What kind of jobs can i get?

[jphamilt]

Hello, I am an active duty Army Engineer Officer currently deployed to Afghanistan. I have a construction Platoon over here doing tons of projects. I was also an enlisted Carpenter and deployed a few years ago, so I've got some hands on experience. Now, I manage the projects, including procuring BOM and using Microsoft Project for scheduling. My undergrad is in Political Science, but I'm looking at getting my Masters in Construction Management online. What kind of jobs can I expect to find when I get out in 18 months and how well will the Masters degree help me? The Army is paying so I'm getting a Masters in something. Thanks.

Jeremy

[homebild]

"What kind of jobs can I expect to find when I get out in 18 months and how well will the Masters degree help me?"

Well, if the economy remains the same, you will not find many (if any) construction jobs awaiting you, especially in the residential sector and a Masters degree won't help.

The new home construction market has collapsed nationwide and in my region alone (one not significantly affected by the building crash), new home starts and permits are down about 350% from just 2 years ago.

And there is no immediate end in sight.

If I were you, I would not invest the time and money in a Masters Degree in any construction related field right now, and use your time and resources to look for a more marketable option not associated with construction....or re-enlist.

[Don_P]

Look a little further out front. These events shake many out and there is a pent up demand when the economy improves. I imagine you have experience that would be useful to a gov't subcontractor if the outside sector is still weak. Might be worth researching.

[RTF]

I say stick with it and inquire with companies that do government work. There will be a lot of work on the country's crumbling infrastructure going forward. Perhaps you will find a company that honors your service to our country and would welcome you as a valued employee. Thank you for your service.

[Adrian]

Right now is a great time to be in school - Use this time to study and analise what caused this recession, and what industry will be leading us out.

In the construction industry there is a little "green" fad right now that will really pick up momentum when energy costs start to increase.

If I were in school today I would be looking at taking any and all courses in sustainable building practices.

[syed2011]

Construction jobs are mostly full time jobs and most people working in this sector put in more than 40 hours a week. Many times, construction jobs demand odd working hours to meet with deadlines or to handle emergencies. So you may end up working on the weekends or holidays and evenings. However, the bright side to this is the high hourly wages.