To understand the difference between a foreman and an engineer, you must know the responsibilities of them on construction sites and also what their daily tasks are.
Foreman vs Engineer
Follow points will help you understand the difference between foreman and engineer:
Foreman
A foreman is typically an experienced crew member.
This may be an official or unofficial position, but it is often critical to the success of a construction project.
The duties of a foreman can be as simple as supervising workers performing simple tasks to more complex supervisory level work.
Responsibilities on A Construction Site
- Above all, safety on a construction site is paramount.
- Contractors must always comply with government agencies like EPA and OSHA.
- Failure to comply with workplace safety laws can result in significant fines and, in some cases, the suspension of a construction project.
- If the General Contractor is the owner of a large business and jumps between multiple job sites, the presence of a foreman becomes critical.
Daily construction tasks
Above all, the foreman’s responsibilities are to ensure the health and safety of the crew, his other duties include:
- Keep machinery, tools and materials organized
- Maintain organization and worker productivity
- Direct supervision of the work
- Direct supervision of the work
- Reporting directly to the General Contractor or project manager
- Determination of required materials and equipment
- Quality control and ensuring construction follow plans and specifications
- Maintain health and safety standards
- Budgeting Planning and executing a timeline
- Training of workers
- Maintenance and preparation of reports and inspections
Education requirements for a construction foreman
A construction foreman must be respectful and able to communicate effectively with professionals in the various construction trades involved in a project.
For a busy engineering or general contractor, the right foreman is vital.
This individual is usually a skilled trader with knowledge of various other trades.
Engineer
Principal functions
- Here are the most common functions of an Industrial Engineer:
- Implement strategies and technical solutions in the production of a product, provision of a service, making it faster, easier and reducing costs:
- Conduct research and implementation of programs to determine optimal inventory levels for products that lead to optimization of the use of machinery, materials, and resources.
- Measure the reliability in the performance of the plant facilities and the production and administrative systems.
- Establish programs and lines of investigation that allow the increase of occupational health and safety or identify and correct fire threats, among others.
- Inspect and evaluate industrial facilities, review the machinery to select efficient combinations.
- Design, develop and carry out studies regarding management time and programs for the simplification of tasks.
- Develop flexible or integrated production systems and procedures.
- Analyze production costs.
- Determine the human resources and skills required for the development of training programs to increase production and create performance standards, evaluation systems, and salary incentives.
- Obtain quotes, establish suppliers and manage the implementation of new projects.
- Increase profitability, service vocation, and the quality of products and services reducing costs:
- Use mathematical methods and models to design production and information systems that meet, more efficiently, customer needs.
- Supervise Technicians, Technologists, Analysts, administrative personnel, and other Engineers:
- Train, as needed, Assemblers, Quality Assistants, and Technicians on procedures, equipment, and documentation.
Daily tasks
- Evaluate the most efficient way to manufacture products or provide services.
- Study and review the production schedules, technical specifications, process flows, among other information, to understand the methods and activities of manufacturing and other services.
- Create control systems to solve production problems and minimize costs.
- Work together with the client and the management team to develop design and production standards.
- Design control systems to coordinate the planning of activities and production to ensure that both products and services meet quality standards.
- Meet with customers to establish product specifications; with vendors to coordinate purchases; with the management team to determine the production capacity, and with the rest of the staff to update the status of the project.
What Does an Engineer Do?
Now the question is, who are the people who do it all? Who made the plane? Who makes cars, computers, buildings, roads, bridges, and all that engineering? People who can make the objects mentioned above are called engineers, or in Indonesian terms, engineers.
So the definition of engineer/engineer is someone who works in the engineering field and can use his knowledge to produce an object that can be used in everyday life. An engineer also helps solve problems in existing technology.
Engineers who work in factories have the role of overseeing the production process, identifying causes of equipment failure, and testing products to maintain quality. An engineer can also work in offices, mines, laboratories, and almost anywhere where technology is required.
The engineers/engineers carry out various experiments and test them to find a discovery that can be used for the benefit of many people. In his work, many engineers use computers. Computers are used to design devices, test machines or build complex systems.
