SOP Sample for MS in Construction Management - India Fresh Graduate

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Since my childhood I was always charmed with tall buildings and monuments. Construction has been a major part for around 22 years of my life. My father being a part of a construction company, I was brought up in a way where the crux of construction has already been built in me. At a very early age, I realized that my career would be around the field that dealt with development of buildings. Construction Management is not just a process of planning, designing, and construction of the project from its starting to the very end but has the application of specialized Project Management techniques that will enable the engineers to outline specific details of the project and execute them with accuracy. Construction is a risky business; each project comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. Recognizing and managing these risks can be tricky but not difficult with careful planning and execution. For this, we should be able to assess, control and monitor risks accurately, once they are identified. To apply these and other advanced techniques effectively in real-world problems I will need knowledge about the techniques, processes and the skills that are much required in becoming an expert construction management professional.

I have been fascinated by the efficiency by which construction management professionals manage mega projects along with handling the project risks. The most recent project which fascinated me was the [PROJECT_NAME] Airport, [CITY] which was reconstructed, increasing its capacity by three times the previous capacity. What management strategies did the project managers apply to reconstruct the existing airport within the stipulated time is still a big question in my mind. This very project has deeply influenced me about how to make the project feasible and profitable along with Time Management and Risk Management. This made me inquisitive to learn these techniques. With this target, I am determined to pursue a Master of Science in Construction Management. I would like to fortify myself with a master's in construction project management in order to positively respond to the ever-expanding world of Construction. This program will broaden my horizons and help me gain the necessary skills required in the Construction Industry. In my opinion, a Master's program is the ideal next step in order to meet my educational goals and get prepared for the professional environment.

After completing my high school education, I enrolled for the Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering at [COLLEGE_NAME], [CITY], affiliated to the [UNIVERSITY_NAME] which is among top tier colleges for the civil engineering department. In my Undergraduate program, I have acquired knowledge in subjects like Project Management and Engineering Economics, Total Quality Management and Management Information System, and Construction Management. I came to know the large data needs to be taken care of to ascertain that the project is profitable. These subjects helped me to gain several fundamental aspects of construction management; I studied CPM, PERT, WBS, and PMBOK to satiate my enthusiasm towards Construction Management, but this only whetted my appetite in the field of my interest. To be a construction management professional, a Master's degree is much needed. When it came to these subjects, my curiosity level was always high. To gratify this curiosity, I started to learn new techniques; I always used to ask my subject teacher many doubts about some points which cleared my concepts and helped me to realize the effectiveness of proper management.

In the third year of engineering, I worked on a mini project in which there were a PowerPoint presentation and seminar report titled 'Repair and Rehabilitation of RCC Structure', where I developed reports on causes of deterioration of structures, rational approach to any repairs and rehabilitation works, types of repairs and rehabilitation works, and various methods of repair and rehabilitation for different structural components. The purpose behind taking this project was to analyse existing structures which are too old or deteriorated so that by various methods and types of repair and rehabilitation the structure can be brought again into existence. I got to learn many new methods which I was not familiar with. The whole work required proper execution and observation from beginning to its end. For smooth flow of a project, a project manager is required to achieve desired results. Before taking decision of the project title, one thing in my mind was the project must be related to my field of interest that should help me to increase my knowledge and skills related to construction management.

As part of my Academic Program, I undertook my thesis project or final year project titled "Comparative Study of RCC, Ferrocement and FRC" where my fundamentals and applied skills were tested. This project focused on the flexural strength of RCC, Ferrocement and FRC slab panels, the failure behaviour of RCC, Ferrocement and FRC slab panels, and compared the weight of RCC, ferrocement and FRC. From the results and observation of the project, the conclusion can be made that the flexural load carrying capacity of ferrocement and FRC is more than that of RCC. Also, deflection of ferrocement is more than FRC and RCC. Weight of ferrocement and FRC is less than weight of RCC. The mixture was found to be economical for its use in the construction industry thus decreasing the load on the environment and preserving natural resources. Speaking about the obstacles faced during the procurement of materials, finally with the help of faculty and industrial experts we did it. I learned to conduct periodic supervision and maintain daily reports to ensure the project is being executed on the correct path, evaluated project schedule, placing of material orders and their procurement during the project. The interesting fact about choosing this project was taking the responsibility of planning and scheduling which helped me to plan and schedule before executing the project that sets the direction to team members—how to move forward and adhere to the timelines, efficiently managing resources including people, boosting team morale ensuring that their team's effort should not go unrewarded in the end, ensuring quality as expected and retaining knowledge and learning. All these skills helped me to complete the project and much more which is needed in Construction Management.

