Perfect time to change career into construction?

There are many reasons why someone might decide to change their career and set down a different path. These reasons range from simple mathematical incentives such as increased salary, or more complex and personal reasons.

Whatever the reason changing careers gives every individual an exciting opportunity to explore new areas, both professionally and personally.

The number of people who are open to new jobs is always difficult to measure, though it is estimated that at any given time around 30% of people in the UK are actively seeking a new job, with a large percentage of people being interested but not active.

Of those that are looking for a career change, the average age is 39 years old. Based on an Indeed report the average time spent deciding to change careers is 11 months. This shows that this is not a spur-of-the-moment decision and is often well planned.

Why switch to construction?

Construction is currently experiencing a period of skills shortage due to the industry performing at a very high level. Both large and small contractors are securing work at a steady rate, facilitating growth within the industry in all aspects.

Construction is a vital sector of the UK’s economy. It accounts for roughly £14.6 billion of the UK’s GDP. The sector’s output has increased by 3.3% since February 2020.

What this is meant to illustrate is that there is an abundance of opportunity in the sector. There are roles for all types of skills, from design roles to administrative positions to site management opportunities.

There is also a large push to bring more women into construction from companies such as Mace to increase diversity and offer more opportunities across the board.

Why specialise?

Specialist experience within construction is extremely valuable and very sought after. For example, the facades industry has highly specialist regulations and procedures to adhere to. This makes anyone with the experience very valuable to any contractor and they are willing to pay a premium for those with this experience.

It may be intimidating to specialise and the barrier to entry can be seen as higher. However, many contractors are eager to bring on people with good fundamentals and develop their technical knowledge. Graduate schemes are on the rise for contractors in the facades sector to bring talented graduates into the sector.

The biggest selling point for specialising in a field such as facades is the salary. Due to the required skill set and the talent pool salaries are often very attractive in any position.

On the Jobsocks platform, the average salary of middle-management is £55k per year. This is in contrast to the UK’s national full-time average of £31k per year. With Jobsocks’ focus on facades, the split is clear.

Of course, that is not the only reason one should specialise within a field. Another big advantage is the opportunity for growth. As the industry booms more roles are made available and opportunities to progress are more abundant.

To summarise

For those looking for a career change there is currently a high demand within many industries, and construction, in particular, has a lot to offer. To go further and specialise could lead someone to a whole range of extra benefits.