How to Become an Engineer?
For those who have a great desire to create big changes in people’s lives, becoming an engineer/engineer is the way to go. Working as an engineer is a lot of fun. Because it can find and create new technology that has never existed before.
To become an engineer takes hard work and persistence. If you aspire to become an engineer/engineer, then you must be prepared from now on. Then, what must be prepared? To become an engineer you must have:
1. Interests
The interest here means that the people must have an interest in engineering. For example, if a cobbler wants to be an architect, he has to draw. The dream of becoming a computer expert has to be played with computers in hardware and software. If you want to become a mechanic, a cr4cker needs to manipulate electronic devices and so on.
The point is if interest is ingrained in you, what will be done next is a pleasure and all adversity can be filled with passion. So, if you already have a big interest in exploring the realm of technology, get ready to become a successful and brilliant person.
2. Ability
Having interest is not enough to make us an engineer/engineer. There is another thing that people must have, namely “ability”. Ability here means that you must be able to master one or all of the disciplines related to engineering. These disciplines include mathematics and the natural sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology). If you want to become an engineer, you have to really understand and master some of these fields of science, because these fields of science are used in every technical activity.
3. Be persistent
The next capital that you must have is persistence or sincerity. If you already have the interests and abilities, but you are not serious or not diligent in learning and trying to realize the dream of becoming an engineer, then the desire to become an engineer will just go away. Because everything must be achieved and it takes a hard struggle. So, study seriously to reach your goals.
What Professions Are Related to Engineers?
If you are determined to become an engineer/engineer, there will definitely be a question “where will you work later?”. Engineer/engineer is a profession or job that has a very broad aspect. Engineers/engineers can vary. There are mechanical engineers, civil engineers, agricultural engineers, mining engineers, and many more.
It all depends on the discipline used. For example, a mechanical engineer means that during college the engineer studied engineering or in other words, for example, when he majored in mechanical engineering at a college, example.
Where does an engineer work? Yes, it can be anywhere depending on the ability and knowledge he has. It can be in factories, oil refineries, offices, even in government. For example, a mechanical engineering student at hotels can design air and water cooling systems or in power plant companies, such as PLTA, PLTU, and PLTG as well as oil and gas companies, such as Pertamina also always need a mechanical engineering degree.
In the government sector, a degree in mechanical engineering is also needed, for example in the government-owned technology research and development center, such as the BPPT (Central Agency for Technology Development) and IPTN.
Reasons Why You Should Be An Engineer
Choosing a career in engineering requires a clear understanding of what awaits you. You must commit to putting time, effort, and dedication into your career. The road you are on may be winding at first, but rest assured all your hard work will pay off later. Do not be afraid and hesitate, consider the following reasons why you should become an engineer to solidify your heart for a career in engineering.
1. Career Satisfaction
Finding satisfaction in a career is sometimes difficult to measure, because there may be times when you feel you are in the wrong work environment. However, being an engineer means being able to clearly see all your work. Bridges, houses, buildings are examples of work that you can see at the end of the project. Satisfaction and pride in participating in a project that can dispel your doubts from time to time.
2. Challenging jobs
If you want a job vacancy in a field that offers dynamic challenges and changes, engineering is one of them. There are questions to answer, to solve problems, to build great structures, and to research formulas or techniques to make your work better in the future.
3. Intellectual Development
Your brain is the greatest asset when it comes to being an engineer. Remember how your engineering college days always spurred your brain to think? In the world of work, you also have to challenge and motivate yourself. Engineering work is a field of learning and new things to master. Your brain will be working 24/7 and you will be surprised how much new knowledge you can learn during your career in this field.
4. Wide career opportunities
There are many career opportunities for graduates in engineering to choose from, whether it is work assignments in the office, in the field, or even in outer space. Engineering is not just a job that focuses on one industry. There are many fields and professions you can choose from in a passionate technical job opportunity. The decision to explore this possibility is yours!
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Thanks for reading.