With Scotland’s construction sector growing year on year, more candidates than ever are being attracted to a career in the industry.
Whether you’re interested in working on site, being involved in the design of construction projects or project managing the super-big builds, the sector offers a host of varied roles and positions – all of which are essential in the planning, development and execution of construction projects.
One thing they all have in common is the necessity and requirement of an appropriate education – but now employers want more, more, more . . . and having knowledge and experience in more than one aspect of construction will help get you a rung up on the competition.
Start by thinking of yourself as comedian Steve Martin. No, stay with us on this!
When Steve first started doing his comedy act, he readily admits he desperately needed a wide range of material: “So I took literally everything I knew how to do on stage with me, which was juggling, magic and banjo and my little comedy routines. I always felt the audience sort of tolerated the serious musical parts while I was doing my comedy!”
Similarly, employers are now looking for multiple specialisms in candidates. You not need bring a banjo to your next job interview – in fact, we’d advise against this! – but such is the nature of many construction roles, you need to be fully armed with a wide range of skill sets.
One-man band Chubby Bones knows the value of multiple specialisms.
For example, for those interested in construction management, an appropriate construction management degree is all-important. But to maximise your chances, you might want to think about a placement at a local council or firm, or even labouring work on site. This means you get experience and an education in more than one aspect of the sector.
All the top success stories in construction say that nowadays it’s essential – and who’s to argue with the men and women in hard hats and pinstriped suits? – so, if you can combine two or more essential skills, you’re already half way to being seen as hot property.
This is true not only in project management. For those involved in quantity surveying doing a “sandwich” degree and having a year of construction management as part of a quantity surveying degree can boost your chances. Or vice versa.
Employers are always looking for people who can work across multiple aspects of construction, like new 21st century hybrid construction super men and wonder women.
What’s best, however, is that at the education level, many courses now allow and actively promote multiple specialisms. Placements and cross-degrees are supported, and an insight into as many different aspects of construction in the early stages of education will be invaluable in a future career.
On the ground, knowledge of how projects work above and beyond the construction site will boost your chances of success. Construction workers need to know how to do a lot these days. How to adapt to new problems and situations. How to work complex machinery. How to use new software.
The importance of a good education has never been in doubt, but in 2015 and beyond, the importance of having multiple specialisms keeps getting bigger.
Get a step ahead of the game, tackle as many aspects of construction as you can, and give yourself the tools for building a successful career.
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