Not long ago I got a bee in my bonnet about getting my Construction Supervisor's license in MA. Working as I now do for a company that is quite diverse, but is fundamentally still a design/build company, it feels right to join a number of my colleagues, mostly but not entirely our foremen, in holding a construction supervisor's license.
It was an interesting process. You have to show at least three years experience, and take a test. The three hour multiple choice test has 75 questions and is open book with these books: The 2009 IRC, 2009 IECC, 2009 IBC; MA amendments to these; the MA Architectural Access Code, and the OSHA regs governing construction. Obviously a test like this doesn't really test one's ability to supervise construction - it's really testing how well you can quickly find stuff in the code books. Most of this is more suited to those in the design professions than the construction profession. Nonetheless, it plays to my strength as a standardized test-taker, so I can't complain. When I began prepping for the test I was a bit cynical about the process, but was surprised to leave the test center with a very positive feeling about the process. It forced me to look at aspects of the code and regulatory environment that I wasn't really aware of, which was good.
MA is implementing a requirement for continuing education units for a CSL, so I actually will have to do something in the next couple of years to retain the license. Hopefully that will also feel worthwhile.
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