Schools – Promoting Construction as a Career

We aim to show students at all ages the variety of careers the construction industry can offer.

We support local schools and colleges by attending a variety of events such as Careers days or Mock Interviews to help promote Construction as a career. 

Many of our members have taken on a student for on-site work experience opportunities, this helps them gain hands experience, training and get a feel for if it’s the right industry for them.  These are the kind of opportunities we would like more members to help us to promote a career in construction, if we can show them at this early stage of their lives what they can do and achieve, it will send a message that Construction is a Career for Life!

If you could help support our local schools and offer a few hours even once a year this would be extremely helpful and greatly appreciated by the schools and their students.  You would not need to do this alone, I could either attend with you or pair you with another member.  Its is great fun and would also help you tick a box when tendering for work or applying for accreditations.

For more information, please contact Adele on email or mobile 07736 521 419.

Whether you live in a small village, or a large busy city, you will never be too far away from a construction site at some point. Whether it’s a large-scale development employing hundreds of contractors, or small extension to a private house, construction is a major part of our everyday lives, and a visual representation of the amount of skilled trades required to support the industry.

1 There are many different routes into the industry

One of the huge appeals to a role within the construction industry is that there are many routes you can take, whether you are a school leaver, a graduate, or someone who has previously worked within a completely different sector, there are options for everyone! You just need to decide what route suits you best, whether it’s an apprenticeship scheme, studying for a degree, or applying for an entry level role and working your way up, with a little bit of research and guidance from Adele at AFC, you will soon be able to discover the best route for you!

2 Variety is the spice of life

The diversity of construction related career role options is huge, from administration right through to senior management positions, the opportunities are literally endless. There are roles to suit people from all different educational acumens, abilities, and previous career backgrounds, as well as roles suited to those with no prior experience or qualifications at all. Pick a role that appeals to you the most, a role where you can utilise your strengths and skills most effectively.

3 The sky’s the limit

The advantage of a career in construction is that your career aspirations can be as high and demanding as you choose, the only limit to what you are able to achieve is up to you! Whether you want to be in a managerial role or eventually run your own company, the opportunities are there within your reach, if you are willing to work hard to get there! Some of the highest earning professionals in construction companies started from the bottom and progressed through the extensive opportunities available.

4 Financial reward

An attraction to those working, or considering working within the construction industry, are the vast progression opportunities, and the associated chances to earn a healthy living. With current skills shortages being experienced within the construction industry demand is high for skilled workers, this has a positive knock on effect on those working within the industry. Companies are willing to pay competitive salaries to encourage hard working, talented and skilled workers to work for them.

5 Always in demand

As mentioned in the introduction, we are never too far away from a construction site. There will always be a demand for workers within the construction industry, whether you are looking for a contract role or a permanent one, you can rest assured you will always be in work. When one project ends, it is more than likely a new one is set to start with new opportunities, so with the skills gained from previous roles it shouldn’t be too difficult to find yourself a new and exciting challenge!

 6 Teamwork makes the dream work

There are great opportunities to forge contacts, personal friendships and working relationships in construction, whilst pursuing your career. Whether you chose an office-based role or a site-based role, you will always be a valued member of a team, working alongside likeminded individuals and making your own personal impression. Together you will be working on creating and delivering projects you can look back on with a sense of accomplishment through teamwork.

7 Amazing travel opportunities

If staying in one place or being confined to an office does not appeal to you, site-based roles provide various opportunities to travel. Depending on your lifestyle or family commitments, you literally have the option to go where the work takes you, wherever that may be.

8 Job satisfaction

A career within construction generally means that no two days are the same. You will be faced with new challenges, or a new project, every day. All construction projects evolve through the build process and at different stages of the construction phase plan. There is less chance of you becoming bored within this working environment, you are constantly stimulated as you may encounter new issues and problems to resolve. A lack of job stagnation can mean you are excited to go to work every day because you genuinely enjoy and embrace what you do, even if there are hurdles to overcome.

9 Personally rewarding

Aaron Hurst, author of ‘The Purpose Economy’ states that there are three types of purpose that most people are driven by, when it comes to their careers:

• Personal Purpose – What drives you
• Social Purpose -The feeling of belonging
• Societal Purpose – Making a difference within society

A role in construction appeals to all three of these, so the job satisfaction you gain will be well worth it. Purpose centred individuals not only create more satisfying careers, but also contribute more to their own goals, their peers expectations, and their organisations values, so the knock on effect is a high level of positivity to all those you work with and affect by what you do. Whilst working on a project you are there to see it through from a conception on a piece of paper, through to completion. The sense of personal gratification you will experience when you can see the end project will make the whole process worthwhile and highly rewarding.

10 Making a difference

By pursuing a career in construction, you are making a big difference to your local community and even further afield! You can be involved in designing, planning and developing projects that can make a real difference too many people. Whether you are office based, working behind the scenes or working on site making these plans a reality you are helping create a better environment for all those benefitting by the projects you will be working on.

 11 Continual personal development

There literally hundreds of different skill and competency training courses available to aid you in your personal development goals. These can be to help you increase your skills, or to prove your existing abilities through training and NVQ routes. Your continual development will result in you being a highly sought-after commodity, and help you to command the highest salaries and most rewarding career advancement opportunities