Opportunities For Careers In Construction

In today's global market construction still sits as one of the leaders in industry. It builds from a wealth of skill sets which include Design, Architecture, Building Skills and Health & Safety factors. Naturally such diversity means there are various training paths leading to all the different roles.

Work covers three broad skill ranks, which each have a number of roles. The 'Unskilled' and 'Semi Skilled' workforce are generally the on-site labour with little or no formal construction qualifications. Next are the managers and foremen who work on-site. They hold a good level of technical knowledge and are often referred to as "skilled" labour.

Lastly, there are the more senior technical structures and management roles. Individuals in this category will have trained and qualified at a more advanced level, and will take on greater responsibilities.

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The Basis for Training in the Construction Sector

All skilled workers in Britain have to continue training after they've left school. There are a number of ways for people to get their qualifications, whether this is by work-related training or through an FE college. Throughout the UK, 8,500 construction-related apprenticeships were started in 2007. By 2009 over 600,000 workers were involved in the construction industry with 10,000 more people going through training than two years previously.

Within construction itself, there are three types of processes: Building Construction, Heavy/Civil Construction and Industrial Construction. The two commercial areas require similar trade and professional skill-sets, though each is unique in some ways.

Building construction is the first part of the review. This is mainly concerned with extending existing property. The vast majority are small-scale projects such as renovations. Secondly, organisations that gain profit out of medium sized projects fall into the heavy or civil construction sector. And lastly comes industrial construction which covers all the vast structures and developments in the country. Large scale profits encourage multi-national organisations to get involved in such builds.

The large industrial developments (and the bigger civil ones too) require very experienced professionals from many different backgrounds. It's fair to say that as you go down from the large scale projects to the smaller one's the size of the budget involved also goes down from sometimes many millions of pounds to just a few hundred.

We can take a look at some of the professions that work in construction -

Quantity Surveyors

Training for work as a Quantity Surveyor starts with an appropriate three or four year degree course. More professional training (along with time spent in industry) can be gained from RICS, the industry body for standards and certifications.

Structural Engineering

This type of work covers such areas as structural analysis, structural mechanics, foundation and structural design and material properties. The ISE (Institute of Structural Engineers) is the professional body that works to maintain professional standards in the industry.

Civil Engineering

Not only do civil engineers need degrees but they also generally need them in quite specific subjects. A prestigious element issued by the Institution of Civil Engineers is that of the Chartered Engineer. To become a Chartered Engineer, university graduates are likely to have a Masters Degree. However, anyone graduating with a Bachelors Degree can go on to become an Incorporated Engineer at that stage.

Building Services Engineers

The construction industry also needs Building Services Engineers. For this type of position it is customary for people to have a suitable degree e.g. in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering. Chartered Engineer status is usually governed by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.

Project Managers

Often it's by being qualified in either quantity surveying or civil engineering, along with a professional certification such as PRINCE 2 that these positions become available.

Architecture

Entry in architecture is unlikely without a degree, and indeed practical supervised experience along with university studies will take approximately 7 years. To use the title of Architect, the individual must hold Chartered Status with the Royal Institute of British Architects, and be on the Architects Registration Board.