Graduate roles in tech-related areas of construction are heavily in demand within an industry that continues to grow at a highly impressive rate.
With well over 117,000 people currently working in the construction sector in Ireland, the sector has recovered spectacularly over recent years. It is estimated that between 20,000 and 40,000 jobs could be created within the sector during the coming years. However, with the construction sector long-viewed, rightly or wrongly, as the bell-weather for the general state of the Irish economy, the negative impacts of Brexit could be felt not just by this industry, but throughout the economy.
Construction sector: a booming industry
Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures indicate that over 50,000 jobs have been created in the Irish construction sector since the lowest point of the recession for the industry, in 2013. Data from the CSO points to approximately in one 16 people being employed either in the construction industry or a related industry by 2019. Major consultancies in the sector are predicting 9% year on year growth for the industry over the last two years, with a targeted delivery of more than 25,000 houses and the rest of the Government’s €43 billion public capital expenditure programme.
Since before the recession, the construction industry has changed remarkably. Modern construction and building are now heavily reliant and essentially governed, by modern management technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM). Construction is increasingly linked to commerce and other industries and technology such as BIM is fundamental to the delivery of massive scale projects for global organisations such as Google, Amazon, Facebook and many other high-value FDI operations.
Education
For those seeking to enter the construction sector, there are particular areas experiencing concerted periods of growth. Building Information Modelling (BIM) technicians, particularly those with the relevant software skills and expertise, will have multiple opportunities in this area. There is also a lot of demand for skills such as Lean and Agile working methodologies. There is also a significant increase in demand for certain areas such as project managers, quantity surveyors, skilled tradespeople, building management and project marketing. Salaries have also increased sizably and while countries such as Canada and Australia continue to remain very viable and attractive destination for construction professionals. The market in Ireland is growing at a pace that sees many major employers now able to match or exceed what may be on offer to job seekers.
In terms of postgraduate courses, there is a wide range of primarily technology-related conversion courses and professional bodies. The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) are heavily involved in training, continuous professional development and the promotion of industry best practices.
Skills needed
In addition to the relevant hard skills and technical knowledge, collaborative and team-working skills are of particular interest to employers in this sector. If you’re going for a job in the construction sector, make sure to highlight both your hard and soft skills in your application. Demonstrate your interest in the job by highlighting why you want to work for a particular employer. Also, do your research on that particular employer and the projects they have been involved in. Which of these projects, either past or future, appeal to you and why? What would you be able to add to the employer’s skillset? Give examples of projects that you have worked on either in university or via work experience that highlight your relevance and suitability for the role.
Make sure your endorse any statements on your CV with real-world details to highlight why they are suitable for this particular job. Don’t make vague or unsubstantiated references or statements as if the employer cannot see an example of why or where you used a particular skill in order to develop yourself then he/she are unlikely to process the application. If you’re highlighting your team-work skills, ensure that you display occasions when you participated as part of a team and followed instruction. Was there a time where you led a team or initiated and delivered a particular process?
Career progression
In terms of pathways into the industry, there are Level 8 degree programmes available from all institutes of technology and also from universities such as NUI Galway and the University of Limerick. A level eight degree permits you to apply for graduate entry roles. If you have a level 6 or 7 qualification, you may also be eligible for construction roles in some areas but may need to follow up with further postgraduate certification or training. An alternative to the academic route is the apprenticeship route, which is being heavily promoted at present. The apprenticeship consists of on the job training and scheduled college rotations, through seven phases, generally four with an employer and three in college after which you will complete tests and assessments to earn your qualification for the industry.
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