4 Tips To Help You Get Into The Construction Industry!

By Natalie Wilson

Image source: Pexels

October 6 2023 - If you're wanting to get into the construction industry, no matter how old you are, we're here with four tips to help you do just that! From more active things like gaining work experience and applying for work experience, to improving your industry knowledge through research and connecting with industry leaders, these are all really positive steps you can take to help kickstart a fantastic career.

Gain Hands On Work Experience

One of the best things you can do to get into the construction industry is to get hands-on experience. Sites all over the country will be happy to have an extra pair of hands to help and it can give you fantastic experience. You can't really gauge what working in construction will be like until you're on site, so email or phone construction companies near you, tell them how interested you are in learning more about the industry and tell them that you're motivated and a quick learner. Most companies will be happy to take you on! Put together a CV (we have a whole section to help with this).

When deciding on the right company to go to, really they should provide you with some kind of health and safety information, as there are risks with construction sites that you need to be aware of. If you're not provided with this, it would be worth continuing your search to make sure you're finding a site that will keep you safe and one that follows all the right protocols, to help you learn best practices of a construction site.

Spend Some Time On Industry Leaders Websites

Another thing that you can do to learn more about the construction industry is to spend some time on industry leading websites. Do some research to find out the main industry leaders in construction, whether it's big construction companies or plant hire companies like Chippindale Plant, to learn about what these companies do, what makes them different, what machinery they use and some of the key benefits of different machinery you should look for. Once you have your list of important companies in the construction industry, spend half an hour each evening looking at a different one, and you will learn so much in a short space of time.

Connect With People On LinkedIn

After you've spent some time looking at industry leading websites, head to their Meet The Team pages and you can connect with some of those people on LinkedIn. This will help you to keep up with the latest industry news and find out people's different opinions on the industry. Once you know a bit about the business they work for, and have seen their posts on LinkedIn, you could message them on LinkedIn.

Make sure you take your time to write the message, showing you're interested in the industry, you've engaged with their LinkedIn and you have spent some time learning about the company on the website. You can then ask if they have any advice to help you. They may not reply, which is unlikely to be a reflection on you but more because they are busy, so don't get disheartened. They could reply with some advice for you, or even better, could potentially offer some work experience. Putting yourself out there whilst also showing you've done your research could work wonders, as everyone starts somewhere and the directors of these big companies will likely want to help out the young talent coming into the industry.

Apply For Apprenticeships

If you're absolutely sure that you want to get into construction, then make sure to follow all the steps above to know you're sure, then you should apply for apprenticeships. Construction is one of those industries where it's best to start at the bottom, learn everything you need to know and then you can work your way all the way up with the right amount of passion and drive. There are plenty of construction degrees out there to help if you want to go to University, and these could give you a headstart. However, the biggest construction companies in the UK will offer apprenticeship programmes to help passionate young people get started. You can also go to smaller companies for your apprenticeship, however make sure you look into the paths for progression to ensure that you can get everything out of the role you want to in the next few years.

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