construction, engineering & propertyhow to write a cracking cv .....52 preparing for the perfect...

2017

Inspiring possibilitiesfor school leavers

In partnership with

Construction, Engineering & Property

THINKING ABOUT YOUR CAREER CHOICE? THEN THINK BIGConstruction accounts for 2.7 million jobs in the UK with 230,000 new jobs being created over the next five years. So when you’re thinking about career options, think construction.

2017Edition

Build a career that’s right for you

W elcome to the third edition of TARGETcareersConstruction, Engineering & Property. Thisguide is designed to help school and collegestudents investigate the career options open to

them across construction, engineering and property, anddecide whether they should go down the university orapprenticeship/training programme route.

Here at the Construction Industry Training Board(CITB) we know how important it is to get yourself on theright track, which is why we are proud to support thispublication and its website targetcareers.co.uk and toprovide our own careers resource, Go Construct. Why nottake our personality quiz and find out what kind of careermay suit you on our website, goconstruct.org? The websitehas lots of career resources for teachers, too.

Whatever your skills, ambition, interests or qualifications,construction has a role for you and, as this is a growingsector, we need people just like you. Depending on yourinterests, you could find yourself being very hands-on in askilled craft; using your technical knowledge to improvedesigns; overseeing construction work; or managing entire

projects. You could work for a huge international companyor for a small family business; for those of you who areentrepreneurial and want to be your own boss, you couldeven be self-employed.

Whether you choose to go into construction, engineeringor property, you can have a successful career whatever youracademic qualifications. Many students choose to start outon an apprenticeship after their GCSEs or A levels (orequivalents) but there are also options to go to universityand gain a job after graduation or even get a degree whileworking if you want to. This publication will help you findout more.

Kind regards,

Lorraine GregoryPartnership Manager, CITB

Welcome

The Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow, known as the Armadillo.Thanks to the CITB for supplying the image.

TARGETcareers Construction, Engineering & Property 2017

2

Welcome to your futureYour choice of careers ................................4

Your choice of career routes ......................6

Which route?Quiz: which route is best for you? ............9

Thinking about apprenticeships? ..........10

Thinking about university?......................12

Thinking about training programmes? ..14

Which job role?Match yourself to the right career ..........16

How the construction industry works ....18

The different construction job rolesexplained ..................................................21

The engineering industries explained ....26

Need to know info for all would-beengineers..................................................29

The different engineering job rolesexplained ..................................................30

The property industry defined ................34

The different property job roles explained ..................................................35

Get professionally qualified ....................38

What to do once you’ve seen a career you like ....................................................39

12 YOUR UNIVERSITY OPTIONS EXPLAINED

9 TAKE OUR APPRENTICESHIP VERSUS UNI QUIZ 16 FIND YOUR PERFECT CAREER

10 ALL ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS

14 WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVETRAINING PROGRAMMES?

ContentsContents

3


Career stories fromstudents, apprentices,trainees and graduatesMy automotive degree apprenticeship ..41

My bricklaying apprenticeship and beyond ..............................................41

My quantity surveying degree ................42

My electrical engineering degree andplacement ................................................42

My civil engineering degree apprenticeship ........................................43

My construction management trainingprogramme ..............................................43

My graduate job in site management ....44

My quantity surveying training programme ..............................................44

Applying to uniHow to perfect your UCAS personalstatement ................................................46

How to impress on your interview day....47

Applying forapprenticeships and jobsYour application checklist........................49

The skills you should talk about during the recruitment process..........................50

Get covered with a covering letter ..........51

How to write a cracking CV ......................52

Preparing for the perfect interview ........54

A–Z of employers and a quick guide to their opportunities, locations andrecruitment methods ..............................56

50 THE SKILLS YOU SHOULD SHOW OFF ABOUT52 CV WRITING TIPS AND TEMPLATE

TAKING YOURNEXT STEP

Join theworkforceGo to uniOr both?

Choosing a job role

Makingapplications

46 WRITING THE PERFECT UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT


4

Engineering is...Problem solving. Designing, creatingand fixing many of the items thatmake our lives easier – fromsmartphones and satellites to carsand medicines.

WELCOME TO YOUR FUTURE

Your choice ofcareers

See page 26for more aboutengineering careers

The Garden Bridge, London. A new 366m footbridge incorporating a public garden. Engineering consultancy Arup is leading the design team.

Professionals working at aJaguar Land Rover factory.

5


Construction is...Saying ‘I helped build that!’. Designing andbuilding the ‘built’ environment around us: the tallest skyscrapers, the state-of-the-artfootball stadiums, the most beautifulbridges and so on.

Property is...Increasing the value of land and real estate. From houses and offices to farmlandand wind farms, propertyprofessionals work to ensure thatland and property make money.

See page 18for more aboutconstruction careers

See page 34for more aboutproperty careers

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6

Finish key stage 416

This can lead to...

•An entry-level job, eg building surveying technician.

• A higher apprenticeship or alternative school leaver trainingprogramme.

•University – HNC/HND/BEng/ MEng/BSc qualification.

WELCOME TO YOUR FUTURE

Your choice of caree

This can lead to...

•A job (either with the sameemployer or a different one).

• Another, higher levelapprenticeship or qualification (if an employer supports you).

ApprenticeshipYou can complete an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship. You work four days a week and study for one day. All your trainingis paid for and you get paid too.

Intermediate (level 2) apprenticeships

•Entry requirements vary – from no GCSEs to five GCSEs.

• The end qualification you receive is equivalent to five GCSEs or an NVQ level 2.

• For jobs such as electricians, bricklayers, mechanics andplumbers.

• Last one to four years.

Advanced (level 3) apprenticeships

•Entry requirements vary – typically five GCSEs A*–D or 9–3.

• The end qualification you receive is equivalent to two A levels or an NVQ level 3.

• For jobs such as bricklayers and maintenance engineers, civilengineers, aerospace modellers and instrument fitters.

• Last one to four years.

Stay in educationYou can go to a sixth form or furthereducation college and study:

• A levels.

• Vocational qualifications, eg NVQ in engineering.

Your options at

7


Finish key stage 518

r routes

Alternative schoolleaver programmeSome employers offeralternatives to apprenticeshipsfor A level students who don’twant to study full time atuniversity. These are similar tothe new degree apprenticeships,but are customised to theemployer rather than having tofollow apprenticeshipframeworks. These employertraining schemes usuallyinvolve you studying for adegree while working for theemployer; the employer pays all(or most) of your fees.

ApprenticeshipThe traditional apprenticeship option is the higherapprenticeship, in which you’ll work four days aweek and study for one. However, a few employersare now offering degree (or professional)apprenticeships. With an apprenticeship, yourtraining is paid for and you get a salary too.

Higher (level 4) apprenticeships

•Entry requirements vary – usually two A levels and five GCSEs.

• The end qualification is equivalent to an NVQlevel 4 or a foundation degree/HNC/HND.

• For jobs such as designers, constructionmanagers and engineers – but you’ll have lessresponsibility than if you’d got a degree.

