By Mat Khaloobagheri

The role of project management in engineering is not to be understated: project managers are responsible for making sure projects are delivered on time and on budget, managing project teams who work on multiple high paced dynamic projects at once, and liaising with clients to ensure schedules are completed accordingly.

There is an abundance of reasons for pursuing project management in an engineering context. In bringing together the dynamic and innovative setting of engineering, with the structured and consistent nature of project management, there lies a unique opportunity in engineering management.

For example, by working in an engineering environment as a project manager, you will understand key project management principles such as following a framework. Having a set protocol in place undoubtedly minimizes time and energy spent on projects – although the project itself may differ, the key elements of project management remain the same. By following a standardized process, engineering projects are able to run more efficiently.
Furthermore, having a set framework in place means you can establish consistency in engineering projects. As a knock-on effect of this, engineers and other individuals involved in engineering projects will become more confident in how they are run. From an engineering perspective, this kind of consistency is extremely valuable. For highly skilled project managers, there are ample career opportunities as a result.

Another aspect of project management within engineering is the implementation of risk assessment. Many engineers are unaware of the level of risk assessment that is conducted during the delivery of a project, whereby project managers utilize their skills to assess risk, and pre-determine mitigation steps. All of these factors contribute to making project management a highly desirable field, especially within an engineering context.