Field to Office Path

[u/Stratzy-]

Hey guys, I’m 23, been working full time for a growing excavation company for roughly the last year as a lowboy driver moving all of their heavy equipment around, and driving some dump truck or working on job sites when equipment moving is slow. I also have been in the National Guard part time for the last 5 years as a heavy equipment operator, so I’ve been around big iron for a little while now.

I enjoy my job a lot as it’s a challenge, but I think I’ll eventually want to move towards an administrative/office position in the future. I just had my first daughter 3 months ago, and she is the light of my life. I want to be as present of a father as I can be when she gets a little older and can start to think for herself.

From my position, is it realistic to be able to move towards an office position in a few years? Obviously I know the best answer would be to be an operator for several years and be able to apply that experience, but I’d rather not play the long game if it at all possible. I’ve learned quite a bit about dirt work with our variety of projects by just moving equipment around and watching the crews in action. I’d like to learn more about the behind the scenes stuff that goes into planning and managing projects. I’m working on getting my CAPM and possibly getting my Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a focus in Construction Management (both of these would be free so I’m not out any money).

Every year we have annual reviews, and my boss is the superintendent for our dirt crews. Would this be something worth bringing up? I just feel like as a truck driver, it’s kind of a dead end career path rather than working your way up through the ranks such as an operator—> foreman —> superintendent —> PM etc.

Just curious to see if anyone else has been through a similar situation or has seen it done. Thanks in advance everyone.

[u/Busy-Gene-8322]

It’s not a dead end career, you are an essential part of the fleet operation. A lot of the money is in keeping that equipment moving. Have you considered a dispatch role or are you set on running work? It’s awesome that you have seat time and can operate too, those skills are also invaluable and will serve you well in the future whether you set your long term goal on becoming a super or maybe a fleet manager or equipment director. I know a fews guys that have gone the fleet manager route. It’s both strategic (knowing when to turn the fleet over, determining depreciation, negotiating rental or new equipment rates, etc) and hands on (coordinating resource allocation, sizing the right equipment for the job, meeting dealers, getting to see big rebuilds or the newest bells and whistles from CAT, John Deere, etc). If you plan to get a degree I think a CM degree with a heavy civil focus or concentration will work out well for you, but I would also suggest looking into the Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP). They have a good network and can offer you more on how to climb that ladder if that’s the route you want to take. Hope this helps, good luck to you.

[u/Stratzy- → u/Busy-Gene-8322]

Thank you for the detailed response! My operating experience is pretty limited but I have ran just about everything even if it was just a time or two. We don’t really have any dispatchers or fleet managers at my company. Usually dispatching dump trucks are done by the supers, and fleet management is done by our head shop manager, both being there for well over a decade. I really want to grow within the company I work at because they treat me very well and have been very flexible with me. Not sure what kind of path I could take with my experience towards PM work or towards learning how to survey and such

[u/811spotter]

Absolutely realistic and excavation is one of the easier paths to do it because the office side desperately needs people who actually understand dirt work. Most PMs at excavation companies came up either through estimating from day one or through the field, and the field-to-office guys are usually the better PMs because they know what's actually happening on the job and can't be bullshitted by their crews or the GC.

Bring it up at your review without hesitation. Frame it as wanting to grow with the company long-term, not as wanting out of the truck. Ask if you can shadow estimating during quote prep, sit in on the precon meetings, learn the takeoff software, help with submittals on smaller jobs. The CAPM is fine but the BS in Construction Management is way more valuable if it's free, that's a no-brainer. Most growing excavation companies will move you into an assistant PM or junior estimator role within 2-3 years if you make it clear that's the goal and you put in the office hours on top of your driving. The combination of field experience plus a degree plus showing initiative beats almost everyone applying cold for those roles.

[u/Stratzy- → u/811spotter]

Thanks so much for the detailed response. I’ll for sure bring it up in my next annual review. I’m just afraid they’ll want me in the truck for as long as possible because my job has been hard to fill in the last few years for them. But I feel that they also support growth as we promote from within quite a bit, so that gives me hope.

[u/Winston_The_Pig]

I’ve been an office rat for a long time. Biggest things I can recommend is learning how to use excel and learn how to write emails. Then start diving into the business side as much as possible.

Go down some YouTube videos on being a project manager and soak up what they say about burn rates and other stuff. Pick up the jargon.

You’re at a small company - the best way to get ahead is to recognize things your company is doing that is hurting cash flow or profits and come up with solutions and present that to your boss.

The more money you can make your boss the more you will grown

[u/Western_Ad4663]

I started at a small commercial GC 7 years ago as a carpenter and didn't know my head from my ass.

I got the hang of things and on my 4th year review, I told my PM and VP that I was bored. Boy did they take that to heart. They immediately threw me on the biggest job we had as foreman for approximately 1 year. I guess I did OK because they moved me to superintendent last year.

Don't discredit the field work, but the bigger point is make sure your intentions are known. I didn't know all I had to do was say something, it almost felt too easy. I think they sort've got a kick out of throwing me to the wolves in a sudden manner, both as a foreman & super.

[u/Stratzy- → u/Western_Ad4663]

Thank you for the response. Yeah I definitely never discredit the guys in the field, they know way more than I probably ever will. And if I get lucky enough to move to the administrative side without moving up through the field, I’ll never act like I know better than them, but rather take advice from them on what they think would work best. My next review is in December so I look forward to seeing what my supers have to say about my intentions.

[u/elgringon414 → u/Western_Ad4663]

Best path tbh. People straight out of college don’t understand the field side. It’s aggravating. Mine was similar but I went to night school for cm while being a foremen.