Besides acquiring theoretical knowledge during the four-year degree program, I did an internship of six months at "[COMPANY_NAME]" in [CITY]. While working as a student site engineer intern, I was assigned duties to monitor the site execution activities in real time. I was required to visit the site and make a detailed report of everyday activities executed on site. Luckily, the company gave me the opportunity to assist the project manager where I got to see his pragmatic approach and various techniques like BIM, Lump Sum Contracts, Design-Bid-Build technique, and Construction Risk Management that he used to complete the project, which acquainted me with real project issues and the ways to approach them. I also came across Quantity Surveying and Billing, and how proper estimation of materials required on site is done. The internship helped me understand how project planning and its execution takes place, and it also helped me enhance my leadership and communication skills by efficiently handling the workers. Each passing day brought in more opportunities to learn, explore and stretch my capacity to work, and on top of that it involves a lot of fieldwork, unlike other fields where monotony governs in working environment and tasks both. By the observation of the duties of Project Manager, from the start of the project till the end—proper planning and scheduling, proper execution of project and facing all the challenges during the project and skills required for them—the kind of exposure I received through the internship got me further interested in the field of construction management.

I had worked as a trainee civil engineer and assisted a project manager. During my exposure to the profession, I realized the importance of management in the process of construction. My education as a Civil Engineer is helping me to deal with the designing aspects of the process of construction of a building, and when it comes to construction management I feel there is a lot more to learn. And here I felt the need to become a construction manager. I realized that a construction manager had to be a 'jack of all trades' kind of person and parallel to it should possess core knowledge of project management. In my opinion this course will broaden my perspective of multi-functional aspects of construction business, contract management and related subjects, and equip myself with the knowledge and skills to exercise higher managerial responsibilities successfully. Moreover, the need for managerial positions in construction industry is at a steep rise, which reinforces my decision to pursue a career in construction management.

As each coin has two faces, similarly in my view, I feel that extracurricular activities are as important as studies in estimating a person's overall capacity and character. I took part in a number of extracurricular and co-curricular activities to sharpen my comprehension and personal skills. I have completed software training courses such as AutoCAD, STAAD Pro, Estimation and Billing, and Microsoft Project which certainly helped me in the long run. Besides this, I took part in mock placement held in an event called [EVENT_NAME], which required participants with aptitude examination followed by group discussion and finally the personal interview. Also, I attended technical workshops on civil engineering like Microsoft Project and Primavera P6. In addition to this, I also participated in college festival events where I have been actively a member of the disciplinary committee which led to successful event conduction. In the final year of the four year BE program, I have participated in the B.E Project Exhibition arranged by the department of civil engineering where as a team leader I explained the project to construction industry experts and other faculties.

All through my school and college life I have played an active role in extracurricular activities. I enjoyed taking part in dance performances, extempore, etc. I was always at the forefront in organizing different cultural, educational, sports and gaming events in school as well as the colleges. I also have a keen interest in photography and love playing basketball, badminton, and table tennis and have participated in many interstate sports competitions at school levels.

To keep myself updated with the latest information and advancements in construction, I am regularly referring to construction and architectural magazines and journals like CECR, Construction Executive Building, Construction Enquirer, and Architectural Digest.

I aspire to have an excellent career as a Construction Manager. With the help of my knowledge and skills, I would like to be a prudent participant in the development of society. I plan to establish my Construction Management firm. The advanced knowledge of various techniques like "Project Planning and Scheduling," "Cost Analysis and Control," "Estimating and Costing," "Risk Management," and "Resource Allocation" is much needed to reach these goals. To study the Master of Science in Construction Management with the best resources and highly skilled professors, this course would help me in developing critical and analytical problem-solving skills.

I should pursue the course at your University which is reputed for experienced professors and student-friendly environment. Being a part of your reputed institute will allow me to develop optimal skills in these areas. My curiosity for construction management is invincible. This subject has been catching my attention since the beginning of my undergraduate days. I hope the university will recognize my potential and find the right candidate in me for the program. I firmly believe that studying at the university will be a stepping stone for my career.