Construction and Property

The sector in a snapshot

Construction is the process of creating and building infrastructure such as roads, bridges and railways or a facility such as a home, hospital or school. Construction starts with planning, design, and financing and continues until the project is built and ready for use. Normally, the job is managed by a project manager, and supervised by a construction manager, design engineer, construction engineer or project architect. Craft trades people such as bricklayers and joiners are essential to the construction sector.

Although this sector experienced a big hit during the Coronavirus lockdown, this sector is forecast to grow with a quarter of a million extra workers expected to be needed by 2026.

What can the sector offer you?

Jobs in this industry are likely to:

Have a highly desired skill that employers need- skills surveys from employers showed that 1 in 3 are struggling to fill vacancies which means qualified candidates (such as electricians, plumbers and heating/ventilation engineers) are in demand.
Give you the option to be self-employed- lots of construction workers work for themselves or work freelance
Be active on the job- most jobs in this sector will have you out and about on sites
Allow you to make a difference- whether it's building a hospital or fixing an old lady's fence, you can have the chance to create something that will stand the test of time

Reality Check

Careers in this sector can be hard work physically, usually very early starts with labour throughout the day, maybe even on weekends when jobs need to be done. Although most sites are safe, there is still the risk of injury in construction work. If you work self-employed you will have to create your own work which can be difficult. In roles like project managers or engineers you can be expected to also work long hours in roles that require you to have a lot of responsibility for the safety of others, if anything happens you could be liable.

You may need to have skills in...

People and resource management, organisation, health and safety, physical fitness, communication, teamwork

Are these careers for everyone?

Did you know that women make up around 14% of construction industry professionals, rising to 37% of all industry entrants from Higher Education, and this number can only be set to rise with more and more women choosing construction jobs. Misconceptions about gender specific roles are gradually diminishing with the growing number of women choosing a career in construction. The industry is also actively engaging with the BAME community, promoting better all-round diversity and equality.

Some roles in the sector

GROUNDWORKER (Approx £17-32000 per annum)

Groundworks work a lot in the foundations of buildings, marking out where new buildings and drains will be. They will be involved in pouring concrete and reinforcing structures. In building work they are usually the first stage in development and have a role of a site to keep the other trades supplied with materials like mortar. However, groundsworkers can also be involved in setting up and resurfacing roads, pavements and kerbs.

CIVIL ENGINEER (between £30-70000 per annum)

Civil Engineers are a key part of the building process and involved in all stages of development, from consultation with the client, to designing blueprints and evaluating costs, to being on hand while the project is ongoing to report back to clients. Essentially they are the lead on ensuring buildings and other construction projects go ahead. This is a highly responsible role which is reflected in the high pay scale and need for high-level qualifications.

SURVEYOR (can be up to £70k for experienced but usually £25k starting)

Surveyors are involved in surveying properties to identify structural faults and recommend repairs. This could be to help with assessing costs and responsibility for insurance. This is a role that mixes legal and business with buildings, so a good knowledge of building is essential as well as regulations. Surveyors may also help with planning applications and grants.

PLUMBER (between £15-40k per annum)

Plumbers deal with pipes, both domestic and public. Most plumbers work either for themselves or a company, going into homes or businesses to identify what the problems are and how much they will cost to fix. They will be involved with tasks such as installing drainage and heating systems, cutting and shaping pipes, and serving appliances like showers and toilets. Plumbers can be involved in the house building stage and can also be recruited to help weatherproof roofs and chimneys.