Construction, Architecture & Maintenance

So you want to work in construction? Better start cultivating that builder’s bum then. You know, because construction only involves drinking cuppas and shouting ‘show us yer (insert body part here), love’. Erm… no! Better pull up those trousers.

It’s all about buildings. Well, it’s really all about the entire built environment. The likelihood is that, unless you’re a hermit, you spend a significant part of your day in a built environment. We literally wouldn’t have a roof over our heads if it wasn’t for the construction industry and the maintenance sector; we’d all be shivering in crumbling, leaky houses. Careers in construction, architecture and maintenance cover a wide range of specialist activities; from architectural design and project planning, to the active construction of properties and the restoration, regeneration and maintenance of existing buildings.

Construction requires skills far beyond knowing how to wolf-whistle. This industry depends on skilled teams and individuals: from building services engineers and carpenters, to stonemasons and scaffolding teams. And that’s just for the exterior parts of a building. A building without some form of interior is like Lady Gaga in a t-shirt and jeans: pointless. This is where plumbers, electricians, interior designers and painters and decorators earn their stripes, making sure a building is fully kitted out.

It’s not just all about manual labour; you don’t need to be ‘packing some beef’ to work in construction. Fancy yourself as the next Norman Foster or Zaha Hadid, seen Grand Designs and thought you could design something so much better? Careers in architecture require people with creativity, a talent for drawing and a mathematical brain. You need to keep your clients happy whilst staying true to your own architectural aesthetic, which is harder than it sounds.

Construction projects need to be meticulously planned and managed throughout the project lifecycle. Consequently, technical consultants, such as quantity surveyors and civil engineers, are needed to provide expert advice from the beginning to the end of all construction projects. These guys also provide guidance from a project management perspective; making sure that everything is done on time and within budget.

All in all, each building project allows employees to undertake a good range of different tasks and often enjoy a varied working life, which is at least partly outside of a conventional office environment. Each construction project has a concrete end to it (excuse the pun), and thus the successful design, planning and construction of a building can leave you on a high like no other. Imagine looking at a beautiful building, wiping away a solitary tear, and thinking, “I helped make that.”