Degree (level 6) apprenticeshipsRecently introduced: only currently availablethrough a few employers in certain areas,including surveying and engineering.

• Complete a degree and a relevant professional qualification.

• Typically last five to six years.

This can lead to...

•A job (with your employer or a different one).

•University (for higher apprentices).

UniversityYou can study a degreequalification full or part time.

• Entry requirements vary – allask for a number of UCASpoints, some require specificsubjects and some won’taccept general studies orcritical thinking A levels.

• Fees cost up to £9,250 a year for UK students. Canbe funded by a student loan,bursaries or through anemployer.

• Courses typically last threeor four years + an optionalwork experience placementyear.

This can lead to...

•A graduate scheme orgraduate-level job, whichoften includes managementresponsibility.

• Further study.

This can lead to...

•A job.

Your options at

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

We offer accredited, industry-focused courses in:• Architectural Design• Civil Engineering• Construction and Quantity Surveying• Product Design• Property Management and Development

Visit www.ntu.ac.uk/courses-adbe to find out more.

8009/01/17ALFIE MOLLOY, BSC (HONS) QUANTITY SURVEYING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT*98% of graduates in work or further study after six months, DLHE 2014/15.

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9


Mostly As?You might want

to explore...University courses and full-time study.

SEE PAGE 12.

WHICH ROUTE?

Which route is best for you?What would suit you best: university, apprenticeship or training programme? Our quiz can help you work it out. Choose the statement you most agree with.

12345

AI enjoy the learning environmentand am looking forward to student

life.

I enjoy learning in the classroom.

I don’t want to work full time and have to do study on top.

I want higher earning potential in the long term, even if I have student

debt in the short term.

I want to be in a position to be offered management opportunities

virtually straightaway.

BI am keen to enter the workplace

straightaway.

I enjoy learning through doing.

I feel able to combine full-time work with part-time study.

I want to earn some moneystraightaway and I don’t want

any student debt.

I don’t mind working my way up to management level.

Mostly Bs?You might want

to explore...Apprenticeships or training programmes.

SEE PAGES 10 AND14.


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Apprenticeships offer youthe chance to worktowards qualificationswhile earning money in areal job. They are a tried

and trusted way to start your career,but you need to know what you aresigning up to.

What’s involved?Apprenticeships allow you to work inan entry-level job while gettingtrained up. This training usuallyinvolves working with experiencedcolleagues for four days a week andstudying at a further educationcollege or designated training centreon the fifth day. You gain vocationaland technical qualifications andimprove your functional skills (forexample, in maths and English).Some employers provide training inbusiness skills, too.

Apprenticeships can be found in ahuge number of different areas –from crafts such as stonemasonry toaspects of project management.Apprentices should be decided on thejob they’d like. An apprenticeshiptrains you to do a specific role and itcan be hard to change that role if youdon’t like it. University students whodon’t enjoy their course can apply fora huge range of different jobs. Seepages 6–7 for an outline of thedifferent types of apprenticeshipsavailable.

Cashing inThe minimum wage is £3.40 forapprentices aged 16–18 or those aged19 or over who are in their first year.After that first year, apprentices aged19 or over are due the minimumwage for their age: £5.55 if aged 19or 20, £6.95 if aged 21–24 or £7.20if aged 25 or over.1 However, manyemployers pay more than theminimum wage: see the A–Z ofemployers from page 56.

Professional qualificationsMost professionals in construction,engineering and property take a‘professional qualification’ with aprofessional body while on the job.These tell clients and employers thatyou are trained to ‘industry standard’.You may start working towards theseon your apprenticeship or you maytake them afterwards.

A graduate may be able to worktowards a higher qualification thanan apprentice would, and as suchcan gain greater responsibility and,usually, higher pay.

After an apprenticeshipOnce you have completed anapprenticeship, most employers keepyou on in a job, but some might beunable to. If that is the case, youhave a recognised qualification andyears of work experience to help youfind a job with another employer.

After your apprenticeship, youcould progress to a higher level ofapprenticeship, a school-leavertraining programme or a universitycourse. But you’ll need an employer’scooperation to do so: they may wantyou to perform the job you’ve beentrained in. If you have managerialambitions, the quickest way to fulfilthem is to go to university and thenjoin a graduate scheme or find atraining programme that sponsorsyou through a degree.

Apprenticeship applicationsYou can apply for apprenticeships in three ways. You can:• apply directly to an employer

offering apprenticeships (see the A–Z of employers from page 56)

• apply via a further education college • apply to an apprenticeship

training provider who will thenplace you with an employer.Training providers can be privatebusinesses, charities or, like theCITB, professional bodies.The application processes usually

involve filling in a form or sendingin a CV – see pages 49–55 foradvice. Deadlines vary: for example,some close in January, some in May,some in August and others are openall year.1 Figures correct as of October 2016.

WHICH ROUTE?

Thinking about apprenticeships?

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

k

You can earn, learn and work atthe same time. You won’t haveany student debt, but you’llprobably start on a lower

salary than a graduate with thecompany.

Most employers will move youinto a job on completion ofyour apprenticeship, but that

isn’t guaranteed.

You can go on to take higherqualifications after yourapprenticeship, but usuallyonly if an employer willsupport you to do so.

You might not have as muchresponsibility as a graduatewould; a newly arrived graduate

could be senior to you.

The pros and cons


12

G oing to university is apopular choice and anestablished way foracademically mindedpeople to accelerate their

careers. But, with tuition fees toconsider, you need to know how tomake the most of it.

The qualifications explainedUniversities offer undergraduate andpostgraduate qualifications that can be studied full time, part time oronline. Most undergraduate degreesare bachelor degrees, usually takenafter A levels. On graduating,construction and property students

typically become bachelors of science(BSc). Engineering students canbecome either bachelors of engineering(BEng) or masters in engineering(MEng) – this is technically anundergraduate qualification, but isequivalent to a postgraduate mastersdegree. Postgraduate qualifications aretypically taken after bachelorqualifications.

There are shorter undergraduatecourses that offer recognised, butlesser, qualifications: higher nationalcertificates (HNCs), higher nationaldiplomas (HNDs) and foundationdegrees. They are offered by furthereducation colleges in addition touniversities. You can progress to a bachelor course from these courses;

WHICH ROUTE?

Thinking aboutuniversity?

13


sometimes students take them if theyhave insufficient UCAS points for a bachelor course.

The courses on offerThere are many undergraduate subjectsavailable – browse courses attargetcareers.co.uk and www.ucas.com.You can study either one subject indepth (single honours) or study two(joint or combined honours). The vastmajority of courses in construction,engineering and property include theopportunity to take a ‘placement’ year(where you spend a year working foran employer).

What to expectAround 25–40 per cent of your timewill be spent in lectures and tutorials,but the rest of your time will be spentdoing independent study: check outunistats.direct.gov.uk for the ratios ofspecific courses. You’ll be assessedthrough exams, presentations,extended essays and/or researchprojects. You’ll also be encouraged toapply for work experience withemployers during the holidays and/or a placement year.

