Have you been thinking about a career in construction?

Construction is a growing industry employing over 2.5 million people in the UK, with a need for tens of thousands more each year to cope with demand.  Some people assume to work within construction means to work on a building site with a hard hat, which is very much a stereotypical, cliché, perception.  Construction is one of the most creative industries, taking in cutting edge design and technology, alongside traditional crafts and skills.

The choice of career options in construction makes it one of the most accessible industries.  Whether you are a school leaver looking for an apprenticeship, a student studying for a profession, or someone looking for a career change, there are options to suite you.  The range of jobs in the construction sector offers plenty of variety:

• National Careers Service job profiles - construction
• Amazing Apprenticeships
• UCAS job profiles - construction

Not sure what might suit you? 

A good place to start is the Construction Industry Training Board, and their Go Construct website, which showcases the many career opportunities available.

Try the Go Construct Career Explorer to find your ideal role based on your interests, skills and qualifications.

Trade bodies

There are many trade bodies that represent specific construction professionals and set out their particular career paths.

• Architects - How to become an architect
• Surveyors - Explore surveying
• Planners - Become a planner
• Structural Engineers - Careers in structural engineering
• Civil Engineers - What is civil engineering
• Building Engineers - Careers in construction
• Clerk of Works - Institute of clerk of works
• Construction Managers - Career in construction
• Building Conservation Specialists - Building conservation certification scheme 

Traditional construction trades are amongst those most in need of new recruits.  The National Heritage Training Group has been created to co-ordinate the on-going development and delivery of traditional building crafts training and qualifications in the heritage sector.  They provide sources of training from free workshops or taster sessions to complete skills development courses, as well as being a resource for finding bursaries, awards, grants and funding to support progress in heritage construction. 

Through Townscape Heritage we hope to inspire young people to take a career in construction, and in particular the heritage construction sector, but we also want to assist existing construction professionals to develop their skills.  If you have a question about how Townscape Heritage might be able to help you, please get in touch.