Within the construction industry there are exciting opportunities for graduates in many different disciplines. But if you have a degree in quantity surveying, construction management or civil engineering, employers will be queuing up to take you on.
Alas, what if you don’t have such shiny credentials but can’t afford to give up your day job in order to pursue studies?
There might be a way you can combine work with learning. Skills Development Scotland has developed an undergraduate degree scheme aimed at people already working in the construction industry, as well as at school leavers who want to go straight into work but don’t want to miss out on qualifications.
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Under the scheme, work-based learning will count towards the degree, with academic subjects being taught at Glasgow Caledonian or Edinburgh’s Heriot Watt University.
There’s no upper age limit for starting a graduate apprenticeship – take note, Grampa Jack! – and, for employers, it offers the opportunity to develop their workforce and achieve higher professional standards.
It will aid with staff retention, too, which is a big plus in light of the skills shortage facing the industry.
And, because the construction sector itself has helped develop the coursework, the studies are highly relevant to the real, on-the-job needs of the industry.
“Participating employers design academic study to their industry needs so, as well as delivering quicker and better returns in productivity, they can also aid recruitment, retention and succession planning,” says Diane Greenlees, Head of Foundation and Graduate Apprenticeships, SDS.
On the BSc course in Construction and the Built Environment, students learn a whole range of useful skills, including project and delivery management, land valuation, the principles of design and technology, negotiation, how to apply legal standards and regulations, and much more.
Scottish construction firm, Graham, has become one of the first companies to support the new scheme, with nine members of the firm’s staff joining the programme this year.
Debbie Rutherford, Community Benefits Advisor at Graham, says: “The scheme is an excellent way for our employees, current and future, to get industry experience on one of our sites, while gaining education that will progress their career.”
So, if you fancy improving your career prospects by combining studying for a degree with working in construction, why not use s1jobs to help you find an employer who will support your ambitions?
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