Construction, engineering andproperty courses are more practicalthan other degrees, but they are stilltheory based. Engineering students, forexample, learn a lot of maths. If youprefer a more practical approach,perhaps investigate apprenticeships ortraining programmes.

Choosing a course and universityConsider:• the reputation of the university for

the subject• whether the course is accredited by

relevant professional bodies• whether tutors/lecturers are involved

in cutting-edge research or haveworked in industry

• the range of modules and projects• the relationships the department and

careers service have with employers • facilities, including laboratories,

computer-aided design programs,access to journals and case studymaterials

Qualification Typical length (full time)

HNC One year

HND Two years

Foundation Two yearsdegree

BSc, BEng Three years + optional one-year placement

MEng Four years + optional one-year placement

• other general factors, such as thesocial life on offer, whether it’s acampus or city university and yourgut feeling!

Don’t just rely on universityprospectuses and websites to find thesethings out: go along to open days andask course leaders and students.

Funding universityIf you are a UK national, you will paya maximum of £9,250 a year fortuition fees. You’ll also need to factorin living expenses. You can get a loanto cover the costs of tuition and living(maintenance) costs – the studentfinance calculator on www.gov.uk tellsyou how much you could get. You payback your loan in instalments aftergraduating and only when you earn£21,000 or more.2 But there are otherways to fund your studies. Check outthe following sources.

Employer sponsorshipMany employers will pay for yourstudies in return for you working forthem during holidays and aftergraduating. Some employers will offerthis before you start university; manymore will offer this to second-yearswho have completed a work placementwith them. See the A–Z of employersstarting from page 56 to see whooffers sponsorship.

Bursaries and scholarshipsThere are a number of bursaries andscholarships available – which youdon’t need to pay back – but you’llneed to search for them. Look at thewebsites of individual universities andprofessional institutions (see page 38for institutions’ websites).

After your degreeUnless you’ve been sponsored by anemployer, university does notguarantee you a job. You’ll need toapply for graduate-level jobs (graduateschemes). If you graduate in July andwant to start work in October, youshould apply in the first term of yourfinal year.

1 According to the Department for Businessand Skills’ Graduate Labour MarketStatistics: 2015 report.

2 As of October 2016.

• Joining a graduate scheme can be a quicker way intomanagement than anapprenticeship.

• It may enable you to study for a higher level professionalqualification while on the job,leading to higher status andsalaries. This isn’t always thecase for apprentices.

• A degree is a passport intomany careers, not just thesubject you are studying –great if you change yourcareer plans.

• The median salary of agraduate aged 21–30 is£6,000 higher than for a non-graduate the sameage.1

• It can be expensive and you may end up withstudent debt, but it can bepaid for via sponsorship or bursaries.

• A job isn’t guaranteed afteruniversity, but you’ll have a dedicated careers team to help you find one.

The pros and cons


14

S ome employers devise theirown training programmesfor school leavers thataren’t bound by therequirements of an

apprenticeship. They usually involvestudying for a degree-level qualificationwhile working for a company. You’llnormally do a few weeks at universityfollowed by a few weeks on the job.The employer gives you a salary andpays for the university fees. In return,you’ll fit in your university courseworkaround your job and need to achieve agood result. Employers aim to keepyou on afterwards, but this isn’talways guaranteed.

Keep an eye outThe content and length of the trainingprogrammes on offer vary, so researchwhat’s out there. The employeroverviews starting from page 56outline some of the opportunitiesavailable. The training programmes arecalled different things by differentemployers but ‘school leaver trainingprogramme’ is the term that is mostcommonly used. The programmes areusually open to those with A levels (or equivalent). But different employershave different entry requirements.

Apply directlyTo apply for a training programme,you usually contact the companydirectly rather than go through anagency. Applications typically open inthe autumn and they tend to involve anumber of stages. For example:• An application form, which might

include questions asking when youused certain skills and might ask youto upload a CV

• Online tests (eg numeracy)• A telephone interview• An assessment centre including

group tasks• A final interview.

You can get advice on succeeding atall of these stages from page 49onwards and on targetcareers.co.uk.

Make the right choiceWhen comparing opportunities, find out:• What job or jobs will the degree

qualify me for?• What happens after the scheme?• What have past trainees gone on to do?• Which professional qualification will

I be able to take after the scheme? • What is included in the programme?

Are all my expenses paid for? • What exactly will I need to achieve

in return?• Will I need to relocate?

You earn money and get adegree with no student debt.

You study the degree youremployer wants you to – you don’t choose.

Balancing the demands of ajob with university work

can be hard.

The pros and cons

WHICH ROUTE?

Thinking about trainingprogrammes?

Find your perfect �tat targetcareers.co.uk

Work or uni – notsure which optionwould suit you?

On TARGETcareersyou will find:• University courses

• Apprenticeships andschool leaverprogrammes

• Advice and guidance

• A careers quiz

• The School Leavers’Challenge

Page 1


16

WHICH JOB ROLE?

Match yourself to the right careerHow do you choose which job is right for you? Read ouroverviews of the industries and job roles over the next few pages and use our career-matching tool below.

Make a matchMake a list of your school/collegesubjects and extracurricular activities.Write down the things you liked aboutthem, and the different skills youneeded to take part in them. For

example, if you played rugby, youmay have enjoyed being out of

doors and getting fit – andyou will have turned up ontime for the match and

for training (timemanagement), been a

teamplayer (teamwork) and talkedthrough game plans with your team(communication). You can create yourlist by drawing a mind map on a hugepiece of paper or you can use an app.Then decide which of the likes andskills on the list are the mostimportant to you.

Work out whatyou enjoy

Think about what skills andactivities you’ve enjoyed at

school and elsewhere –and what you didn’tenjoy. Did you prefer

science to English? Ifyou have a part-time job in a

supermarket, do you liketalking to customers? Would youprefer to be cooped up inside on awinter’s day or would you want toventure out? Considering yourlikes and dislikes will help you finda job that you love.

Identify yourskillsThere are some ‘general’ skills you’llneed whatever construction,engineering or property job you gointo. For example, you’ll need to beable to work in a team; communicatewith colleagues and probably clientstoo; and manage your time – that is,meet deadlines and be punctual. Somejobs require specific skills andqualities. For example, architects needto be able to draw and scaffolderscan’t be afraid of heights.

You’ve probably already developedsome of the required skills throughschool or college work, extracurricularactivities or part-time jobs. If you needto develop your skills further, use therest of your time at school or collegeto do so: get involved with schemessuch as the Duke of Edinburgh’sAwards or Young Enterprise, offer tomentor younger students or take up anew interest outside of school.

