How To Plan Your Construction Career Path

One of the greatest things about the construction industry is the sheer amount of versatility it offers in relation to a career path. Whether you want to upskill to move up in your industry or move sideways into another one and bring your established skills with you, opportunities are very much available to you. Although the idea of the opportunity might be obvious, it might be a bit more difficult to tell which is the right opportunity – so how is it you get to know, then? No need to get worked up about it – in this article, we take a look at what goes into deciding career opportunities in the wonderful world of construction. 

Starting your studying

Whether you’re looking to start out with a Certificate I or learn some brand new skills to help you achieve more with a Certificate IV in Building And Construction, studying is an important part of making the most of your time in the instruction industry. If you think construction is the right industry for you and you’re looking to start out from scratch, a Certificate I and II will be a great start. Essentially, this is an entry level qualification and can be completed by people at a year 10 high school level or higher, making it something you can start out quite young. This course is at a pre-apprenticeship level and will involve students learning all about the fundamentals of the building and construction industry, such as minor maintenance and work as a general hand. If you’re wanting to take your knowledge to the next level, a Certificate III will be what you study next. This stage will be equivalent to an apprenticeship, and will offer a much wider assortment of building applications and progression opportunities. As with Cert I and II, Cert III is available at a year 10 level, but allows the apprentice to take on much more responsibility, with potential work opportunities in bricklaying, demolition, plumbing, carpentry and joinery, painting and decorating and landscaping.

Continuing with Certificate IV and Diplomas

For those wanting to apply their knowledge and learn something new, the Cert IV will open doors in the specialist trades industries, such as site management, contract administration, civil construction, estimating and sales. Those who choose to pursue a Cert IV will likely want to have a more managerial role in their work both onsite and off. The next step after a Cert IV is a Diploma, and it is in this course that someone might be considering an even more specialised arm of the building and construction industry. Those pursuing a Diploma might want to learn the skills necessary to become an architectural drafter, project manager or site administrator. Finally, an Advanced Diploma allows people to build on their knowledge even further and enter into a management positions within the building and construction industry.

Pursuing Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees

If you’re interested in the building and construction industry from a more theoretical perspective, such as those looking to become architects, civil engineers, surveyors, then an undergraduate or graduate degree might be for you. Unlike the Certificates, this qualification requires a minimum of year 12 education and will also depend on your relevant experience.