Overview
The Associate Certificate in Public Works Supervision has been designed i to address significant current and future shortages of trained supervisory personnel, and the necessity for succession planning in local government organizations. More specifically, it is designed for employees who want to move into supervisory roles.
The Program
The program comprises five mandatory courses and offers a broad range of electives to supplement the mandatory course content. With the exception of three mandatory courses, students can complete sufficient requisite course credits via distance or online learning. The five mandatory courses comprise a technical and business writing course, a course in occupational health and safety legislation, and three week-long seminars.
Elective courses are broadly divided into Technical and Managerial categories, and are meant to enable the student to expand their knowledge of specific areas. Thus, students can develop greater skills in areas specific to their current work assignment or areas of interest.
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Entrance Requirements
Application processing
This program is under review and is not accepting program declarations at this time. For more information, please contact Ella Ho.
Recommended for success
Entrance into the Public Works Supervision program is open to anyone interested in advancing into a managerial or supervisory position in the public works or heavy construction environment. Applicants will significantly increase their chances of success if they have obtained the equivalent of Grade 11 graduation with a C in English. Students will be responsible for ensuring they meet any required prerequisites for admittance into individual courses.
Students who are unsure of basic necessary skills for a particular subject matter (such as business and technical writing) are encouraged to enrol in a refresher course to avoid frustration as they progress in their studies. Students with strong basic knowledge will be able to excel in their learning when advanced topics and subject matter are covered in later courses.
International applicants
This program is not available to international students. View available programs
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
Students may request to have prior work experience or previously taken courses assessed for course exemption. Contact the Program Head for details on Prior Learning Assessment Recognition.
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Costs & Supplies
Tuition fees
Please see the Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) Fees page for information on tuition fees and refunds.
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Courses
Program matrix
Check current availability of courses for this program.
Required Courses (15.0 credits): | Credits | ||
---|---|---|---|
INFR 1110 | Public Works Institute 1* | 3.0 | |
INFR 1120 | Public Works Institute 2 | 3.0 | |
INFR 1130 | Public works Institute 3 | 3.0 | |
OCHS 1100 | BC OHS Legislation* | 3.0 | |
and | |||
COMM 1103 | Introduction to Business and Technical Communication* | 3.0 | |
or | |||
BLDT 1051 | Technical Writing and Communications | 3.0 | |
*Successful completion of INFR 1110, OCHS 1100 and COMM 1103/BLDT 1051 is required prior to proceeding with INFR 1120. | |||
Complete a minimum of 8.0 credits from the following list of electives: | Credits | ||
Elective credits are divided into both Technical and Managerial courses. At least one course must be taken from each category, and at least 8.0 credits must be successfully completed. Technical Electives (choose at least one course) |
|||
BLDT 1021 | Construction Drawings | 3.0 | |
PUBW 1114 | Water Operator 1 | 3.0 | |
PUBW 1121 | Roadworks Maintenance 1 | 2.5 | |
PUBW 1141 | Municipal Plan Reading | 2.5 | |
PUBW 2114 | Water Operator 2 | 3.0 | |
PUBW 2121 | Roadworks Maintenance 2 | 2.5 | |
PUBW 4550 | Public Works Inspection | 3.0 | |
TSYH 4720 | Engineering Economics Part 1: Fundamentals of Financial Calculations | 2.0 | |
TSYH 4721 | Engineering Economics Part 2: Introduction to Engineering Economics | 2.0 | |
Managerial Electives (choose at least one course) | |||
BLDT 1061 | Basic Management and Ethics | 3.0 | |
BUSA 1305 | Supervisory Skills | 3.0 | |
OCHS 2200 | Safety Program Design | 3.0 | |
OCHS 2440 | Emergency Preparedness and Response | 3.0 | |
ORGB 1105 | Organizational Behaviour | 4.0 | |
TSYH 3460 | Contracts Part 1: Types of Contracts and Contract Documents | 2.0 | |
Total Credits: | 23.0 |
Check current availability of courses for this program.
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
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Program Details
Accreditation
Students who successfully complete the Associate Certificate In Public Works Supervision are eligible to apply to the Public Works Association of BC for certification as a Public Works Supervisor provided they have the requisite work experience. Refer to the Public Works Association of BC website for further details.
Program delivery
The delivery mode for this program varies.
Your education is our priority. No matter which program you choose, we will deliver the applied instruction, collaborative experience, and industry connections that you expect from BCIT.
Program location
Burnaby Campus
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC
Downtown Campus
555 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC
The three mandatory Public Works Institute Seminars will be delivered at the BCIT downtown campus. All other courses are delivered at the Burnaby campus, the downtown campus, or available via online learning.
Program structure
The program consists of 5 mandatory courses (15.0 BCIT credits) and additional electives comprising 8.0 BCIT credits for a total of 23.0 credits. Students starting the program will have 7 years to complete the requirements.
The five mandatory courses comprise a technical and business writing course, a course in occupational health and safety with an institutional focus, and three “Public Works Institute” (PWI) seminars that exceed the requirements of the American Public Works Association (APWA). The APWA guidelines for hours and core content for PWI courses are detailed at apwa.net.
As writing and comprehension skills are fundamental to any supervisory or leadership position, the program begins by ensuring that students have a reasonable capability in this area. Students who are unable to meet the standard required to pass either COMM 1103 or BLDT 1051 will not be permitted to proceed past Public Works Institute Seminar Level 1.
Public Works Institute Seminars (INFR 1110, INFR 1120, and INFR 1130) are delivered over the course of a week via a mix of traditional lectures, group discussion, and interactive exercises. Students are expected to attend and participate in all sessions. PWI seminars must be attended sequentially. The PWI courses will cover the following broad topic areas: An introduction to Public Works Operations, Principles of Leadership and Supervision, Presentation and Verbal Skills, Basics of Finance, Government and Community, Contracts and Contract Law, Management Skills and Techniques, Environmental Management and Sustainability, and Infrastructure Asset Management.
Elective courses are broadly divided into Technical and Managerial categories. Students are required to choose a minimum of 8 credits from the electives listed, with the caveat that at least one elective from each category must be chosen. Electives may be taken at any time. Students should note that some listed electives have non-listed prerequisites which are not creditable, or may require prior knowledge.
With the exception of the Public Works Institute Seminars, students can gain all requisite credits through paper-based distance education or online learning.
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Graduating & Jobs
Apply for graduation
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, complete an Application for BCIT Credential [PDF] and submit it to Student Information and Enrolment Services.
Allow approximately six to eight weeks for processing.
All financial obligations to the Institute must be met prior to issuance of any credential.
Professional associations
The Associate Certificate In Public Works Supervision was developed in conjunction with the Public Works Association of BC and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. It is the academic qualification required for certification through the Public Works Association of BC.
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Contact Us
Ella Ho
Program Assistant
Tel: 604-431-4969
Email: etde@bcit.ca
Ken Zeleschuk, AScT
Civil Engineering PTS Coordinator
Tel: 604-456-1066
Email: Ken_Zeleschuk@bcit.ca
Questions or comments?
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