The Master Planning Engineer

By Dr. Zulk Shamsuddin

A planning engineer works to plan and organize work for a construction project. These engineers often specialize in a specialization, such as highway, high-rise, or bridge. A planning engineer performs several tasks, including assisting the project architect with developing plans for a new project.
• Preparing cost estimates for project services.
• Managing the design, planning, and construction of construction projects.
• Assisting with contract documents.
• Performing inspections to ensure construction workers’ safety.
• Developing construction planning schedules for projects.

The Master Planning Engineer (MPE) is a gold-standard certification for individuals who demonstrate technical knowledge and experience in project planning that includes skills associated with planning and scheduling, project management, risk management, analytical skills, quality assurance, organizational governance, and executive communication.

It forms the basis of the assessment that applicants must pass to gain the Master Planning Engineer status and inclusion in the Directory of Certified Professionals of The Global Academy of Finance and Management ®.
Stand out from the crowd with the GAFM® Master Planning Engineer certification and the prestigious post-nominal title “MPE” after your name.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781387720767

Book preview

Copyright © 2020 Zulk Shamsuddin, PhD / GAFM ACADEMY

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9781387720767

INTRODUCTION

A planning engineer works to plan and organize work for a construction project. These engineers often specialize in a specialization, such as highway, high-rise, or bridge. A planning engineer performs several tasks, including assisting the project architect with developing plans for a new project.

Preparing cost estimates for project services.

Managing the design, planning, and construction of construction projects.

Assisting with contract documents.

Performing inspections to ensure construction workers’ safety.

Developing construction planning schedules for projects.

The Master Planning Engineer (MPE) is gold-standard certification for individuals who demonstrate technical knowledge and experience in project planning that includes skills associated with planning and scheduling, project management, risk management, analytical skills, quality assurance, organizational governance, and executive communication.

It forms the basis of the assessment that applicants must pass to gain the Master Planning Engineer status and inclusion in the Directory of Certified Professionals of The Global Academy of Finance and Management ®.

Stand out from the crowd with the GAFM® Master Planning Engineer certification and the prestigious post-nominal title MPE after your name.

Benefits of becoming a Master Planning Engineer

Planning Engineers determine and develop the most suitable and economically viable construction and engineering methods for projects. They are involved throughout the development stages and are present on-site during the build to oversee procedures.

Engineers use mathematics, scientific principles, and technology to analyze problems and provide solutions to increase an organization’s efficiency, build new products, create technological advancements, and design newer, safer, more innovative, and cost-efficient solutions. They aim to make sense of complex systems and improve existing processes.

Get the Master Planning Engineer certification and enjoy these benefits:

Get noticed by Top Recruiters

This credential will boost your career toward professional planning engineer positions. 

International recognition.

Assurance for clients of high standards and ethical practice.

Use of the post-nominal MPE or Master Planning Engineer after your name on business cards, CVs, personal portfolios.

Introduce yourself with this exclusive certification card during networking, business events, conference, training, and anywhere. Certification has its privileges.

Importance of Certification

Certificates and Certifications, the names for these credentials sound confusingly similar. But there are important differences. Here’s what you need to know about these resume-enhancing options and how they might advance your career.

What is a Certificate?

Earning a certificate is about education. Certificates are academic credentials awarded by colleges, universities or other educational institutions. Students in certificate programs learn new knowledge in a specific subject or discipline and earn a certificate by successfully completing the coursework. An ideal student for a certificate program is someone who is willing to go through the experience of growing their own skillset, being real about what they want to learn, and working with others, says Jennifer Diamond, an instructor for the UW Certificate in Project Management. Many certificate programs have few, if any, admission requirements, making them an excellent option if you want to move forward in your career. The programs are usually noncredit and take less time to complete than a degree. Certificates are commonly listed on resumes as education, and some meet education requirements for first-time or renewed certifications.

What is a Certification?

When you have the professional knowledge you need, a certification allows you to prove it.  Certifications indicate mastery of skills or standards. Professional certifications are granted by industry groups or career-related organizations. These groups assess your qualifications, usually through an exam or application process. Many certifications include the privilege to use a related designation following your professional title. Certification differs from a license, which permits you to work in a certain profession and is usually issued by a government or regulatory agencies.

Benefits of Certification

Certification helps in learning new technologies, skills, and abilities for a specific promotion. Earning a new certification or an advanced certification in a particular area of expertise can help in advancing your career.

Professional certification shows consumers and potential employers that you are committed to your profession and are well-trained. It gives them confidence in your abilities and knowledge. Certification makes you more valuable to employers, so you can expect to earn more than someone without certification.

Certifications can give you the chance to learn needed skills and be a quick way to show employers you have those skills. On the other hand, certifications can require studying or coursework, and cost up to several hundred dollars to take.

Planning Engineer Skills and Qualifications

Planning Engineers determine and develop the most suitable and economically viable construction and engineering methods for projects. They are involved throughout the development stages and are present on-site during the build to oversee procedures. 

