The construction industry in Australia is one of the biggest and fastest growing sectors that has diverse disciplines and skill sets that include architecture, engineering, trade, project management, and labor. All these work independently and collectively, thus making the construction industry a vast and multidisciplinary field. Job prospects for this line of work are promising, more so given that the property market in Australia is active and very lucrative.
If you intend to fashion a career for yourself as a construction professional but know little about the industry, below are some insights on how to get into this line of work. The information shared below sheds some light on the world of construction to give you a better perspective of the career path you wish to take.
- Getting Certified
Understand that a career in the construction industry is an occupation that demands you acquire specific skills and certifications to prequalify you for the job. However, qualifications differ, and they often govern your entry into the profession or industry. Fortunately, onsite training is a prerequisite when you start working in the sector. It is this onsite training that has seen many people believe that gaining entry into the construction industry is more or else through apprenticeship and certification.
At Kangan Institute, students are offered CPC40110 (the Certificate IV in Building & Construction). It is the certificate issued to those seeking to take the career path of a domestic builder. The program includes training to build team leaders, and front-line managers as well as other construction professionals.
The students learn about building and construction regulations and standards, structural principles, project management, and related services, costing and becoming OHS certified. The training is the initial phase of learning and acquiring the required skills for the trade and developing them to attain the necessary qualifications. The lessons involve the input and guidance of trained professionals working in different construction fields thus present the pupils the opportunity to learn a lot of essential things that cement solid foundations for their career in the construction industry.
- Choose Your Trade
As mentioned before, the construction industry has different trades. You can opt to choose one or more disciplines that will help shape your career. Deciding which trade to learn should most be based on your belief of excelling in it; work that you will find joy and satisfaction in doing. That means that you need to look at the long-term prospects of that line of work, the hours you will put in, and is overall demands. If you are thinking along the lines of a trade that will have you put in around ten hours per week, then you should consider having another job on the side.
The trades in the construction industry include flooring, roofing, carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying, and welding, project management, and even 3D software modeling. It is okay to consider trying your hand in three or more different trades if you are unsure which will suit you, and it is an ideal way of honing your skills for one or two trades.
- Take Notice of Directions
As mentioned before, apprenticeship is an integral part of the process of shaping your career in the construction industry. Therefore, it is wise to be a person that is willing to be taught, to listen, do are instructed and also ask questions when unsure of what is expected. The directions may not only be to help you do a good job but also to ensure you do things smart and safely. Ignoring the directives of your trainer will not only put you and your team at risk but it could be the last straw that breaks the camel\’s back in as far as a career in the construction industry is concerned. Collaboration is important in construction as this post from Anders shows.
- Keep A Positive Attitude
Irrespective of the career path you decide to take, you should uphold a positive attitude around your employer and workmates; doing this will be to your advantage. Be punctual in arriving at work and even in the complication of assigned duties and be flexible so that you can accommodate different situations. Coming early is something that is highly recommended in the construction industry because most of the safety training and the updates for the project at done at the start of the day and being absent for such sessions can see you lose your job.
Give that the profession is mostly linked with working in the property market, it is not uncommon to change locations when working and learning various trades. As such, being flexible is to your advantage; you availability and commitment to work can see you kept on until the end of the project and this increases the chances of getting more jobs in the future. It is all about building a good reputation by being ready and willing to be directed, observing quality, upholding safety standards, and completing tasks on time.
- Network With Professionals
Getting in touch with both employers and those working in the industry is one of the best and easiest ways of finding available construction jobs in our location or city. Strive to build strong professional relationships as you network with different professionals in the construction industry; it increases the chances of getting early notification of upcoming jobs so that you can prepare in advance and have an edge during the recruitment process.
You can start by checking out the official construction association or attending events for the construction industry. You can as well enlist the services of a recruitments agency to help you find and reach out to various influential connects within the sector. Keep in mind, that you should always present yourself as a professional who is approachable, trustworthy, and friendly, this will leave a lasting impression and better your chances of finding work.
