Build your future
Laying the foundations: a career in construction
Choosing a future in construction is a very smart idea. As the UK's largest industry, it is one of our biggest exports generating revenues of more than 1billion a year.
It's estimated that 250,000 construction firms currently employ 2.1 million people across a wide range of disciplines from engineering and architecture to surveying and town planning. And every year, there are enough new career opportunities to fill a football stadium.
It may not be the most glamorous of sectors to work in, and it doesn't command the highest graduate salaries, but the kind of on the job training you'll get plus opportunities to work overseas are a huge bonus.
Add to this a raft of new build schemes, like the London 2012 Olympics which is set to create 33,500 additional jobs over the next seven years and regeneration projects in almost every key city location nationwide, and there has never been a better or more exciting time to get on board.
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A healthy future
According to figures released from the Construction Skills Network, there are more than 7,500 new projects anticipated in the UK between now and 2012 - with a total value of 190billion. Half of these projects are valued at under 2million; so it's not just major contractors that will benefit from new business. Smaller firms will also share in this growth spurt.
Other major projects in the UK pipeline include the M1/M25 widening, a 33.6billion scheme starting in 2008; the Ministry of Defence estate consolidation, valued at 100million and the Government's long-term 22billion vision for sustainable communities.
In a nutshell, there will be more jobs offering opportunities to do more complex work. Whether in construction and civil engineering; mechanical and electrical, traffic or transport planning, there is huge scope for graduates to experience variety, challenge, responsibility and travel.
There is also a growing trend for multidisciplinary working. What this means is having a core set of transferable skills, like team working and communication, which can be applied to any project. Employers are becoming increasingly keen for new recruits to show their aptitude for this way of working.
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The world's your oyster
This is a sector that covers the entire property and construction project lifecycle, from designing schemes and building them to selling them, investing in them and managing them afterwards.
Opportunities to work overseas, either as an employee of a large organisation or as an independent consultant, are also growing. All the big civil and structural engineering companies operate globally, and there are many new-build projects in the developing world thanks in part to dramatic population growth and tourism.
The aftermath of natural disasters, such as the East Asian Tsunami, has also meant significant investment in infrastructure including roads, airports, power and water plants that needs construction professionals from all disciplines to help carry out the work.
However you end up working abroad, many companies value international experience and will make it as easy as possible for you to relocate.
It might come as a surprise, then, to learn that despite being such a buoyant industry a skills shortage still exists in construction both at management and skilled trade levels. For UK graduates, this is good news. It means that recruiters are looking to attract, develop and retain young talent by giving them meaningful responsibility in their careers early on.
Given this trend, it's important to remember that construction firms are talent spotting earlier and earlier. Many have programmes in place to attract the best students, and offer a wide range of on-the-job training opportunities. Starting salaries have also increased in line with demand, so the financial rewards are greater too.
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Moving on up
Whatever level you start at, as long as you have determination and put in the hard work, there is plenty of scope to move up the career ladder. It's also worth noting that in the construction industry more than 35% of people are their own boss and run their own companies.
One of the great things about construction is its diversity. Once you've started training in any discipline, you can progress and divert your career by gaining further qualifications and experience in other roles such as engineering, finance or consultancy.
Exciting new work and project opportunities aside, a career in construction enables you to get involved in creating the next generation of buildings at whatever stage you fit in, from planning to completion.
The possibility of working on some really prestige, visible projects is a major draw for most new recruits; that people will be able to admire your work for many, many years to come is a big plus point. And there are very few jobs you can say that about.
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