Online Classes

Understand the major roles, players, and processes in the construction industry. Become familiar with the different types of construction, the diverse roles, stages, and processes of a construction project. Develop an awareness of safety regulations, safety inspection, construction documents and their uses. Additionally, develop a working understanding of construction project management topics including estimating, project management, scheduling, close out and pay out. You must complete the course within 5 weeks. Work at your own pace.

Develop mathematical skills that can be applied to the construction trade through practice and application. The construction math lessons are based on real-world examples. By the end of this construction basics online course, you should be able to: Use and understand all operations on fractions and decimals that are common to the construction industry; Calculate area, and volume of various shapes; Convert measurements from fractions to decimals; Convert measurements from cubic feet to cubic yards; Measure the volume of concrete footings, slabs, walls, and columns; Calculate board feet; Calculate and measure for basic constructions in wood and concrete.

Learn how to read architectural, structural, civil, mechanical, roofing, and electrical blueprints in this online blueprint reading class. Practice looking up information and solving common construction problems by reading the blueprints. By the end of the course, you will: Have an elementary knowledge of blueprint reading as it relates to building construction projects; Understand in general terms the design process and the role of design professionals; Be able to find trade information using blueprints; Be able to answer basic construction questions related to the layout and installation of materials at the jobsite; Be able to identify elementary problems or shortcomings of the blueprints you are using.

Learn how to estimate general conditions, site work, excavation, concrete and masonry in this two-part series of hands-on detailed estimating courses. By the end of this class, you should be able to: Plan for and organize an estimate; Estimate the cost of general conditions; Prepare quantity take off of excavation and back-fill; Prepare a quantity take off of concrete, and form work; Use unit prices to price your estimate; Prepare a quantity take off and conceptual estimate of masonry work.

Learn estimating and quantity take off activities associated with Metals, Wood, Doors and Windows, Finishes, Electrical, and Mechanical Estimating. Focus on the preparation of work-place ready estimating documents. By the end of this class, you should be able to: Estimate the conceptual cost of structural metals; Prepare quantity take off and estimate of rough carpentry; Prepare a quantity take off of roofing and waterproofing; Use unit prices to price doors and windows; Prepare quantity take off and estimate various finishes; Prepare a quantity take off and conceptual estimate of mechanical systems; Prepare a quantity take off and conceptual estimate of electrical systems.

Develop foundational knowledge of construction materials and processes that utilize concrete, brick and CMU, metals, wood products, roofing, and more in this online construction course. Each week study one material category, one specific construction process, and an overall construction system. By the end of this class, students will: Be able to recognize quality control procedures for various materials; Be familiar with material manufacturing processes; Understand the physical limitations of the materials we are studying; Understand how the materials we are studying are used in construction; Know where to find information about materials when needed; Understand the regulatory environment under which materials are manufactured and incorporated into new structures; Know the relevant history of each material; Know the important aspects of how each material is used in construction processes.

Develop a deeper understanding of civil construction techniques in this online construction course. Discuss site preparation and grading, excavation, backfill, compaction, trenching, paving, and dewatering. By the end of this course, you should be able to: Understand standard terminology and units of measurement used in heavy construction; Explain the properties of civil construction materials; Perform basic quantity take-offs and estimating for heavy civil construction; Calculate quantities and costs for site work, utilities and paving; Distinguish between asphalt and concrete paving methods and materials; Develop an awareness of construction safety related to earthmoving operations; Explain and discuss a variety of horizontal drilling and tunneling systems; Understand trench safety requirements and the proper use of trench boxes; Understand the methods, procedures and processes of heavy civil construction.

Gain an overall and elementary understanding of civil construction blueprints and materials in this blueprint reading class. This includes understanding and interpreting civil construction blueprints, reading specifications, manufacture and use of civil construction materials such as aggregates, concrete, asphalt, pipe, and geosynthetics. By the end of this blueprint class, you will be able to: Interpret construction documents (plans and specifications); Use plan sheets to determine work scopes and quantities; Understand how aggregates are produced; Explain concrete and asphalt mix designs and how they are used; Differentiate between different pipe materials and fittings; Illustrate how metals can be used in civil construction; Describe how masonry and composite material are applied in civil construction.

Develop foundational knowledge of estimating for heavy civil and site work construction projects. This course will cover reading and understanding civil construction plans, determining earthwork quantities, determining crew make-up, and fundamentals of estimating various civil and site work components. By the end of this class, you will be able to: Understand and use standard terminology used in civil construction; Organize an estimate in a logical format; Perform quantity take-offs for civil construction work; Determine crew make up and productivity; Calculate labor, equipment, and material costs for civil construction works; Prepare a final estimate for a civil/site work construction project including indirect costs, mark-ups, and profit.

Acquire skills and understanding of positive direct communication with an emphasis on construction supervision. Grow in their abilities to help people communicate with them, listen better, and deal with difficult people. Develop their skills in negotiating and communicating with all organizational levels and groups. By the end of this training course you will: Learn about the different forms of communication; Understand how effective communications affect productivity; Be able to recognize and overcome barriers to communication; Communicate with peers and supervisors effectively; Harness the techniques of listening; Apply your listening skills as a management method; Control the nature and tempo of a conversation; Learn to use questioning skills; Learn how to use both open-ended and closed-ended questions; Establish a negotiation strategy through which you will be able to reach commitment and agreement; Learn to communicate effectively with your crew; Deliver better, more precise working instructions; Learn how to offer corrective feedback; Develop useful writing skills; Learn to lead a successful meeting;  Understand why others have problems communicating with you;  Be able to develop a plan for improving communications.

