Certified Construction Manager vs. Certified Professional Constructor

I've tried to do some digging and can't seem to see where anyone has done an analysis of the differences between the two.

Can anyone provide any information on which is better? What are the key differences?

Thanks!

themandan40 said:

I've tried to do some digging and can't seem to see where anyone has done an analysis of the differences between the two.

Can anyone provide any information on which is better? What are the key differences?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Certified Construction Manager:

The CCM is geared toward Project Management for Construction Managers.  The CMAA states that they are pursuing a requirement to have a CCM as a prerequisite on projects.  They are pursuing a lot of local, state, and federal agencies to try to make this happen.

Their typical exam type questions are geared toward the following:

·       Knowing the difference between CM – Agency and CM – at risk

·       Differences between the Project Management Plan and the Project Procedures Manual

·       Knowing the differences between a schedule update and a schedule revision

About CCM certification:

1. The CM Certification Program is administered by the Construction Manager Certification Institute (CMCI), an independent administrative body of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA)
    
   
2. What is a CCM? - The Certified Construction Manager (CCM) is the “gold standard” in personnel credentials for the Construction Management profession. It is the only CM certification accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO-17024 standard.
    
   
3. CCM’s have voluntarily met the prescribed criteria of the CCM program with regards to formal education, field experience and demonstrated capability and understanding of the CM body of knowledge. CCM’s are committed to excellence in Construction program/project management, career advancement and the pursuit of knowledge. 
    
   
4. What does a CCM do? – CCM’s provide a professional service: they apply effective management techniques to the planning, design, and construction of a project from inception to completion for the purpose of controlling time, cost and quality.
    
   
5.  What's the point? - The purpose of the CCM is to improve delivery of the built environment by identifying the CMs who are best qualified by education and experience to deliver professional CM services at the highest level of quality and ethical conduct.
    
   
6.  What does the exam test? - The exam tests general knowledge of construction management. Material is based on the Construction Manager Body of Knowledge and is taken from the following sources: CMAA's Standard CM Services and Practice and the CII's Best Practicis Guide.
   
7. How is the test formatted?  - There are 200 multiple choice questions, of which 175 are graded.  You must complete the exam in 5 hours.
   
8. How is the credential maintained - The Board of Governors identified two areas for renewal: section 1) continued involvement in the CM profession and section 2) professional development. All CCM’s must submit a minimum of 25 RP’s by the end of their anniversary month every three years. The 25 RP’s can be earned in section 1, section 2, or a combination of both sections. NOTE: PE PDH’s count as CCM RP’s – The cost of renewal is $200 every 3 years.
   
9. Where can I find further information about becoming a CCM - http://cmaanet.org/
   
10. What is the cost - Without a CMAA membership, for me, the cost was approximately $1,280.00, which included the Study Kit and a practice exam (from Amazon).
    
11. Test Window – Anytime
    

Certified Professional Constructor:

The CPC states that their certifications means you know your way around a jobsite.  I have not seen any requirements that a CPC is required on a job and I do not believe the AIC is taking this approach.  I believe they are pursuing as many voluntary certifications as possible and letting owners know that it a good thing to have CPC’s on their jobs:

Typical Exam questions are:

·       Knowing what the doctrine of separate gates is and when should it be applied.

·       Putting together a bid package

·       Calculating labor, equipment and material variances

·       Providing you a sample contract and asks you questions about it (Insurance requirements, float ownership, who pays for temporary utilities, etc.)

About CPC Certification:

1. What is the Certified Professional Constructor Certification - The Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) is the highest level of certification in the Constructor Certification Program.  This level of certification is ideal for individuals with established constructors who have several years of project oversight experience and seek to take their career to the next level.  Individuals that seek the CPC designation are experienced at managing the process of construction. Why is a CPC important to have on a construction project?  CPC's provide a project with an individual who has verified experience and skills, giving you peace of mind that your project is being managed efficiently and effectively.  You also know that you have an ethical and professional managing your project as all CPC's abide by the AIC Code of Ethics. 
    
   
2. What does the Exam Test - The CPC Body of Knowledge is developed by practicing professionals and has been a refined over the nearly 20 year history of the CPC exam.
   I. Project Scope Development 20%
   II. Employment Practices 5%
   III. Working Relationships 5%
   IV. Construction Start-Up and Support 8%
   V. Construction Resource Management 18%
   VI. Construction Cost Control 18%
   VII. Project Closeout 8%
   VIII. Construction Risk Management 12%
   IX. Ethics 6%
   Total 100%
   
3. How is the exam formatted - The CPC exam is made up of 175 multiple choice questions given in one 4-hour testing session via Computer Based Testing.  AIC has partnered with hundreds of professional examination sites, making the CPC highly accessible.  Once approved for the exam, a candidate can schedule the date, time and location of their exam within the set 2 week exam testing window.
   
4. How much does it cost - I paid $675 without being a member of the American Institute of Constructors.  The study guide is a free download available from their website.
   
5. Test Window – Two week period twice a year (Spring and Fall)
   
6. How is the credential maintained - After being awarded the CPC credential you must participate in the Continuing Professional Development Program.  This program ensures that each certificant keeps current on industry trends and education.  Each individual certification is valid for two years, beginning the first full year after earning the certification. 
   
   ·       Pay a yearly CPD Fee of $75, billed in November of the year before it is due.  AIC Members have this fee waived, note that AC certification is not AIC Membership.  
   
   ·       Obtain 32 Hours of CPD Credit over the 2 year Certification Cycle.  Every two years you will be asked to submit an affidavit verifying you earned the 32 Hours.
   
   ·       10% of CPC's will be asked during their review period to participate in an Audit of their hours.  This will require those CPC’s to provide backup documentation of their hours earned. 
   
7. Where can i find more information about this certification: http://www.professionalconstructor.org/
   

Project Management Professional:

I know you did not ask what the difference between a PMP and these are, but the CMAA has provided a link here to explain the differences between a PMP and a CCM.

http://cmaanet.org/files/Certification/pmpvsccm.pdf

Also, some sub-forums on this forum discusses the PMP in more detail if you are interested.

Dude! You rock! Thanks so much for breaking this down like this. 

I was thinking of looking of doing the Certified Professional Constructor but now thinking the CCM may be more suited to me. 

I work for the Federal Government and I don't manage construction per se but I oversee the contractors management of the construction. I also provide discrepancy assistance and lately I seem to do a lot of conflict mediation. 

My project managers generally get their PMP and figure someday I will need to get that as well but not until I want to get out of the field and sit at a desk all day