
Construction Management Education
Construction U is the premiere construction education program exclusive to ABC members
Explore construction management
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS
Construction Management Education
Construction U has been successfully running in-person soft skills, supervisory and leadership programs for the past seven years. Many Construction U programs are now available as virtual modules broken down into four to six modules per program, which is the equivalent of a one-day in-person class. Construction U programs are inter-related but are not overlapping.
In-person offerings
Project Coordinator

Project Coordinator Full Series: All six classes
This series is for those who work with project managers and anyone seeking to expand knowledge and skills for coordinating construction projects. The program consists of six different in-person, day-long courses.

Project Coordinator Class 1 of 6: Intro to Project Coordination
This is a high-level overview of the construction industry and the project coordinator’s role in the construction process. It will dig deeply into the function of construction project management.

Project Coordinator Class 2 of 6: Working With Construction Documents
This program will introduce contract basics and relevant terminology, review common contract and performance issues and their resolutions. It will also discuss the concept of breachless contracts and review progress billing and the payment process.

Project Coordinator Class 3 of 6: Communication, Negotiation & Time Management
Enrollees will discuss the communication model and the power of active listening. We also will cover negotiation principles and the art of influence, the value of time and how a good approach makes a difference in the ability move projects forward.

Project Coordinator Class 4 of 6: Plan & Spec Reading
This program will work through a set of construction plans and specifications to familiarize participants with common terminology and symbols.

Project Coordinator Class 5 of 6: Construction Law/Breachless Execution
This program will introduce contract basics and relevant terminology, review common contract and performance issues and their resolutions. It will also discuss the concept of breachless contracts and review progress billing and the payment process.

Project Coordinator Class 6 of 6: Construction Project Delivery
Project Delivery focuses on the initial estimate to closeout. Enrollees will discover why projects go wrong, examine the science of production, examine common reasons for cost overruns, control project budgets, and learn how to efficiently plan and maintain your projects.
Critical Skills (essential soft skills)

Critical Skills
This course is for both field persons and office staff who want to enhance soft skills so important for teamwork in construction. This one-day session will cover critical skills such as communication, teamwork, professionalism and productivity. The benefits of this education can be immediate for the company.

The Construction Foreman
When your craftspeople are ready to become crew leaders, foremen, and supervisors, this is the course for them. They may have all the hands-on skills to do the work on site, but they need supervisory skills. This one-day course will provide them with the education to assist in this new area of responsibility.
The Construction Team

The Construction Team
The Construction Team focuses primarily on a team leader’s approach to construction leadership with an emphasis on the team. It is for construction team members who supervise others, including crew leaders, foremen, project supervisors, office managers and construction executives.
Five modules over eight hours, including Team Builder; Building Team Trust; Team Leader’s Playbook; Train and Mentor; and Your Winning Team.
Foreman Fundamentals

Foreman Fundamentals
This course for those who are transitioning to a supervisory/managerial/leadership role in the construction industry. This course provides participants with knowledge they need to understand their new role and to start building their leadership skills.
Four modules over eight hours, including Challenges of the New Foreman; Crew Member to Crew Leaders; The Working Foreman; and The New Leader.
Live online offerings
The Construction Leader

The Construction Leader
Those who assume the role of construction leader find it is more than a job. It is a journey of self-exploration that requires preparation and planning. This course is for both field persons and office staff who want to enhance soft skills so important for teamwork in construction. Each of the four, two-hour sessions will cover critical skills such as communication, teamwork, professionalism and productivity. The benefits of this education can be immediate for the company.

Critical Skills
This course is for both field persons and office staff who want to enhance soft skills so important for teamwork in construction. Each of the four, two-hour sessions will cover critical skills such as communication, teamwork, professionalism and productivity. The benefits of this education can be immediate for the company.
On-demand online offerings
Working With Construction Documents*
This program covers documentation throughout the construction process.
4 modules/8 hours – Project Coordinator Track #2 of 5
Instructor: Gretchen Bockenhauer
Audience: Superintendents, project coordinators, assistant project managers, project coordinators, and new project managers
Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 13 to April 22, 2021 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Central | 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
The Construction Team
This program examines leadership topics focusing primarily on a team approach to construction leadership.
5 modules/10 hours
Instructor: Mike Somers, The Construction Classroom
Audience: Crew leaders, team leaders, foremen, and supervisors
Schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays, April 5 to April 19, 2021 – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central | 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern.
Areas of Construction Management
NEW!
On-Demand Virtual Learning
ABC of Wisconsin’s Construction U programs have always focused on providing relevant and actionable content. Based on member requests, in addition to in-person and live online courses, ABC has developed Construction U On-Demand, a new education and training format which provides 24/7 access to several popular self-paced courses. Courses are offered individually, with an option to bundle related topics, such as the Project Delivery Bundle.
Currently, available On-Demand courses include:
- The Value of Time
- Project Setup Through Closeout
- Production, Leadership, & Project Delivery
- Delivering a Profitable Project
- Improving Project Delivery
- Transition to Foreman
- Decision Making
- Communication for the New Leader
- Delegation
- Leading the Difficult Worker
- The Foreman Your Crew Wants to Follow
Every course has a free preview. More titles will be added.
