What factors should you take care of while entering into the construction business. Let’s explore in detail!
Entering into any industry is a process. There is information you need to be aware of and steps you need to follow to ensure you put your best foot forward in being a mainstay for the majority of your career. It is evident that many people are unaware of these things, which can be similar between industries and differ significantly in other ways. From the point of entry to participating in the job market, there are many factors that come into play when determining how to enter an industry.
Construction is no different in this regard. Being one of the largest in Australia, it makes sense that there are important barriers to entry. This ensures a higher quality of entrants, who contribute to the overall production of the economy and subsequently the economic growth of Australia.
Simply looking at construction at face value will tell you why there are various factors to consider. Construction is mostly concerned with the construction and supervision of building and infrastructure. Construction work can be different in many ways. A good example is housing construction, which is the largest sector of the industry accounting for 60%. It generally includes domestic property of residential use.
There is also commercial construction, which is concerned with larger, longer and more costly projects such as buildings (office, apartment, public and private), shopping centres, plants and factories. This is only touching the surface, as there are a greater number of specialised jobs in each sector of construction, as well as subsectors residing within those sectors.
We have outlined how big the construction industry is. From this, we can then consider the factors you need to take care of while entering the construction business.
Education
Perhaps the most important thing you need to consider when entering the construction industry is the educational qualifications required to actually be apart of and participate in the industry. Ensuring you have fulfilled the adequate outcomes will mean you can pursue the type of career you desire.
The construction industry follows the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which specifies the standard for educational qualifications in Australia. The framework comprises 10 levels, each building on each other in terms of quality of information and difficulty. The levels are as follows:
- Certificate I
- Certificate II
- Certificate III
- Certificate IV
- Diploma
- Advanced Diploma, Associate Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma
- Masters Degree
- Doctoral Degree
Depending on what type of role in construction you are looking at, you may end up at a different point than someone with a different type of skill set. For instance, if you are looking to become an electrician, you could realistically finish up at the Certificate III level and have no need for further specialisation. Or, if you were looking for something like a construction manager, you would need to complete studies at a higher level such as a diploma in order to be eligible to apply for jobs in this field.
By fulfilling the right educational qualifications, you will only be making your pathway in construction that much easier to follow.
Hands on experience
Hands-on experience is generally considered the accompanier to education. Whilst education is very critical, you cannot expect to get far with degrees being the only facet making up your resume. Gaining hands-on experience is key because it indicates to employers you have had a hand in further understanding your trade and can back it up in a project setting.
Construction is one of those industries that make it easy to gain experience in a given field. The amount of experience required varies depending on the area of specialisation. For builders, three years should be enough to offer one adequate in at least three homes, at all stages of the construction and this experience must be attested to by the resident registered builder supervising the project. However, the relevant registering authority, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) offers a time scale of seven years, that is projects that the applicant has been part of over that period.
The jobs you could do
Another factor to consider that is of significant importance is determining how your career will pan out. Jumping the gun and pursuing one field within construction is not the right way to go as it will only result in less than satisfactory outcomes for yourself. Thus, what you will need to do is understand the vast amount of jobs that exist within the industry to work out what suits you and what doesn’t. In this section, we list a few of the jobs that are either of relative popularity, or alternatively do not get enough attention.
Professional Builder
Professional Builders design, organise, lead, control and coordinate the building and construction process of projects (which can vary in size, resources and scale), as well as the resources needed to complete it which includes labour, capital, materials etc. Some other tasks of Professional Builders include:
- Interpreting architectural drawings and specifications
- Coordinating labour resources, procurement and delivery of materials, plant and equipment
- Ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget
As expected, there is strong demand for this role within the industry. It is generally suited to those with a knack for leadership and management, as well as extensive experience in building and construction.
Civil Engineering Technician
Civil engineering deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of physical and natural works, such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports etc. The role of a civil engineering technician is to conduct tests of construction materials, prepare sketches and tabulations, and assist in estimating costs in support of Civil Engineering Professionals and Engineering Technologists. Further tasks include:
- preparing sketches, charts, tabulations, plans and designs for civil engineering works such as drainage, water supply, sewerage reticulation systems, roads, airports, dams, bridges and other structures.
- performing and directing fieldwork and laboratory testing.
- interpreting work assignment instructions, applying appropriate procedures and selecting equipment.
Electrician (General)
An electrician is responsible for managing of electrical equipment and control systems in a
particular place. It is a specialised role that features skills needed such as coil winding and
armature winding. The role involves:
- Viewing and analysing blueprints
- Cutting and connecting wires to connectors
- Installing switchboards and testing connectivity
- Connecting systems to the power supply
All of the jobs mentioned above have their own features that differ quite significantly from one another. This only highlights why you need to make sure you have a general idea as to what you want to specialise in when entering the construction business.
Of course, there are other factors that come into play when entering the construction industry. Factors that cannot be easily identified, or perhaps are personal to you and will create obstacles on your path to becoming a member of the industry. By carefully considering each factor, you will no doubt have a clear mind when entering the construction business, and therefore put yourself in the best position to succeed.
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