Introducing Technical Careers In Construction

In the current global economy, construction remains one of the stalwarts of the market. Careers within construction can be very diverse. Some involve design, engineering and architecture, others actual building skills. There are many routes to a variety of careers within the Construction Industry.

Essentially there are three layers of profession within the industry. "Unskilled" and "Semi-Skilled" workers have little or no formal credentials, but generally make up the bulk of the on-site workforce.

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.

At the top of the scale we have the careers relating to more senior management and technical staff. These are the people with the greatest educational qualifications (usually graduate degrees), trained to design, plan and manage the overall construction process.

On this page you'll find links and adverts from a selection of training companies, so it could be worth your while to book-mark it (CTRL-D) so you can come back later to review your options.

How To Train In The Construction Sector

All skilled workers in Britain have to continue training after they've left school. Most trainees gain their skills through a combination of technical college training and work experience. Just over two years ago, over 8,500 construction training positions began in this country. In late 2009, approximately 613,000 people were employed within the construction industry as a whole, with some 18,000 people going through training programmes.

There are three different sectors in the construction industry as a whole. Each has a fairly unique team to plan, design, construct and maintain the relative project.

Building construction is the first part of the review. This is the process by which structural improvements are made to established buildings. For example with the addition of rooms or renovation of bathrooms etc. Larger scale projects are mostly the domain of civil construction, which comes mid-way between building and industrial. Sitting at the top in terms of scale is industrial construction. Due to the size of the schemes the owners are often very large profit-based entities.

Going up the chain from building through to industrial construction, an ever wider variety of skill-sets are needed to complete each project. Without a doubt the costs of ventures increase from a few hundred pounds for small projects through to many millions of pounds for large industrial schemes. So let's now go through a number of technical construction career paths:

Building Engineer

B S Engineers are also known as M and E Engineers. You normally need to have a mechanical or electrical engineering degree to be considered for such a position. BS engineers can enhance their career prospects by joining their chartered institute. Membership at different levels is available for anyone studying or working in building services.

Structural Engineers

Undergraduates looking to apply to university to take a structural engineering degree should have A levels in maths, physics and/or other sciences. The work is very exacting, as obviously high levels of safety and efficiency are prerequisites for structural engineers.

Project Management

Many project managers come into the role through other engineering disciplines. With experience and on-going training in (e.g. in PMBOK or PRINCE 2) they can progress to very senior roles.

Quantity Surveyor

To become a surveyor, you must first qualify in an appropriate QS degree. Membership of RICS (the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) is for graduates who complete competence-based training and at least two years in industry.

Architect

The standard entry route into the architectural profession takes at least seven years, and is a blend of academic and practical study and work. Professional status is monitored and assessed in the UK by RIBA, the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Civil Engineer

Civil Engineers typically need to be qualified with good civil engineering degrees. Equally important is the Chartered Engineer qualification earned through the Institute of Civil Engineers. Typically graduates must hold qualifications such as the MEng in order to reach the chartered rank. To reach Incorporated Engineer level you should have attained a Bachelor's Degree (BEng) first.