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Civil engineers and surveyors

How to become a Civil Engineering Construction Manager

Also called: Septic tank installer, Landscape construction manager, Civil works site manager

Plans construction on site and supervises and directs civil engineering works such as bridges, roads, railways and dams.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular qualifications or licences are needed to start, but most people study civil engineering at high school or university and learn structural mechanics, soil mechanics, concrete engineering, hydraulics and surveying before starting work. To manage construction on site, as well as civil engineering you need to know the laws on managing construction, starting with the Construction Business Act and including road traffic, pollution prevention and hazardous materials laws, and labour laws such as the Labour Standards Act and the Industrial Safety and Health Act that keep work safe. Related qualifications include certified civil engineering construction manager and Professional Engineer (construction). With one of these you can become a supervising engineer, a role that must be assigned to large public works sites. You need to be able to complete work efficiently with a long-term view and to picture the shape of a structure from drawings. Much of the work is outdoors, so a reasonable level of fitness and attentiveness are also needed. You direct and supervise anywhere from dozens to hundreds of workers in many trades, so leadership, the ability to bring people together, cooperation and a strong will are needed. Unexpected construction problems, accidents or disasters can happen, so you need a habit of thinking things through in order, the ability to stay calm when sudden problems arise, and foresight.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Civil Engineering Construction Manager?

No particular qualifications or licences are needed to start, but most people study civil engineering at high school or university and learn structural mechanics, soil mechanics, concrete engineering, hydraulics and surveying before starting work. To manage construction on site, as well as civil engineering you need to know the laws on managing construction, starting with the Construction Business Act and including road traffic, pollution prevention and hazardous materials laws, and labour laws such as the Labour Standards Act and the Industrial Safety and Health Act that keep work safe. Related qualifications include certified civil engineering construction manager and Professional Engineer (construction). With one of these you can become a supervising engineer, a role that must be assigned to large public works sites. You need to be able to complete work efficiently with a long-term view and to picture the shape of a structure from drawings. Much of the work is outdoors, so a reasonable level of fitness and attentiveness are also needed. You direct and supervise anywhere from dozens to hundreds of workers in many trades, so leadership, the ability to bring people together, cooperation and a strong will are needed. Unexpected construction problems, accidents or disasters can happen, so you need a habit of thinking things through in order, the ability to stay calm when sudden problems arise, and foresight.

How much does a Civil Engineering Construction Manager earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥6,249,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Civil engineers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Civil Engineering Construction Manager?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 51% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Engineering degrees; Vocational college (専門学校) course: Civil engineering and architecture.

Will AI change the work of a Civil Engineering Construction Manager?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026