Industrial Construction Crew Supervisor

Whats New in 2009

Select Alternate Year - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008

There have been no changes to this trade in the year of 2009.

Duties

The Industrial Construction Crew Supervisor is the immediate supervisor of a crew of skilled construction workers on heavy industrial sites.  Commonly used titles for this occupation include foreman, forewoman, foreperson, first line supervisor, front line supervisor, crew leader etc.  Heavy industrial construction projects are large construction projects for industrial plants, including the fabrication and assembly of components or modules, plant maintenance and upgrading existing facilities.  In Alberta, industrial construction sites include petrochemical processing plants, pulp and paper plants, power generating plants, pipelines, refineries, oil sands plants, and performing “shut downs” or on-going contracted maintenance or upgrading to any existing plants.  The scope of industrial construction extends to include fabrication of components for industrial sites, fabrication shops, modular fabrication shops (mod yards) or sites.

The crew supervisor is chosen by the employer to lead small crews of workers who perform a specialized task on a construction site.  The crew supervisor is generally picked from the ranks of the skilled workers they will supervise.  The industrial construction crew supervisor may be certified in a designated trade, a designated occupation, or be a practitioner of a skilled industrial construction occupation that is not designated under the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act.

The construction trades crew supervisor leads, schedules, coordinates, supervises safety and productivity of crews at the workplace who install/assemble and maintain components of industrial products and structures.  As a key participant in the relationship with the contractor, work crew, other contractors, and clients, the crew supervisor is the first level or front line manager of the work crew.
The crew supervisor is responsible for:

• safety leadership, responsible and accountable for a safe workplace;
• acting as the employer’s representative on the job, and the leader of the crew they have been assigned;
• following project plans and schedules and supervising the crew’s daily and weekly activities;
• ensuring the work done meets industry standards for quality and crew productivity; and
• preparation of reports and documentation as required by the employer.

Working Conditions

The industrial construction supervisor is the leader of a crew of skilled workers.  A crew leader has to be able provide the first level of leadership and administration for their crews, and participate in planning and coordination with other the other crews on the job site. 

Industrial construction sites may be noisy, and dusty, the work environment could be outdoors in various weather conditions.  Travel and/or living in temporary accommodations may be required.  Long hours and shift work may be required.  An industrial construction crew supervisor may be required to be a “working foreman”.  Leaders of smaller crews may still perform tasks of the trade, occupation or craft they are leading.  Industrial construction trades occupations and crafts may require lifting objects in excess of 25 kilograms.  A “general foreman” will not be required to perform the tasks of the trade occupation or craft they lead, but may still be required to be present where and when the work is taking place.  A trade certificate is required for workers including “working foremen” in some industrial construction trades in Alberta.

For information regarding the trades and occupations involved in heavy industrial construction, consult the trades and occupations portion of this website, or the occupational profiles on the ALIS website http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca . Some examples of designated trades found on industrial construction sites include but are not limited to, Electricians, Welders, Steamfitter-Pipefitters, Carpenters, Insulators, Sheet Metal Workers Heavy Equipment Technicians, Ironworkers, Boilermakers, Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operators, Painter-Decorators, Millwrights and Instrumentation Technicians. Designated occupations in the heavy industrial construction sector may include, Construction Craft Labourer, Field Heat Treatment Technicians and Warehousing.  Non-designated construction occupations include Scaffolders, Plasterers, Fireproofers, and Equipment Operators.

Skills and Abilities

The industrial construction crew supervisor is often the first step taken by the skilled worker who wishes to move into construction management.

• Crew leaders need excellent verbal and written communication skills, the ability to read technical documents, drawings and specifications, and business communications.  Crew leaders need to be able to document crew activities, job progress, be able to use company specific procedures to request materials, personnel or other resources required to complete their assigned tasks. 
• Crew leaders need the organizational skills to plan the activities of others, and to manage and participate in meetings with their workers and other personnel on site. 
• The crew leader requires a good working knowledge of the employer’s responsibilities and role for safety, employment practices, and emergency procedures. 
• The ability to use computers for entering and retrieving project or crew information is a trend that is becoming increasingly more important. 