The pros and consMany of the professions featured over the next few pagesinvolve taking an additional on-the-job qualification. Thisqualification is awarded by the institution that representsyour chosen profession and tells the world that you arequalified to a high standard. You can start working towardsit on a school leaver trainingprogramme or graduate scheme. See page 38

for more information

17


designing...Consider:Architecture ..........................page 21Engineering (design roles)......................................pages 29–33Landscape architecture ......page 22

the best deal...Consider:Manufacturing engineering ..page 32Property surveying..............page 35Quantity surveying ..............page 23

interpreting rules...Consider:Architectural technology ....page 21Building surveying ..............page 21Manufacturing (process)engineering ..........................page 32Planning ................................page 35Property surveying..............page 35

If you like...

If you like getting...

If you like...

being in charge...All jobs can lead to management, but if you want to start off as a manager, consider:Civil/structural/geotechnical engineering (on site) ................................page 22Property surveying..............page 35Site management ................page 23

work with your hands...Consider:Construction crafts and skilled trades ........................page 24Motor vehicle technician work..............................................page 30

If you like...

If you want to...

out and about all day...Consider:Building surveying ..............page 21Civil/structural/geotechnicalengineering (on site) ..........page 22Engineering (depending on theindustry and employer)......................................pages 29–33Planning ................................page 35Property surveying..............page 35 Quantity surveying (on site)................................................page 23Site management ................page 23

‘green’ career...Roles where you’ll have a particular focus on minimising ourenvironmental impact include:All construction jobs....pages 21–25Automotive engineering......page 30Chemical engineering ..........page 31Environmental engineering page 32Manufacturing engineering page 32Planning ................................page 35

If you want to be...

If you want a...

The client then hires consultants2

...who will advise them on mattersrelating to the design, cost and anyregulations. The client could employseveral consultancies or oneconsultancy to advise on everything.Either way, one consultantorganisation will often oversee theproject on behalf of the client.

Consultant organisations include:• architecture practices• cost consultancy (quantity

surveying) employers• civil, structural, mechanical and

electrical engineering employers.

Consultants, then, look after thedesign phase of the project – theydesign the structure and work out howmuch that design will cost to build.Once this has been established, theydecide which construction contractorshould do the construction work.Contractors have to ‘bid’ for the work –put a case for why they are the bestcompany to carry out the work andstate their price.


18

It starts with the client...who decides something should bebuilt. They might be a propertydevelopment company, a localauthority, a central governmentdepartment, a private business or an individual.

The client decides what they wantto build, the timeframe in which itshould be built and how much itshould cost.

1

The traditional processThe flowchart above shows thetypical process of how aconstruction project gets built, butsome larger firms offer a design-and-build service wherethey take on the typical work of aconsultant and a contractor. Largeprojects can take years to get fromthe initial idea to being fullycompleted.

1

WHICH JOB ROLE?

How the construction industry worksDifferent organisations work together to build a project. Here’s how...

Working for a consultancyIf you work at a consultancy, yourwork will be on the design phase. Civilengineers make sure that the technicaldetails on plans will work and quantitysurveyors price up how much thedesign would cost.• You work in an office...• ...sometimes you get to visit sites

and occasionally you could be‘seconded’ (sent) to work on a site,but this is an office job.

• You work office hours (typically 8.30 am – 6.00 pm) but may have to work longer hours close to adeadline.

• You usually work on a number ofprojects at the same time.

• As you work on a project in its earlystages, it may be years before yousee the finished project in operation.

2

19


Contractors carry outthe construction work...Once the contractor has won thework, construction begins on site.They ensure the project is built to theagreed quality, budget andtimeframe. They take instructionsabout the design from the designconsultancy and run any design-related problems past them.

3 ...but may get subcontractors to helpIf there is work involved in theproject that needs specialist skillsor knowledge, the contractor mightoffer the work to specialistorganisations that have moreexpertise in specific areas. Typicaltasks that might be given tosubcontractors include:

• the reinforced concrete works• structural steelwork• work on the foundations• plumbing and electrical work.Subcontractors tend to be smallerand local employers. They work insimilar conditions to contractors.

Working for a contractorJob roles with contractors includesite managers, civil engineers,quantity surveyors, and trades orcraft people. • You work on site (or from a

temporary office on site) in allweathers.

• Depending on the project, you might need to work shifts orovernight.

• Working hours are longer outon site (typically 7.30 am – 6.00 pm) and you may need towork longer hours if things getbehind schedule.

• You typically work on oneproject at a time.

• You get to see things being builtbefore your very eyes.

3

A project could be a ‘new build’, arenovation or a refurbishment. It cancover anything in the built environmentaround us, for example:

• houses, office blocks, warehouses,factories and hospitals

• train stations and airports

• roads, railways, bridges and tunnels

• piers, dams and coastal defences

• nuclear power plants and othergenerators of energy.

Relocation, relocation, relocation... or commuteDon’t be surprised if you have to relocatefor the job or face a long commute. This ismore likely if you work for a contractor,as you’ll be expected to go to where theprojects are. If you work for a nationalemployer, the project can be anywhereacross the country but smaller

employers are more likely to work in aparticular region. Consultants are alsomore likely to stay in their local area, butmay need to travel to visit sites.

If you work for an internationalemployer, you might get to work abroad– although you may need to get a fewyears’ experience under your belt first. If this is the case, the company usuallypays for your accommodation.

Know your marketsLarger construction companies specialisein particular ‘markets’ or sectors – forexample, they might offer civil andstructural engineering services forhealthcare projects. Some work in a rangeof sectors while other companies provideexpertise in just one or two areas. Manyconstruction professionals specialise in a particular type of project over time.

What else do you need to know?

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

k

Find out more and apply at www.wates.co.uk/careers

BUILD YOUR CAREER AT WATES

Above all, it’s about people

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Architects andarchitecturaltechnologistsEvery building starts with the design.Enter the architect. Architects design buildings that aresafe, attractive and as environmentallyfriendly as possible. They stay involvedthroughout the construction process,adapting their plans if the budget,environmental factors or the client’swishes change. They are assisted byarchitectural technologists andtechnicians.

Architectural technologists ensurethat the technical aspects of a designwork and comply with regulations.They work in a similar role to civilengineers in that way. Architecturaltechnologists may also be hired tooversee a project from start to finish.Technicians help prepare drawings,compile technical information such assurveys, and help put togetherproposals and contracts.

Most architects, technologists andtechnicians work in architecturalpractices; many experienced architectsand technologists set up their own.There are a few vacancies with largeconstruction employers and in thepublic sector.

Do you need a degree?To become an architect, you need adegree approved by the Royal Instituteof British Architects (RIBA): it takesseven years, including two years ofwork placements, but this may changefrom September 2017 onwards. A levelsin art/graphic design, maths and

physics are useful, but not alwaysrequired. Many universities want acombination of arts and sciences.

Most architectural technologistsstudy a three-year degree approved bythe Chartered Institute of ArchitecturalTechnologists. Technicians typicallystudy an HND/HNC before applyingfor a job; there are a fewapprenticeships. With further study,they can become technologists.

• You are good at freehand drawing.• You are creative.• You can get your head around maths.• You can get to grips with detailedinformation on building regulations.

