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Construction Opportunities & Studying Architecture

Currently construction is one of the leading industries in today's world. Modern construction utilises Planning, Architecture, Health and Safety and Green Engineering in its workflow as well as actual Building skill-sets. Many qualifications are globally recognised, but if you plan to work overseas, check before you spend time studying.

Work covers three broad skill ranks, which each have a number of roles. The main on-site labour is often referred to as un-skilled or semi-skilled, primarily due to the lack of formal industry qualifications. 'Skilled labour' often relates to the On-Site managers or Foremen who have extensive knowledge and experience of their profession. Lastly, there are the more senior technical structures and management roles. The people who work in these professions are responsible for planning and executing complete projects.

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Construction Training within Great Britain

Skilled jobs demand some form of further education study - predominantly in subjects connected to the vocation itself. Once compulsory education in schools has been completed, students can either further their knowledge through training at work or by attending one of the prescribed colleges.

During 2007, some eight thousand five hundred construction based scholarships were pursued in the Britain. In late 2009, approximately 613,000 people were employed within the construction industry as a whole, with some 18,000 people going through training programmes.

Overall work ranges from building construction, through heavy or civil construction to industrial construction. They're very different in nature and scope, and require distinctive skill-sets.

Initially we have the building construction section. Fundamentally this is the process of adding to and enhancing domestic properties. For example with the addition of rooms or renovation of bathrooms etc. Heavy/Civil Construction is essentially the domain of the medium-sized 'build-for-profit' companies. Industrial Construction is a relatively small part of the entire construction industry, but it is a key part of it. Without a doubt profit is often behind the large scale ownership of these projects.

The scale of building work undertaken from Building to Industrial Construction is very extensive. It's fair to say that as you go down from the large scale projects to the smaller one's the size of the budget involved also goes down from sometimes many millions of pounds to just a few hundred. Professional careers in the construction industry include the following:

Civil Engineering

It's usual for a civil engineer to have an appropriate university degree. A respected accreditation is that of the Chartered Engineer status as offered through the Institute of Civil Engineers. New university graduates are usually expected to hold a Master's Degree to become Chartered. Bachelor of Engineering degrees are generally a prerequisite to reaching the Incorporated Engineer level.

Building Engineers

These can also be referred to as 'M&E Engineers'. Building Services Engineers typically graduate with a Mechanical or Electrical Engineering degree. Building Services Engineers can join the CIBSE in the UK. There are eight grades of membership, depending on experience and qualifications.

Project Manager

Project Managers have often worked in construction in various roles before specialising and training in specific PM disciplines (such as PMBOK). Engineers and surveyors often make good project managers.

Quantity Surveying

The first stage to becoming a quantity surveyor is to graduate with an approved degree or masters degree. With 2 years practical experience in a related field, you can complete the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) and become a member of RICS - the profession's Royal Institute.

Structural Engineers

Senior structural engineers generally hold a Bachelors or Masters Degree in structural engineering. There are various membership levels should you wish to join the Institute of Structural Engineers, which reflect the diversity of recognised academic qualifications around the world.

Architects

Anyone who wishes to become an architect should allow for seven or more years of study and work experience to become fully qualified. On any construction project, an architect will remain a key player as their designs, ideas and plans are converted into physical structures and spaces.