Despite being a veteran construction cost estimator, I’ve noticed as I’ve advanced in my career (meaning “gotten older”) that there is still much I don’t know … and need to learn. For me, and I suspect for others of a certain age and experience level, the need to continue learning keeps increasing, but not inversely to how much knowledge and experience I may already have. The opposite is true: the more you know, the more you don’t know — sounds a tad askew, I know, but that’s my reality, or at least how I perceive it. What is a middle-aged, double-digit experienced construction professional to do? Keep learning, of course!
In years past, many construction estimators relied on membership and participation in professional trade associations, where new knowledge could be gained just by reading the monthly newsletter, or perhaps by attending the occasional meeting. For many reasons, not excluding the pandemic years, trade association memberships seem to have less esteem than they enjoyed 15 or 20 years ago.
Getting the most out of those experiences requires more than a little effort, but for me they’ve always been the best way to keep up to date on industry trends, new materials and software, and business opportunities. There are literal dues to pay; travel and lodging expenses for attending out of town conferences; and, for many, a time commitment that faces keen competition from other human endeavors, like being a spouse, a parent, a caregiver, a friend, or even just a person who could use a little downtime (who couldn’t use more of that?).
A lot of these trade associations offer one or more opportunities for certification and other forms of credentialing. Obtaining these almost always requires a higher level of effort, expense, and time — they usually require studying for and passing an exam or two and writing a paper or some other form of peer review in order to attain those initials after your name and job title on a business card or email signature. Are these pursuits worthy of the effort? That answer is as variable as there are people on the planet, so all I can do is offer my own experiences as an example.
I work in an industry where no license or even college degree is required to practice — I am a construction cost estimator, but I work alongside degreed and licensed professionals on a daily basis, many of whom are my clients.
For me, it is mandatory that I achieve and maintain credentials (I do have an AAS degree in civil engineering technology and LCPE and CDT certifications from ASPE and CSI, respectively, on top of my 30 years of experience as an estimator, including 26 as a self-employed estimator). These credentials give my clients and others confidence that I am capable of speaking their language, understanding and using their work output, and making a positive contribution to the project.
Delivering accurate, correct, and thorough cost estimates and providing other technical services is where the rubber hits the road, because that’s where the proof is that anybody is good at what they do. For me though, it’s more of an idea that I can always be better that drives me, even if my job doesn’t depend on it. Anybody with a legal pad and calculator can call themselves an estimator, but not everybody can prove their competency at it, and that’s motivation enough for me.
There are other motivations as well: more money comes to mind immediately, but a bigger salary really comes from the value a person brings to their employer or clients. Credentials can open doors, get you a second look, and quietly provide assurance to those considering doing business with you or your firm. A value adder to potential clients include knowing that your company is staffed with smart, thoughtful people who do more than the minimum to stay good at their job. These value adders aren’t only measured in dollars: professional esteem and peer recognition are awfully nice as well, as is the self-satisfaction and confidence that can arise from achieving professional credentialing.
Outside of trade association memberships and the certification opportunities that come with them, there are many other ways to keep learning and getting better. I’ve always been a fan of trade mags, like DCD, ENR, and many others. Reading these is one way to learn. Teaching a class is another — and it may be the most underrated method of learning, as knowledge transfer is usually a two-way street.
My newest (and maybe favorite) way to learn these days is the very modern (and somewhat hip!) method of watching YouTube videos on a wide variety of topics. There are many channels that focus on engineering and construction, and many manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors have videos on how to use their products and services.
I will often watch videos of construction crews in action just to get an idea of crew composition for a particular installation and the equipment they’re using. This is freely available and useful information that can help me in my job. I’ve become a better estimator just by watching these videos. My favorite channel is, by far, Practical Engineering (and its sister channel Practical Construction), both produced and hosted by Texas-based civil engineer Grady Hillhouse.
I don’t think I’d go so far as to mention on my CV that I am an avid reader of trade publications or watcher of YouTube videos, but that doesn’t preclude their usefulness as professional development tools. The bottom line for me is to never assume I am finished learning. I’m old enough now that I need to re-learn all the stuff I forgot!
About the Author
Daniel Frondorf, CPE, CDT is a Cincinnati-based civil construction cost estimator; he operates DG Frondorf and Associates, a civil cost estimating consulting firm, and is a member of ASPE, CERT, CSI, and AACE.
For more information, visit www.dgfrondorf.com
