Coming to the end of the final school term can be incredibly daunting for students, especially if they’re not sure what career path to follow. Nowadays, most schools pressure our youth to get excellent grades rather than prepare them for what happens after graduation.

In recent years, most Millennials have been drawn towards service-orientated careers. However, there are many options available. Getting a career in construction may not be your first consideration but there are many benefits to working in this industry.

According to the government, construction contributes almost £90bn to the UK economy. That is 6.7% of the whole economy. As construction is a major contributor to the country’s economy, it shows it’s a profitable industry to be a part of.

While some industries regularly decline and increase, depending on the country’s requirements, construction is a highly required industry. The government’s drive to build more houses means there will be a continued need for construction workers in the coming years.

Benefitting the community

When working in construction, you’re also giving something back to the community. Construction workers help to construct homes, town buildings, schools and much more. It is a rewarding occupation and more people are looking for careers that are satisfying and meaningful.

Valuable work experience

Having a construction job provides valuable work experience. After spending so many years in a classroom, working on a construction site gives practical experience. Working beside trained professionals is an excellent opportunity to learn on the job and find the best career path for you.

Construction offers a wide range of specialisms and occupations, and there are so many options when it comes to the construction industry. It’s a common misconception that working in construction means you’re a bricklayer. Some construction workers are engineers who work with specialised products like industrial plant machinery.

More work opportunities in construction

Currently, the construction industry provides 2.9m jobs, however, over the next coming years, there will be a growing need for new people to join construction.

Baby boomers (born after the Second World War) are a high percentage of current employees in the construction industry but they are moving towards the end of their careers. Once they retire, there will be a need for more people to move into construction. This a major benefit for school leavers because there will be more opportunity for them to find work.

It’s important for students to be taught about the potential opportunities of having a career in construction. At the moment, many students decide to go straight to university without sufficiently searching for options available.

Stephanie Barnes, Don Valley Engineering.