Identify, manage, and solve risk related construction problems. Understand how to solve and prevent problems and how to make decisions. Review technical problems, human performance problems and scheduling problems. Focus on managing and proactively reducing risk within the construction work environment. Learn how to avoid barriers to creative problem-solving atmosphere at the jobsite. By the end of this training course, you will: Understand the risk management duties of the construction supervisor; Identify and encourage human factors to achieve a zero-accident workplace; Be able to explain the indirect and hidden costs of construction accidents; Understand the roles of commitment, attitudes, and training within an effective safety program; Explain potential hazards similar to those that create the highest number of accidents and how they can be prevented; Understand how to manage crisis situations; Know how to conduct accident investigations; Explain Experience Modification Rate and determine the effect the rate has on your labor costs. Be able to perform calculations using the EMR; Understand the role that construction contractual relationships play in controlling job site safety. This subject includes managing subcontractors for safety compliance; Know how to participate in a safety inspection conducted by a regulatory agency

Learn about common construction contract clauses and how to read a contract in this online construction course. Construction disputes, including differing site conditions, claims, delays and construction defects will be studied. By the end of this training course, you will: Understand the importance of contract documents and construction law as they pertain to onsite construction supervisors; Understand the different forms of formal dispute resolution including litigation, arbitration and mediation; Understand the roles of partnering in avoiding construction; Be able to differentiate between various contractual relationships by understanding the roles and responsibilities of contractual parties; Understand the different types of construction contracts and how the construction supervisor’s role may be affected by them; Understand the effects of changes as they are encountered and develop methods to react to potential conflicts resulting from changes; Know how to recognize differing site conditions and understand the importance of handling changed conditions effectively; Know how to handle schedule impacts, delays, accelerations, suspensions and disruption of time related work activities; Be able to resolve conflicts and issues through negotiation.

Learn and apply basic construction planning and scheduling skills. Prepare bar chart schedules and critical path schedules. Read complex project schedules, and understand the basics of project management by scheduling. Employ acceleration techniques. By the end of this training course, you will: Become familiar with the process of project planning and the efficiencies derived from planning; Be able to define schedule activities and assign reasonable durations to the activities; Know how to sequence the activities for logical project flow; Be able to prepare a short procurement schedule; Be able to prepare a bar chart schedule and use it properly; Learn about schedule float and understand how float can be used to delay or lengthen activities and to smooth manpower requirements; Be familiar computerized scheduling and understand both its limitations and advantages; Be able to apply constraints, sorts and filters to a computer generated schedule; Understand what resources are and how they can be coordinated with the schedule; Know how to use the schedule as a resource for crew and manpower assignments; Be able to apply methods for monitoring, comparing and updating the project schedule; Understand how to use the short-term schedule as a communication tool; Learn about schedule acceleration methods and how to apply them; Learn how the schedule is used as documentation for changes and disputes

Study the construction cost control procedures and options to improve productivity. Cost control will be discussed at the project level and corporate level. Learn about the cost control cycle and how to ensure effective production control. Organizing a project with a goal of productivity improvement. Learn how to calculate and measure worker productivity. Challenge the work process, learn about personnel management, and practice work improvement analysis. By the end of this training course, you will: Understand the estimating and quantity take-off process and how they are associated with construction cost control; Be familiar with the content of a typical construction estimate; Be able to evaluate subcontractors and participate in the subcontractor selection process; Know who has responsibilities for cost control and understand the risks associated with construction contracting; Learn how to increase productivity by using labor and equipment efficiently; Understand the general relationship among project estimating, productivity planning, measurement, project planning, scheduling and project control; Gain additional insight into the process of planning labor crews and preparing for labor costs; Know how to identify labor cost problems and solve the problems using project cost data; Learn several techniques for managing subcontractors at the job site; Learn strategies for using cost control data to influence the work and minimize negative cost impacts; Understand how to the evaluate project after completion and determine strategies for future projects; Know how to participate in a project debriefing and understand the value associated with debriefing; Learn about schedule acceleration methods and how to apply them; Learn how the schedule is used as documentation for changes and disputes.

Learn construction project management strategies, procedures, and systems used by project managers from the beginning of the project to the end. Actively take part in discussing the procedures involved in managing a construction project including planning, scheduling, and estimating. By the end of this training course, you will: Know the different project delivery systems and how each affects the role of the project management team; Understand owner feasibility studies, methods of delivery, programming and design; Know how to manage the flow of project information during the various phases of the project; Be able to manage various types and sources of risk that are the primary responsibility of the project supervisor; Understand the role of planning and scheduling in the pre-construction phase of a construction project; Understand the how and why of estimating; Be able to manage the mobilization and organization of a project in the field; Understand the basics of expediting materials, equipment orders, and the inspection and approval processes; Understand how project financing and insurance plays a role in modern construction management, cash flow, and project cost control; Understand the typical contracts used in the construction industry; Understand and recognize the Specifications and the Order of Precedence and its use in risk management; Be able to coordinate the close out of a construction project; Determine the best course of action to getting paid; Be able to apply subcontractor management techniques; Understand how corporate policies and procedures can affect the management of the project.

Learn how to survey the legal environment to protect yourself as a construction professional. This online construction course will cover methods and strategies to avoid litigation, understand legal liabilities and protections, and mitigate disputes. By the end of this training course, you will: Recognize the validity of offers and counter-offers; Explain how the lack of a contract, or change order does not justify unjust enrichment;  Explain how the Uniform Commercial Code governs the actions of suppliers; Establish the different methods commonly used to prevent litigation; Understand the protections afforded by bonds, liens, and waivers; Examine the legal liability of construction professionals; Explain how to avoid disputes through the use of clauses and how to avoid defects.