BuildingsurveyorsA perfect job for those who want to workin property and construction.Building surveyors provide technicaladvice relating to construction andproperty. They typically: • conduct building surveys (inspect

properties on behalf of would-bebuyers). They report on thebuilding’s condition, for example ifthere is damp, and what any repairswould cost.

• record dilapidations (changes) to abuilding’s condition since its lastinspection. They then need toarrange repairs with the owner’sagreement.

• oversee, design and decide whatneeds to be done on simplerconstruction projects that don’trequire an architect – often smallextensions or an officerefurbishment.

• advise owners on ‘party walls’(walls, floors or ceilings sharedbetween two properties). They helpowners alter or repair these anddecide which owner pays for what.Building surveyors usually work for

property firms, housing developers orspecialist surveying firms. They splittheir time between an office and theirclients’ properties.

What qualifications do you need?Employers usually want you to havean undergraduate or postgraduatedegree that has been approved by theRoyal Institution of CharteredSurveyors or the Chartered Institute ofBuilding. Some courses ask for aphysics A level (or equivalent) butmany don’t require specific subjects.There are a few apprenticeshipsavailable. Alternatively, you couldcomplete an HND and apply for abuilding surveying technician job.

• You want to get out and about, butreturn to a dry, warm office.

• You get bored doing the same thing all the time.

• You like to take charge.• You are interested in the law and how it can be applied practically.

A good choice if...

A good choice if...


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Civil, structuraland geotechnicalengineersCreating the tallest buildings and the longest bridges. Civil and structural engineers design,build and maintain the constructedworld around us: bridges, tunnels,roads, railways, dams, pipelines,buildings, power plants, offshore windfacilities and so on. They ensure thetechnical detail in architects’ plans willwork in practice. They often specialisein a type of project, such as highways.Structural engineers have particularresponsibility for ensuring that thestructure (inner-framework) of theproject holds up, even in bad weather.

Consultants v. contractorsIf you work for a construction orengineering consultant – who designsand plans projects – you will beworking on the technical aspects ofdesigns, using computer-aided designpackages. If you work for aconstruction or engineering contractor– who builds the project – you’ll makesure that the design is implementedproperly. If you work for a publicsector organisation or utilities supplier,you’ll help to investigate the need forpublic services, such as roads, andmaintain them. See page 29 for moreinformation on how to start yourengineering career.

Building foundationsIf structural engineering takes yourfancy, consider geotechnicalengineering too. Geotechnicalengineers are responsible forstructures’ foundations, assessing datafrom the field, finding ways to ensurefoundations or slopes are stable,designing foundations, and overseeingwork on a construction site.

• You can draw basic sketches – youdon’t have to be an artist.

• You like knowing the technical detailsof how things work (for jobs withconsultancies).

• You’d like to work out on site instead ofin an office (for jobs with contractors).

• You want to be able to say ‘I helpedbuild that!’

LandscapearchitectsCombining a flair for design andconcern for the environment. Landscape architects aim to improvethe quality of the environment bydesigning and managing the openspaces around us. They combineartistic skills with knowledge ofhuman activity and the naturalenvironment to design public areas intowns, cities and the countryside. Theyuse computer-aided design packages tomodel and experiment with designs;visit, survey and analyse sites thatcould be developed; draw up plans forhow the space will be developed in thelonger term; help to protect andconserve the environment; deal withclients; and work along otherconstruction professionals.

Landscape architects tend to workfor specialist landscape architecturalpractices, environmental consultancies,transport planners and large engineeringconsultancies. There are also a fewvacancies in the public sector.

Do you need a degree?To become a landscape architect, youneed to study a degree approved by theLandscape Institute. This is usually athree-year undergraduate degree plus aone-year postgraduate diploma inlandscape architecture. But if youcomplete an undergraduate degree in asubject such as art, geography orhorticulture you can do a postgraduate‘conversion’ masters lasting up to twoyears. Most universities do not specifyA level (or equivalent) requirementsbut the Landscape Institute suggeststhat the following subjects would begood choices: art, design, graphics,chemistry, physics, biology, English,technology, ICT or history. Someuniversities may ask you to have art toat least GCSE level.

• You are creative.• You are good at art and biology.• You like the outdoors.• You want to help protect the environment.

A good choice if...

A good choice if...

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QuantitysurveyorsBeing the money men and women of the construction industry. Quantity surveyors (QSs) can also beknown as cost consultants, commercialmanagers, cost managers or costengineers. But whatever you’re called,your role is to help a constructionproject to make a profit. You’ll keep aclose eye on how much everythingcosts (the materials, the time taken andthe workers’ salaries) and makepayments.

If you work for a construction orQS consultancy – which looks after the‘design’ stage of the project – you’ll bebased in an office. You’ll spend mostof your time working out how muchdifferent designs cost. If you work fora contractor – which builds the project– you’ll be based in an office on aconstruction site. You might help tochoose which materials to buy, be outon site checking completed work,track the materials used or paysubcontractors for their work.

Do you need a degree?Employers will want you to gain anundergraduate or postgraduate degreethat has been approved by the RoyalInstitution of Chartered Surveyors orthe Chartered Institute of Building. Butsome will hire you onto an

apprenticeship or trainee scheme withGCSEs and/or A levels (orequivalents). They’ll then pay for youto study an HND or bachelorqualification while working for them.

• You’re good at maths.• You’re good at figuring out the best buy or deal.

• You like keeping track of systems and pay attention to detail.

• You like people.

Site managersBeing in charge of making thingshappen on a construction site. Construction site managers ensurethings get done on a construction site.They make sure that the buildingwork is finished on time, in budgetand to a high standard. They organiseschedules of work, manage workersand deal with issues such as healthand safety, logistics and the effects ofthe building work on members of thepublic. On larger and complicatedprojects, an experienced site managerwill have a number of assistantmanagers, each looking after one partof the project (or package), such asthe foundations.

Working hoursSite managers typically work forconstruction contractors and arebased on site. As with any job role onsite, you may have to work night andweekend shifts, and hours can belong: a 40-hour week is normal andyou will probably have to workovertime as deadlines approach.

Routes inYou can start out as an assistantmanager if you have studied aconstruction or project managementdegree approved by the CharteredInstitute of Building, or another closelyrelated subject such as civil engineering.A very few employers might hire youwith a different degree and sponsor youthrough a postgraduate course.

The quickest way to get intomanagement via an apprenticeshiproute is to complete a higherapprenticeship, for which you’ll eitherneed A levels (or equivalent), anadvanced apprenticeship in somethinglike construction supervision orexperience in the industry.

• You like to take charge.• You can make decisions quickly.• You like solving problems.•You are organised.• You don’t want to work in an office –and you don’t mind being out in allweathers.

A good choice if...

A good choice if...

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I f you choose a career in one ofthe traditional constructioncrafts or skilled trades, you cango straight from sitting yourGCSEs to working on site. You

can complete an intermediate oradvanced apprenticeship. Alternatively,you can take a vocational qualificationat college and then find an entry-leveljob. You could find work with largeconstruction employers, smallerspecialist employers or within thepublic sector. Many experienced tradesand crafts people work for themselves.Below we outline some of the maincrafts or trades open to you.

