GCSE Results Week: The Construction Sector

This Thursday, thousands of students across the country will receive their GCSE results, and as a consequence of the unprecedented six months previous where students were forced to stay at home and miss out on school learning and exam qualifications, some school leavers may find themselves in an uncertain period of their life where they’re not sure on their next steps. 

"Don't be afraid to approach that employer that you've always thought you would love to work with" says Gill Carr, Pathways Coordinator.

"It’s been a difficult year for everybody and employers will understand that.  If you didn’t get the results you were hoping for, don’t let it knock your confidence. If you get the results you wanted, well done!

"There are many businesses out there looking for someone with your skills and personality. There are lots of opportunities to progress within a business, giving you the chance to gain more qualifications."

Each day this week, working closely with the education and employability team at Everton in the Community, and alongside well-known local employers – we will be posting some simple, yet handy advice and information for school leavers or future school leavers.

It contains useful information on specific industries - from what the industries consist of, why it may be the vocation for you, and how to pursue a career in the industry. We’ll also have some useful advice on CV and application writing, as well as tips on how to prepare for an interview.

For those not in employment, education or training, from this September, Everton in the Community is hosting an 'Employability and Personal Social Development' programme for 16 to 24-year-olds called 'New Futures'. Participants will receive information, advice and guidance through one to one support in order to progress into jobs, education or training opportunities in their chosen industry. 

Email Yolande.Walsh@Evertonfc.com to find out more and how to sign up for the programme. 

Today, the focus is on the construction industry, how a huge industry in Liverpool is about to get even bigger – and how you can be part of it.

What Is The Construction Industry?

The construction industry builds the world we live in with a wide variety of job roles. You can enter the industry at any level from apprentice to graduate with fantastic progression routes.

There are several areas of construction for you to consider such as:

Infrastructure: roads, bridges, water, sewers, electricity, phone lines.
House building: from acquiring land to design, construction, sales and after care.
Commercial: includes offices, warehouses, shops, hospitals and football stadiums.
Off-site manufacture: Components made in workshops and factories.

 

Many people get into the construction industry through an apprenticeship. An apprenticeship is a job with training and is open to anyone aged 16 and over. You’ll work alongside experienced staff and gain qualifications relevant to the job you are doing. Your employer will give you tasks to perform, and the training provider will give you the theoretical skills to perform those tasks.

Apprenticeships mean you are employed and will earn while you learn, so you can gain an industry-specific qualification without needing a student loan. You’re employed full-time (usually between 30-40 hours per week), which includes the time spent with your training provider.

Why The Construction Sector?

There’s a wide variety of roles, demand, the potential to earn a really good wage and that's not to mention the personal pride to look at a completed building and say ‘I built that’.

Over the next decade, Liverpool will deliver some of the UK’s largest and most ambitious development and infrastructure schemes. This includes Liverpool2 deep water terminal phase 2, Mersey Tidal Barrage and the Liverpool and Wirral Waters waterfront. There’s also planned investment in Liverpool’s roads, planned expansion of Liverpool John Moores University and development schemes such as ‘Ten Streets’.

Here at Everton Football Club, there are three planned developments which are due to shape the future of not only our football club, but also our community. The New Stadium project, The Goodison Legacy project and our proposed purpose-built mental health facility, The People’s Place.

 

If you like virtual reality and gaming, you may already have some transferable skills that could be used in the construction sector. Many new projects are designed on virtual platform and viewed by V.R. goggles by the customer to get a feel for their new build. That way, the customer can do a virtual walk around the structure and highlight any concerns before any building starts and make changes, saving money in the long run.

 


How Do I Get Into The Construction Sector?

Click here to discover 173 job roles both on and off site where you’ll find an overview of a job, what qualifications and skills you would need, and where you could progress to.

You’ll need your Construction Skills Certification Scheme card (CSCS). CSCS cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications for the job they do on site.

Top tips

Research: Take a look into the types of construction roles you may enjoy.

Skill check: Which subjects have you excelled in that have given you attributes and skills you could use to work in construction? For example team work, communication skills, planning etc.

Work experience: Get some experience of the role or roles you think would work for you. Many construction companies would welcome you for some work experience. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Networking: Attend events like National Apprenticeship Week and jobs fairs to get to know people who work in the construction industry already.

The above information and guidance has been put together by our Employability team at Everton in the Community, with support from Laing O'Rourke and the Construction Industry Board.