Page 6 - Pathways to Your Future

It’s a popular misconception that Construction is all about getting
your hands dirty and working in cold damp places, in reality, for
many roles in this sector this is not the case. This sector is a
modern, evolving and dynamic place to work with many roles
available that you may not have heard of.
Construction is at the heart of the sustainable Green revolution
and currently offers the most diverse range of “Green Jobs” than
any other sector.
Estimates and predictive modelling suggest 10’s of thousands
of extra jobs in the construction sector will be created in Wales
over the next few years.
How do we know this?
The main work areas in Construction are domestic, infrastructure
and commercial, so let’s look at what's happening in those
spaces…
Why Construction?
✓ 22% of the current workforce are over 50, and 15% are in their
60s - this retirement skills gap means there is a huge opportunity
for young people to fill!
✓ Job roles in the industry can range from:
• Engineering & Skilled trades
• Project Management
• Quantity surveying & architecture
• Urban Design / Geology
• Green Buildings and Environmental Assessment
✓ Many careers offer excellent progression prospects e.g. a trades
person could work their way up to management earning in excess
of £60,000 or even start their own business
✓ Not all professional roles require a degree, with many offering
apprenticeships as a route into the industry
Which subjects should I try to excel in?
Success in the subjects below will stand you
in good stead for a career in Construction
activities
Domestic Retrofit
Retrofit are processes to decarbonise homes and
it’s creating high demand for construction
occupations. Domestic Retrofit is a government
funded scheme to decarbonise homes by
replacing old fossil fuel heating systems and
replacing them with energy efficient sustainable
heating systems. Qualified skilled tradespeople
will be required in abundance to hit the
Government targets and will also play a huge
part in helping the environment.
Energy Switching and Infrastructure
From electric vehicle charging points, new energy
sources, transport, environmental
improvement schemes right through to
redevelopment of towns, cities and harborside
locations, are all planned local developments.
They will all require construction skills and a strong
workforce to build a cleaner future.
Further & Higher Education
Construction and the Built Environment
Levels 1&2:
You will cover the skills needed in the
construction industry, such as plumbing,
bricklaying, carpentry, joinery, painting
and decorating, electrical work,
stonemasonry and plastering.
Level 3 and above:
You will cover architecture, quantity
surveying, structural engineering and
project management skills.
Bachelor's Degree:
Project Managers, Civil Engineers, Town
Planning
English / Welsh
Maths
Sciences
✓ Construction skills are core transferable, therefore skills can be
transferred to other sectors such as: Energy, Transport,
Manufacturing, Agriculture, to name a few, opening vast career
options for the future and providing you with many different
career choices throughout your life
✓ Average advertised salary £34,000 (16% more than in 2021 Plenty
of local job opportunities, Construction roles are in high demand
Apprenticeships
available in this
sector
Construction & Built Environment
What’s it all about?