BrickworkBrickwork is probably the most wellknown and popular construction craft.It includes bricklaying as well asstonemasonry, and you can choose tospecialise in one or both of these areas.As a bricklayer, you’ll work as part ofa ‘brickwork gang’ to trim bricks andshape natural stone, lay bricks, applymortar and check the courses arestraight. There could be several gangson site, depending on the size of theproject.

Stonemasonry is a traditional yetincreasingly uncommon skill, but it’sessential to our heritage and great ifyou like history. Stonemasons – whocreate and restore stonework onbuildings and other structures – mightspecialise in curving, laying or fixing.

Carpentry and joinery Carpenters and joiners work togetherto prepare and install the wooden partsof buildings, from floorboards androof trusses to windows and doors.Typically, a joiner uses drawings toprepare the materials and a carpenterinstalls them and does any structuralwork – but the two roles overlap andsometimes one person will do both.Joinery can be split into two areas: site(floors, doors and roofs) and bench(counters, kitchens and staircases).

DemolitionYou need to be at least 18 to work indemolition, although you typicallyonly need GCSEs (or equivalent).You’ll usually start off as a demolitionoperative and there’ll be lots of powertools to use and crane-based work todo. So, it’s essential you have a headfor heights and an awareness of healthand safety. You’ll spend your daysblowing up or pulling down disused orunattractive buildings, as well asclearing the site, removing debris,rubbish and hazardous waste. Youmight specialise in preparing the sitefor demolition (for example, puttingup rails and laying dustsheets), inremoving fittings and dismantlingrooves, or cutting steel frameworksand removing fragile rooves.

Electrical workElectricians (sometimes known aselectrical technicians) install and repairthe electrical systems around us: forexample, in all sorts of buildings andon our streets. You might find yourselfspecialising in installation ormaintenance – or in a particular areasuch as highways maintenance andstreet lighting or solar panels. Youmay work in a team or on your own.You’ll need to be a logical thinker andproblem solver. A head for heights andbeing happy working in all weatherswill probably be useful, too. Be awarethat you may need to take extra on-the-job qualifications to ensure you areable to carry out tasks such as PATtesting (portable appliance testing).

WHICH JOB ROLE?

The crafts and tradesFor those who prefer working with their hands to book learning.

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Scaffolding andsteeplejackingAs a scaffolder, you will literally putup and take down scaffolding using aseries of metal tubes (standards),horizontal poles (ledgers) and woodenworking platforms (battens). You’llneed a head for heights, goodhand–eye coordination and to beresilient to extreme weather.

Steeplejacks use a variety of systems– scaffolding, harnesses, belay ropefall-arrest systems, bosun’s chairs and abseil equipment – to carry outgeneral maintenance work and repairs at great heights. As asteeplejack, you will work across themain areas of construction, doingtasks such as repairing masonry andfitting aircraft warning lights on tallstructures.

Wall and floor coveringThere are four main careers withinthis craft: plastering, dry lining,tiling and floor fitting/laying.Accuracy and the ability to workfrom drawings that someone elsehas done are core skills. You couldbe doing anything from pebbledashing (as a plasterer) or applyinggrout (as a tiler) to improvingacoustics (as a dry liner) or re-hanging doors (as a carpet fitter).

Painting anddecoratingYou will paint and decorate in a rangeof environments, from redecoratingthe homes of the rich and famous toapplying finishing paint touches tostructures such as bridges. You couldchoose to specialise in a particulartechnique such as restoration. Beprepared to wear a protective mask or climb a ladder in order to carry outa job.

PlumbingPlumbers do more than you mightthink. They fix sanitation systems andleaky pipes, work on heating and air-conditioning systems, fit bathroomsand install dishwashers and such like.But they might also work on aconstruction site, planning where pipesneed to go. Plumbers can sometimeswork unsociable hours if asked to dealwith an emergency.

• You are physically fit.

• You wouldn’t mind interactingwith customers if required.

• You are practical and likeworking with your hands.

• You don’t want to work in anoffice – and don’t mind beingout in all weathers.

• Keeping up to date with buildingand health and safetyregulations wouldn’t bother you.

A good choice if...

Becoming a card carrier

Many construction employerswant their site workers to gain aConstruction Skills CertificationScheme (CSCS) card, whichproves that you are qualified todo your job properly. You’ll needto demonstrate that you haveobtained the appropriatequalification for your job andpass an appropriateConstruction Industry TrainingBoard Health, Safety andEnvironment test.


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AerospaceWHAT IT IS: flying things... helicopters,fighter jets, unmanned vehicles,commercial planes, satellites, spacestations, rockets etc.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: world events and conflicts,environmental concerns, searches fornew fuels.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:aerospace/aeronautical, automotive,electrical, electronics, manufacturing,mechanical, software.*

AutomotiveWHAT IT IS: cars and other motorvehicles. The UK has eight mainstreamand seven major premium/sports carmanufacturers, nine bus and coachmanufacturers, and 100+ othercompanies involved in putting vehiclestogether.**

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: the increasing reliance onelectronics and software, the need toreduce carbon emissions.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:aerospace, automotive, chemical,electrical, electronics, environmental,manufacturing, mechanical, software.*

ChemicalsWHAT IT IS: the backbone ofindustry... oil companies,manufacturers, pharmaceuticals andwater treatment companies and more –those who use and produce chemicalsthat create products, and makefactories and other industrial siteswork.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: the price of oil, worldevents and conflicts, environmentalconcerns.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:chemical, civil/structural, electrical,environmental, manufacturing,mechanical.*

DefenceWHAT IT IS: equipment, support andservices for the armed forces andnational security, whether that is thelatest weaponry or military vehicles.Engineers often work at the cuttingedge of technology.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: the needs of militarypersonnel, military strategy, costs, theneed to deliver products/projectsquickly.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:aerospace, automotive, chemical,civil/structural, electrical, electronics,environmental, manufacturing,mechanical, software.*

WHICH JOB ROLE?

The engineering industries explainedEngineers specialise in different industries. Find out moreabout them and discover which interests you the most.

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ElectronicsWHAT IT IS: smartphones, medicalscanners, TVs, game consoles, washingmachines, radios, unmannedvehicles… the creation of anythingthat includes electronic systems. It crosses over with other engineeringindustries.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: the emphasis on safety,trends in technology (eg ‘GoogleGlass’), the changing behaviour/expectations of consumers.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:aerospace, automotive, chemical,electrical, electronics, manufacturing,mechanical, software.*

Energy and powerWHAT IT IS: finding energy sourcesand generating power… oil, gas, tidal,wind, solar, nuclear etc. The industryis divided into generating,transmitting/distributing, metering andsales. Oil and gas generation is dividedinto ‘upstream’ (exploring andproducing) and ‘downstream’ (refiningready for use).

