Last Updated on October 8, 2021 by Admin
Graduating from high school is an amazing milestone and marks an important part of anyone’s life. With this being said, making a decision on what career path you are going to take is one that can be difficult and daunting. Whether this is due to the limited job and life experience a school leaver has, or the overwhelming variety of career choices, committing to a career that you might stick to for your entire working life is a big decision.
While the difficulty of deciding on a career path often means that young professionals find themselves in the wrong industries and roles, another consequence is that students will often rule out particular professions without consideration. In particular, construction is a career choice that many people will overlook, despite the various unique aspects and overall advantages that it offers.
With benefits that range from job security and opportunity for progression to a wide variety of positions and a range of educational opportunities, there are plenty of advantages to construction. Here are the top reasons why a career in construction might be a great choice for you.
Flexible Entry Pathways
Before getting into the advantages that come with the career itself, an important point to cover is in regard to the construction entry pathways available. If you are thinking about beginning the process of becoming involved in the construction industry, you’ll be able to choose between varying education levels and options.
Firstly, this is because construction includes a number of sub-categories – examples of these include carpentry, electrical, project management, laboring, machine operation, and more. Check this article for how to land an entry-level construction job?
As a result of this range (which provides benefits in itself, explored further on in this article), the pathways vary significantly – whether you want to undertake a full-blown university degree, want to complete a course online, or want to find a middle path, there will likely be an option for you.
An example of this is a Monarch course that focuses on project management – this is just one example of a role within construction, and it is flexible in its application across a number of industries and project types.
Construction is a Multifaceted Industry
As mentioned above, construction includes a number of different areas, roles, and responsibilities. This is a huge factor that determines whether a student decides to commit to a role in construction, however, it is often overlooked by many.
The choices available to you as an aspiring construction worker are numerous – you can choose to work in plumbing, electrical, as a painter, tiler, or manager. On top of these options (that are too many to list), you’ll be able to decide to work either on commercial or residential sites.
This variety means that you can dedicate your focus to your preferred area – additionally, it means that you’ll be exposed to a diverse range of people, each experienced in different areas. Exposure like this is rare in many industries and will mean that every day is interesting and that you get the opportunity to meet and work with people with who you get along.
Opportunities for Career Progression
Now, consider the opportunity for career advancement within the construction industry. Given the high demand for construction workers, there is a significant talent gap in construction – when you consider this as well as the educational opportunity and the varied nature of construction, it is clear that you’ll have significant room for progression.
Progression will also often occur beyond the limited hierarchical structure of other industries – if you are focused on a site management role, or want to move into HR, the right decisions will get you there.
On the other hand, many industries will require strict hierarchical progression which means you might be on the grind for a significant portion of your career, with little room for flexibility or change.
Another important factor to keep in mind is that with career progression in construction, the opportunities you take, and the advancement you achieve will largely come down to your own drive and aspirations. A talented construction professional will acquire the necessary skills, experience, and connections to take them where they want to go.
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Don’t Overlook Job Security
Whilst it is often difficult to understand how changes in technology and consumer demand will impact the workforce, the reality is that jobs are already being automated, and consumers are changing the way they spend. As a result, you need to think about where the industries you are interested in will be 10, 20, or 50 years from now.
Whilst job security is a tricky consideration to make, a career in construction will ensure that you are comparatively safe. This is for a number of reasons – firstly, construction isn’t going anywhere because consumer demand for construction will continue to be high.
Whether this is due to housing renovations and repairs, entire skyscraper redevelopment projects, or the construction of infrastructure, construction is an essential part of society and provides an essential human need.
On top of this demand, construction has strong job security as the flexibility and general nature of roles within the industry ensure that even if certain roles become automated, other roles will appear as a result. Construction is an industry in which soft skills can come in very handy, as can knowledge of general construction strategy, workflows, and safety – these are aspects of work that are necessary regardless of automation.
