books that come with the course (which you get to keep). They are much more user friendly now.

I'd note that most adverts for site managers ask for an upgraded CSCS card and the 3 day First Aid at Work qualification.

Good luck.

Will start off as an assistant first then work my way up (that is the plan anyway)

Im a Site Manager and I really fail to see what you can learn in just 5 days to get you a "certificate" to say you are competent or that you have passed the course.....I have worked in power plants virtually all my life apart from 8 years in the RN when i was a youngster. Ive worked in various departments in many different types of power plants, gaining experience and knowledge on the way. In the last 11 years I have been working over seas commissioning new power plants and in the last 2 years have moved over to site management, I dont profess to be the best but Im also not the worst. However i do feel that with the knowledge I have I can put matters right where they are due, in all areas on site, to all contractors, accept the different challenges that hit you on a daily basis and can move forward in a dispute or disagreement with others. Im sorry but all of these will never be learned at a 5 day college course.

What does the course give you at the end, whats the course content? Is it just to give you a taster to see if you`ll like it?

[Onz]

phumy said:

Im a Site Manager and I really fail to see what you can learn in just 5 days to get you a "certificate" to say you are competent or that you have passed the course.....I have worked in power plants virtually all my life apart from 8 years in the RN when i was a youngster. Ive worked in various departments in many different types of power plants, gaining experience and knowledge on the way. In the last 11 years I have been working over seas commissioning new power plants and in the last 2 years have moved over to site management, I dont profess to be the best but Im also not the worst. However i do feel that with the knowledge I have I can put matters right where they are due, in all areas on site, to all contractors, accept the different challenges that hit you on a daily basis and can move forward in a dispute or disagreement with others. Im sorry but all of these will never be learned at a 5 day college course.

What does the course give you at the end, whats the course content? Is it just to give you a taster to see if you`ll like it?

Phumy - completely agree with what you say. I think the course is still worth doing as it is often a pre-requisite for a role - they quite often help people understand what their responsibilities (from a legal perspective) are that they may not be aware of despite having experience. Though I agree it won't ever give you what years of experience give you.

Much the same way that anyone can go and do a one day course learning to drive a cherry picker in a tarmac car park and then because they have that card they are deemed competent (on paper) to operate a 135' 16T cherry picker over rough ground - madness!

I'm convinced there is more money in training than there is in building buildings now-a-days! The UKCG are continually introducing new courses/qualifications etc. that are required in order to get our guys on site, it's never ending!

[saleen836]

Onz said:

phumy said:

Im a Site Manager and I really fail to see what you can learn in just 5 days to get you a "certificate" to say you are competent or that you have passed the course.....I have worked in power plants virtually all my life apart from 8 years in the RN when i was a youngster. Ive worked in various departments in many different types of power plants, gaining experience and knowledge on the way. In the last 11 years I have been working over seas commissioning new power plants and in the last 2 years have moved over to site management, I dont profess to be the best but Im also not the worst. However i do feel that with the knowledge I have I can put matters right where they are due, in all areas on site, to all contractors, accept the different challenges that hit you on a daily basis and can move forward in a dispute or disagreement with others. Im sorry but all of these will never be learned at a 5 day college course.

What does the course give you at the end, whats the course content? Is it just to give you a taster to see if you`ll like it?

Phumy - completely agree with what you say. I think the course is still worth doing as it is often a pre-requisite for a role - they quite often help people understand what their responsibilities (from a legal perspective) are that they may not be aware of despite having experience. Though I agree it won't ever give you what years of experience give you.

Much the same way that anyone can go and do a one day course learning to drive a cherry picker in a tarmac car park and then because they have that card they are deemed competent (on paper) to operate a 135' 16T cherry picker over rough ground - madness!

I'm convinced there is more money in training than there is in building buildings now-a-days! The UKCG are continually introducing new courses/qualifications etc. that are required in order to get our guys on site, it's never ending!

I also agree with Phumy, Onz you hit the nail right on the head with regards to courses/qualifications, I have been doing my trade for approx 20 years but someone somewehre decided I needed an NVQ level 2 to prove I could do the job to be able to work on site, to get this qualification they sent someone from the training scheme out to site to take photographs of me doing different aspects of my job.....2 hours later signed off and I have my NVQ!