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: accessing dwindlingsupplies and harnessing newer sources,environmental concerns, world eventsand conflicts.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:aerospace, automotive, chemical,civil/structural, electrical, electronics,environmental, manufacturing,mechanical, software.*

Fast movingconsumer goods(FMCG)WHAT IT IS: the manufacturing ofgoods that fly off the production lineonly to fly off shop shelves just asquickly. These tend to be everydayproducts: food, cleaning products,cosmetics etc. Thousands of goods canbe produced every minute.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: the need to minimise costand wastage, needing to keepproduction moving, environmentalconcerns.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:chemical, civil/structural, electrical,electronics, manufacturing,mechanical.*

MarineWHAT IT IS: ships and other sea-faringvessels or equipment – eg equipmentaimed at off-shore and sub-seaexploration.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: designing for a wet, windy,salty and unstable environment,demands for global shipping andenergy, the need to improve efficiency.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:chemical, civil/structural, electrical,electronics, environmental,manufacturing, mechanical, software.*

Find out more at

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PharmaceuticalsWHAT IT IS: researching, developingand manufacturing medications andrelated products in tablet, liquid orvaccination form. Engineers workalongside chemists and pharmacists.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: getting a product ready tosell in a short amount of time,counterfeit products, developments inworld health.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:chemical, electrical, electronics,environmental, manufacturing,mechanical, software.*

RailWHAT IT IS: anything to do with therailway… tracks, bridges, drainage,power systems, train control systemsetc.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: designing and constructinga railway to meet future needs, costs,environmental concerns, moving froma ‘find and fix’ approach to ‘predictand prevent’.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:civil/structural, electrical, electronics,environmental, mechanical.*

TelecomsWHAT IT IS: allowing people tocommunicate, whether throughconversation or sending data fromclouds. There are vendors and carriers(vendors, eg Ericsson, sell thehardware and software; carriers, egBT, use them in their network).

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: the need to keep up withtechnological and consumer trends, theneed to deliver a reliable service.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:electronics, software.*

UtilitiesWHAT IT IS: delivering energy/power,water, sewage treatment and telecomsto the public.

FACTORS AFFECTING THEINDUSTRY: environmental concerns,the expectations of consumers, theneed to upgrade existing systems,networks and industrial sites, the decisions of regulatory bodies.

ENGINEERS TYPICALLY NEEDED:chemical, civil/structural, electrical,electronics, environmental,mechanical, software.*

* Always check individual employers’requirements.

** According to The Society of MotorManufacturers and Traders: MotorIndustry Facts 2016.

And not forgetting...

The construction industryemploys civil, structural,mechanical and electricalengineers among others. See pages 18–25 for more onthe construction industry.There are also some

engineering jobs in workingwith raw materials and metals,eg developing coated steel.

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E ngineers are essentiallyproblem solvers: designing,building and fixing many ofthe items we use every day.Their day-to-day work,

however, can be completely different,depending on the discipline andindustry they work in. Some roles getyou out and about more than othersand some roles involve more technicalreport writing than others, forexample. Over the next few pages, weintroduce you to the main engineeringdisciplines to help you find the bestrole for you.

Levels of expertiseAcross the engineering profession theamount of responsibility you getdepends on your levels of educationand experience. You can get intoengineering via an apprenticeship,school leaver programme or anengineering degree (usually either athree-year BEng or a four-year MEngcourse). The Engineering Councilregulates the profession and hasidentified three levels of professionalengineering:• engineering technician• incorporated engineer• chartered engineer.

Chartership is the most senior level,at which engineers are recognised asable to take the lead on projects and

developing solutions. They tend toreceive the highest salaries. Even as anexperienced technician, you could findthat a less experienced, just-charteredgraduate will outrank you.

Getting qualifiedYou only qualify for each of theselevels after you have undergone atraining programme, usually anapprenticeship or graduate trainingprogramme. When you are startingout, you are eligible to train towards:• technician level if you have GCSEs,

A levels, an HNC/HND orBTEC/NVQ level 3 (or equivalents)

• incorporated level if you arequalified to a BEng degree level

• chartered level if you have an MEng degree or a BEng-plus-a-postgraduate-masters-degree. You can start out as a technician

and work your way up to incorporatedand chartered status. But you will needyour employer’s approval and supportto do so: you either need to gain anappropriate level of in-the-workplaceexperience or get your employer to payfor you to study the appropriateacademic qualification while youwork for them.

Depending on its level andcontent, an apprenticeship canlead to either technician orincorporated status – and from there

you can work towards chartership. Butthe quickest way to become chartered isto do an MEng.

What subjects do you need?If you want to get on a degree course,you’ll need to take maths and, usually,physics at A level (or equivalent).Other useful subjects at GCSE and A level include further maths,computing, chemistry, and DT.

•You are good at maths, physics and IT.

•You like solving problems and puzzles.

•You always want to know how something works.

•You like working in a team.

WHICH JOB ROLE?

Engineering job roles explained

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A good choice if...

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AerospaceengineersWorking on helicopters, planes,satellites and spacecraft. Aerospace engineers design, build andrepair any type of aircraft: fromsatellites to weapon systems. The workis often focused around improvingflight safety, fuel efficiency, speed andweight, as well as reducing systemcosts. Engineers have to take intoaccount environmental impacts andclient needs.

Depending on your level ofexperience, you might:• build engines and components• create designs• work out why something isn’t

working• put together engines and other

equipment • repair aircraft• measure and improve the

performance of an aircraft and itscomponents

• investigate accidents• consult technical or regulatory

requirements.Most jobs can be found in large

international companies, which tend toeither build aircraft or engines but notboth. There are also some jobs withspecialist contractors who focus onbuilding particular components orwithin the military or public sector.You might work from offices or fromaircraft workshops, productionhangars or aeronautical laboratories.

Routes inApprentices typically end up workingas machinists, fitters, modellers orengineering technicians. Graduatesmight work as incorporated orchartered engineers in a particulararea, such as maintenance, mechanical,electrical, or systems design. There areaerospace engineering degree courses,but employers sometimes accept otherengineering disciplines, such as mechanical, electrical or software.

• You think it’s cool to make things fly.• You are happy to work on militaryequipment. Much of the UK’saerospace work is found in thedefence industry.

• You are fascinated by space!

Automotiveengineers andmotor vehicletechniciansWorking on any kind of vehicle, from mopeds to MotoGP bikes. Automotive engineers design, assembleand improve the performance of motorvehicles, from family estate cars orMPVs to Formula 1 cars or MotoGPbikes. Motor vehicle technicians repairand service them. Automotiveengineering is closely related tomechanical, electronic and electricalengineering.

Automotive engineers tend tospecialise in a particular stage of theprocess. Broadly speaking, there arethree stages:• designing new vehicles, components

or processes and improving existingones

• research and product development(finding new ways to overcomeproblems or limitations)

• manufacturing or production(planning manufacturing processesand ensuring that the vehicles areproduced according to the design).You might use computer-aided

design software; test whether engineswould work in different conditions,such as high temperatures; find andnegotiate the cost of parts; agreebudgets for creating the vehicle; orevaluate manufacturing processes.You’ll work alongside others,including environmental andmanufacturing engineers, andmembers of the finance department.

