If you’re looking for a career in construction, now is the best time to start. The world of construction has been growing exponentially over the past 5 years, and is one of the fastest recovering industries since the pandemic. Getting into construction is the right thing to do right now, especially with all the expansion that will now be happening because of the need for sustainable homes, and the onset of the green economy. Here are 7 crucial things you need to be doing to boost your career in construction.
Get Some Experience
One of the best things you can do if you want to boost your construction career is to get on-site and get some experience. Spending a few weeks labouring on site (once you have your health and safety certification) will help you understand whether you want to get into the trade. It will also expose you to multiple different occupational roles, so you can see where you want to take your career. Once you have your experience, you can start getting construction NVQs – but make sure to get your experience first.
Talk To People In The Industry
It’s essential to talk to people in the construction industry if you want to develop a career in that industry. Talking and networking with others in construction can help you find jobs, training opportunities, and more – as well as get your name out there in the industry. They can also help to answer any questions that you may have, as well as giving you an insight into what working in the industry is really like. Make sure that you’re making contacts in the construction industry – it could be very useful in the future.
Grow Your Network
Networking is one of the best things you can do, and it goes beyond talking to people in the industry. Using LinkedIn and attending networking events is one of the best things that you can do if you want to further your construction career. Posting your jobs and developments on LinkedIn, and speaking to people at construction networking events is one of the best things you can do. At these events, you might be able to meet people who need your skills for a job, or are willing to take you on as an apprentice – so it’s definitely something you should consider.
Start Understanding Energy-Efficiency
One of the most important things that you need to do in order to understand the progression of your construction career is to understand how the industry is predicted to change over the next couple of years. For example, energy-efficiency is set to become a huge part of the construction sector as the world prepares to meet net zero targets as soon as they possibly can. Improving the energy-efficiency of homes through insulation, fenestration, and solar panel installation will mean that a lot of jobs in this arena will be needed – so make sure you’re educating yourself about green homes and energy-efficiency.
Build Your Green Skills
As well as educating yourself about energy-efficiency, you will also need to develop your green skills to be able to get into this work. For example, you might want to get some insulation installation experience so that you can develop these green skills that will help you land green jobs in construction. Other green trades include double or triple glazing installation, air pump installation, or solar panel installation. Having a good understanding of the green skills that will be needed over the next couple of decades in construction will help you prepare for the future, setting you up for a great career in construction.
Get Certified
Once you have some experience, it’s essential that you get the right certifications so that you can prove your skills and occupational competency. More sites and jobs are requiring these certifications, instead of just experience. Once you have the NVQ in your chosen trade, you will be able to apply for a blue or gold CSCS card depending on the level of experience that you have – and you can do this on-site with certain training providers. This is essential if you want to take your career to the next level and get the best jobs that will enhance your career.
Build A Portfolio
If you want to start your own construction business at one point, you should start building a portfolio of all your work so that you have evidence of your experience. It will also help you to track your progression, seeing in real time how much better you have got at your occupational trade. It may also help you get onto certain jobs, as you will have a log of all your previous jobs and work completed. By taking pictures of your completed work (if you’re allowed to) you can build a digital portfolio, helping you collect a record of your work.