Whether you have just finished school or you are looking for an exciting new career change, the construction industry is a great choice. Construction offers countless opportunities, depending on what your interests and strengths are. Whether you want to don your hi vis workwear to work as a tradesperson such as a plumber, carpenter, or electrician, or you want to down the engineering, architecture, or quantity surveying, there are countless roads that you can take. The biggest decision many people need to make when beginning can be knowing where to start.
With so many different avenues you can go down with your construction career, it’s important that you take the time to choose the right route for you. Once you choose which direction to go, you will need to start looking at the training and education options available to you to learn the skills you need to excel in this exciting industry. Take the time to speak to different providers about your options and keep an open mind as you move through the process, as you never know what opportunities might arise for you. With the right approach to your construction career from the very outset, you can be confident that you will have a long, successful, and enjoyable career in the world of construction.
Continue reading below to learn how you can begin your career in the dynamic construction industry in Australia.
Ensure You’re Right for the Job
Before you begin dreaming about a dream in construction, it’s important to take a step back and consider if you are right for the job. Every job requires a unique skill set as well as the right personality to excel at the role, and construction jobs are no different.
Many construction jobs are demanding physically, for example, so you should make sure that you are able to deal with these demands comfortably. You should also enjoy working as part of a team, spending time outdoors, and being able to follow directions well. Maintaining a consistent pace of work throughout the day and having good communication skills are also important as projects are generally time-sensitive and can be complex.
If you feel that you tick all the boxes, there’s no reason that you can’t succeed in the construction industry. Even if there are areas that you think you can improve on, you can spend time working on these issues while you are going through your training, so you’re as employable as possible when you qualify.
Choose Your Area of Focus
Once you are happy that the construction industry is right for you, the next step is to choose your focus area. Most people will have a good idea of what they want to do, making this step relatively easy. However, there are specialty areas that you can go into within different disciplines. For example, you might train as a carpenter but go on to work in furniture making. Taking the time to think about what you want to achieve in your construction career will help you to choose the right path and develop the skills you need to succeed moving forward.
Lay the Foundations
The amount of training or the qualifications you will need will depend completely on your chosen path. There are positions in the construction industry that you can apply for without any formal training, others require you to complete an apprenticeship, and there are other jobs that you will need a University Degree before you can be considered. Be sure to find out exactly what is involved in pursuing your chosen career path so you know how much time is involved in becoming qualified, what the costs are and where you can go to start your training or studies.
Build Your Network
In the construction industry, you might often hear, “it’s not about what you know; it’s who you know.” While it’s certainly possible to carve out your own path in the world of construction, it helps to have a network of people that you can reach out to when you need them. Whether you are looking for work, you need to hire someone to help with a particular task, you have supply issues, or you are expanding your operations, you need to have a network around you. Building your network begins the moment you start your education. You might be surprised at how many people you train with already have friends and family in the industry. This can be a great way to get your foot in the door at the beginning and start to get to know some people in your local area that are also involved in construction.
Start Applying for Jobs and Kickstart Your Construction Career
After you have completed your qualification, you can start applying for jobs in your chosen field. Be sure to tap into the network you have built and apply for positions on job search websites and local newspapers. In no time, you will have your first job and can officially begin your new career in the exciting world of construction.