Employment and Advancement

Industrial construction crew supervisors are part of the larger National Occupational Classification 721, "Contractors and Supervisors, Trades and Related Workers". Industrial construction crew supervisors are part of the Alberta construction workforce. It is generally accepted in the construction industry that supervisors make up roughly 10% of the total construction workforce. Construction Labour Relations of Alberta estimates the industrial construction sector has high and low estimates for 3,000 and 6,000 crew supervisors needed between 2007 and 2014. Workers presently in the industry are expected to retire in large numbers in the next few years.

A crew supervisor earns a premium of approximately of $5 to $7 an hour over the hourly rate for a fully qualified tradesperson.  ”Working foremen” get the lower rate while “general foremen” receive the higher rate.  Hourly rates for the industrial construction supervisors are range from $40 to over $45 an hour depending on the trade or occupation.

Certified industrial construction crew supervisors who have the supervisory and management competencies required by industry, may apply for an Achievement in Business Competencies Blue Seal by contacting an Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training office.

Working in Alberta

A certificate is not required to work as an industrial construction crew supervisor in Alberta.  Industrial construction crew supervisor is a designated occupation and participation is voluntary. 

Job skills, competencies and standards of performance for industrial construction crew supervisor have been defined and approved under the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act. 

An interested individual must complete the Application for Certification in a Designated Occupation form.  A trade certificate is required for 'working foremen' in some industrial construction trades in Alberta.

Occupational Training

Occupational training is available through industry associations and employer-provided training.  Recommended formal training programs include eight or more days of leadership/supervisory training, and training in safety management.  At least 1000 hours of hands-on experience is required to become certified.  On-the-job training must be verified by an employer.  Approved leadership training courses may be available through employers associated with the Construction Labour Relations Association, the Merit Contractors Association, or through employee associations such as the unions representing construction workers.  Safety leadership training is available from the Alberta Construction Safety Association.  To ensure that training submitted for certification is current, the 1,000 hours of on-the-job training must have occurred within a 24 month (2 year) period, no more than five years prior to the date of application. The industry training required for certification is detailed in the AIT Board approved Competency Profile.

Entrance Requirements: People become industrial construction crew supervisors through employment in the industrial construction trades and occupations.  Employers select the individuals who will be trained to be crew supervisors. 

Student loans, grants, scholarships and other financial assistance may be available for formal training. More information is available at www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca or by contacting an Apprenticeship and Industry Training Office.

Occupational Certification

In order to be certified in the designated occupation of industrial construction crew supervisor, a candidate must prove;

• they have worked a minimum of 1,000 hours worked as a crew supervisor within the heavy industrial construction or plant maintenance sector within a maximum 2 year time period that falls within 5 years of the application date;
• completed an approved supervisor/leadership training program
  • "Better Supervision" Construction Labour Relations Association
  • "Supervisor Training Program" Christian Labour Association of Canada
  • "Supervisor Training Program" Merit Contractors Association
  • "Leadership for Safety Excellence" Alberta Construction Safety Association
• completed the Alberta Construction Safety Association Leadership for Safety Excellence (LSE) training;
• written and passed the Apprenticeship and Industry Training examination for industrial construction crew supervisor.

To qualify for an Alberta Occupational Certificate based on completion of industry-established competencies, a person must:

• complete the Application for Certification in a Designated Occupation and submit it, along with proof of having completed an approved supervision program; safety supervision program; and proof of having worked as a construction crew supervisor for at least 1000 hours (foreman, foreperson, first line supervisor) within a 24 month time span.

Qualification Certificate Program

The Qualification Certificate is not available for Industrial Construction Crew Supervisors.

Contact Information

To be connected to any Apprenticeship and Industry Training Office:

• from anywhere in Alberta, call toll-free to 310-0000 and then the telephone number you wish to reach; or if the number is unknown, ask the operator to connect you to the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Office of your choice.
  
  
• from outside of Alberta, call long distance (780) 427-2711
  
  
• deaf individuals with a TDD/TTY, call 427-9999 in Edmonton, or in other locations, call 1-800-232-7215.