Planning and scheduling is an important part of construction management. Planning and scheduling of construction activities help engineers to complete the project on time and within budget. Thus, management of resources such as men, materials, and machinery require effective planning and scheduling of each activity.

Day-to-day responsibilities include drawing up work schedules and budgets, delegating tasks, analyzing project specifications and finding cost-effective ways to meet them, liaising with contractors and suppliers, managing resources, and communicating with surveyors, managers, and other engineers. You should be able to analyze data, write reports, and deliver presentations to various stakeholders.  To be successful as a Planning Engineer, you should demonstrate a sound knowledge of the relevant Engineering discipline and be able to anticipate problems. Outstanding Planning Engineers should have great attention to detail and be able to handle stress well.

Planning Engineer Duties and Responsibilities

Planning Engineers decide and develop the most appropriate economic models and engineering methods for projects. They work in a variety of fields such as civil engineering or construction. Planning Engineers are normally onsite during an engineering project to supervise all stages of work and provide solutions. Most planning engineers work full-time alongside a wide number of teammates, such as site managers, surveyors, and engineers, to ensure a project runs on schedule and that materials are sufficient. Successful planning engineers are comfortable working in fast-paced environments. Although a planning engineer’s day-to-day duties and responsibilities are determined by where they work, there are many core tasks associated with the role.

Making plans using detailed drawings.

Preparing estimates and budgets.

Creating accurate project specifications.

Designing engineering experiments.

Creating technical reports for customers.

Completing regulatory documents concerning safety issues.

Create Project Execution Plans

Deciding on proper engineering techniques and milestone sequences for each project stage is the most important role of a planning engineer. They set targets for activities based on each phase of a project plan and ensure it meets client’s specifications. Planning Engineers make estimations for timescales and costs using specialized design software packages.

Project Monitoring and Reporting

Planning Engineers monitor day-to-day work progress for a project and provide accurate weekly and monthly reports by swiftly communicating potential progress delays or project slippages. Tracking and analyzing field results is another key responsibility. Planning Engineers continually make comparisons between planned progress and actual progress and report any differences to their lead project manager. They also study the impact of alternative approaches.

Perform Project Coordination

Planning Engineers analyze expenses and identify opportunities to save costs. They make sure complex projects are handled on time and on budget by overseeing project planning, inventory services, cost control, team leadership, and project management.

Manage Stakeholder and Team Communication

A planning engineer works closely with others involved in a project and directs the daily workload of subordinate team members. They attend crucial meetings and provide current status updates to vendors, supervisors, and other stakeholders.

Drive Process Improvement

Driving continuous improvement by working with leadership teams is a key duty for planning engineers. They identify gaps in key performance areas and plan activities to increase overall project efficiency.

Planning Engineers provide guidance and delivery schedules to facilitate project execution strategy.

Understanding project specifications and developing time schedules and budgets that meet them.

Negotiating with vendors and contractors to secure the best prices.

Observing existing processes, analyzing staff performance, and addressing deficiencies accordingly.

Monitoring and tracking project progress, and writing up reports.

Attending and scheduling meetings as required.

Delegating tasks and ensuring workers receive feedback.

Understanding and meeting all contract requirements.

Communicating with managers, supervisors, and the rest of the team.

Analyzing technical drawings and providing material and cost estimates.

Ensuring all projects are completed on time and within budget.

Skills

Planning Engineers should be self-motivated, extremely organized, and have strong communication and project management aptitude. Employers typically seek candidates with a bachelor’s degree, an engineering certification, and the following skills:

Engineering skills – planning engineers need a strong understanding of technical engineering principles to predict future problems and find solutions for them

Planning and Scheduling – the primary job of planning engineers is to determine the best possible scheduling techniques for a project to get completed on time.

Project Management –understanding how to scope a project and create work schedules to ensure completion within the timeframe and budget allotted is a key duty of planning engineers

Risk Management – planning engineers need to monitor possible risks that may impact the activities associated with project planning and scheduling.

Analytical skills – high levels of analytical problem-solving skills are critical to the performance of this role

Executive Communication – planning engineers need strong verbal and written skills to provide reports to clients and stakeholders as well as articulate complex project plans to team members

Computer skills – planning engineers use specialized computer software for engineering and project management purposes, and also to produce visual presentations, using bar charts and graphs to explain work schedules

HOW TO MAKE YOUR SKILLS STAND OUT

Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume

Emphasize the required job skills in your resume, especially in the description of your work history.

Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter

You can incorporate soft skills into your cover letter. Include one or two of the skills mentioned in this article and give specific examples of instances when you demonstrated these traits at work.

Use Skill Words During Job Interviews

Keep the

Reviews for The Master Planning Engineer

[Cathy Scott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent content, suitable for planning engineers. If you need a book to start planning and scheduling a project, this is just perfect. The world-class certification is proof of your skills and competencies.

[Julia Chase · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent content, suitable for planning engineers, content sufficient for certification. Highly recommended for quick reference.