The benefits of working in construction

The UK Construction Industry

The UK construction industry comprises many subsectors, including mining, forestry, urban infrastructure, product manufacturing, and maintenance. Approximately 10% of total employment in the UK, or three million jobs, falls under the construction umbrella, producing more than £110 billion per annum, or 7% of the nation’s GDP.

Industry Resilience

Despite concerns about the implications of Brexit, the construction industry is holding firm in the UK. For instance, while output in the construction sector decreased by 0.2% across the Eurozone, as of February 2017, productivity has increased by 2.2% in the UK. This growth is surprising but is a good indicator of further increases in the industry, meaning that now is a very good time to pursue employment in construction.

Benefits of Working in Construction

There are numerous benefits to working in the construction sector, including:

• Demand: According to the Construction Industry Training Board, the UK’s construction industry will need a quarter of a million workers in the next two years, meaning there will be 45,000 vacancies each year, and those currently holding positions can look forward to strong job security.
• Transferable Skills: Employers invest a lot of time in their staff, with on-the-job preparation being an industry standard. Even with apprenticeships, you not only receive careful on-site training but also get paid for it.
• Earnings: The construction industry is highly competitive, meaning that the salaries are, too. For instance, a university graduate can earn upwards of £60,000 per annum, not to mention receiving perks like access to company transportation and other equipment.
• Mobility: Opportunities for networking and self-employment abound. If you want to start your own construction business, the industry is flexible enough to allow for such opportunities.

Popular Construction Positions

There are plenty of construction job opportunities that exist, with some of the most popular positions being:

• Architect
• Construction Supervisor
• Civil Engineer
• Electrician
• Heavy Equipment Operator
• Planner

Best Places to Work in Construction

London boasts the highest reported rates for those in the construction industry, with average earnings of £57,500. Cambridge, Aberdeen, Norwich, and Warwick are tied for second place, reporting a median salary of £47,500. For purposes of comparison, the national average is £41,570.

A project to keep an eye on is Crossrail Limited’s forthcoming Elizabethan line, a new railway opening in 2018 and operating across London and the Southeast. Currently, there are openings for managerial, engineering, and accountant positions, along with apprenticeships. Another megaproject underway is the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, a multi-billion-pound project that will provide low-carbon energy to approximately five million homes in the UK. Construction is expected to provide 25,000 jobs, and the completed plant will employ 900 people.

Key Skills for Construction

Here are four key skills you will need in construction work:

• Management
• Knowledge of Codes
• Design
• Manual Dexterity

Being able to contribute to a project and witness its development stage by stage is incredibly rewarding. The construction industry is dynamic, challenging, and becoming quite a lucrative field, offering plenty of opportunities in numerous roles and specializations.

Source: The Telegraph