Automotive engineers tend to workfor large car manufacturers or forautomotive suppliers (those whomanufacture parts) – as such there arefewer automotive vacancies than insome disciplines. Motor vehicletechnicians tend to find work with carmanufacturers and garages.

Your optionsVehicle technician apprenticeships areavailable, usually at intermediate oradvanced level, and you can specialisein light or heavy vehicles. Largeautomotive companies also run someadvanced and higher apprenticeshipsin automotive engineering.

There are automotive engineeringdegree courses – sometimes with aparticular focus on the environment ormotorsports – but you can become anautomotive engineer with a mechanicalor electronic engineering degree,among others.

•Meccano and Scalextric sets wereyour favourite toys.

• You are a detail person.• You are creative.

A good choice if...

A good choice if...

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Chemical and processengineersUsing a detailed knowledge ofchemistry outside of the lab. Chemical engineers help to transformraw materials into any type of productby applying their knowledge ofchemistry. Some chemical engineers areemployed in research and productdevelopment roles, but most areemployed as process engineers. Processengineers can work across manyindustries: from helping todecommission (dismantle) a nuclearpower plant to designing a process forsolid/liquid separation in foodproduction. Their role is to ensure thatprocesses relating to chemicals are thebest that they can be – designing them,implementing them or controlling them.

Biochemical engineering is anoffshoot of chemical engineering andthese engineers focus on applying lifesciences to products or processes. Youmight help to create new medicinesand vaccines, as well as greenertechnologies such as biofuels.

Chemical and biochemicalengineers typically work for:• consumer goods, synthetics, plastics,

paints and polymer manufacturers• pharmaceutical companies• the water treatment industry• food manufacturers• oil refining/petrochemical companies.

Routes inMost apprenticeships appear to be inprocess engineering or an aspect ofmanufacturing engineering – they arehardly ever called chemical engineeringapprenticeships. At degree level, youcan study chemical or biochemicalengineering and there are various jointhonours available combining the two.You might be able to get a graduatechemical or process engineering jobwith a chemistry degree, but it is morelikely that you’d have to complete apostgraduate degree in chemicalengineering first. Mechanicalengineering graduates can also behired as process engineers.

To get on to a chemical engineeringdegree, you will need A levels (orequivalent) in chemistry and maths.Biology, physics or computer sciencewould also be useful choices.

• You like chemistry (and biology if you are thinking of biochemistry).

• You like following something through step by step.

• You get a kick out of improving things.

Electrical and electronicengineersMaking the modern world work. Electrical engineers design, test andsupervise the manufacture, installationor repair of electrical systems,equipment or products. Electronicengineers do the same work onelectronic systems. Both types ofengineers get involved withproducts/projects such as:• aircraft and spacecraft• cars and other vehicles• construction sites and in

construction design offices,designing or overseeing theinstallation of electrical systems inbuildings (this job role is sometimescalled ‘building services engineer’)

• defence projects, including newweapons

• products for electronics andconsumer goods manufacturers

• projects for the power generationcompanies.

Spot the difference1. The difference between electric and

electronic circuits is that electroniccircuits make decisions as well aspower things, for example, while anelectric circuit might power a

toaster, an electronic circuit will tella microwave to bleep when thetimer runs out.

2. Electrical components tend to belarger than electronic components,which sometimes can fit on one ofyour fingertips.BUT... Many devices use both

electrical and electronic circuits – andin some sectors you can apply for thesame jobs, whether you have abackground in electrical engineering or electronics.

Electrical engineers v. electriciansElectrical engineering techniciansinstall and repair electrical systems andequipment. As such, they carry outsimilar work to electricians. However,not all electricians take theEngineering Council’s ‘technician’qualification so cannot call themselvesan ‘engineering technician’. See page24 for more about electricians.

Electrical and electronic engineering degreesMost degree courses in thisengineering discipline are joint honourcourses in electrical and electronicengineering, sometimes with anenvironmental or energy focus too.There are also a number of jointdegrees in mechanical and electricalengineering available.

• You enjoyed the circuitry work during your science lessons and anyelectronics work you did during DT.

• You want to work on the latesttechnologies (if you work for a top-of-the-range electronicsmanufacturer).

A good choice if...

A good choice if...


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EnvironmentalengineersA role for those who want to reduce the impact of our human footprint. Environmental engineers assess theimpact that a project will have on theenvironment or, in fact, whether theenvironment will have an impact onthe project. They then work out waysto lessen that impact and findsolutions to any problems.

Environmental engineers can workin a number of different areas, such as:• on all sorts of construction projects• on water projects, from the

construction of pipelines to watertreatment

• in the automotive industry,specialising in reducing carbonemissions, for example

• with companies using chemicals• on defence projects, for example

discovering the effects that differentenvironmental factors might have onmissiles and missile systems

• on projects involved with generatingand providing power, energy, waterand telecommunications

• controlling land erosion• shipbuilding.

Opportunities availableAt present, there are few specialistenvironmental engineeringapprenticeships but someapprenticeships in the industries listedabove cover environmental topicsalongside more general engineeringprinciples. There are more graduatejobs available than apprenticeships,although not as many as in some otherengineering areas.

Universities tend to offerenvironmental engineering courses eitheras a single honours or in combinationwith another discipline such as civil orchemical. It may also be worthinvestigating courses in environmentalscience or environmental management.Geography, biology or chemistry wouldbe good A level (or equivalent) choices,alongside maths and physics.

• You care about the environment.• You like the outdoors.• You want to become an expert in a specialist area.

ManufacturingengineersA role for those who want to improve theprocess of making things. Manufacturing engineers basically makethe process of making stuff better, whetherthat stuff is the latest must-have Christmastoy or a superconducting magnet for anMRI scanner. They aim to increaseproductivity, reduce the costs involved inmanufacturing and ensure that productsare made to a good quality in thetimeframe needed. This might involve:• evaluating processes• designing a new piece of equipment• putting new processes, procedures

or equipment in place• keeping an eye on costs• buying and/or installing equipment• responding to breakdowns• diagnosing faults and solving

technical problems• repairing equipment or arranging

for it to be repaired• managing or giving direction to staff• communicating with suppliers,

customers, and research anddevelopment staff

• keeping accurate records• writing up recommendations.

You might be based in an office, ona factory floor, in a laboratory or all

three. If you are on a factory floor, youmight need to react quickly to problemsand make speedy decisions. Shift and‘on-call’ work may be required.

Your optionsThere are apprenticeships available –job titles include control technician ormechanical technical operative. Atdegree level, you can do a singlehonours course in manufacturingengineering or a joint honours coursethat combines manufacturingengineering with subjects such asproduct design or productionengineering. There are also somecourses that focus on an aspect ofmanufacturing, such as operations andmaintenance. But you can become agraduate manufacturing engineer witha degree in physics or mechanical,electrical or electronic engineering,among other subjects.

• You like making something better orfinding new ways of doing things, but...

• You are also good at following a process.

• You can think on your feet.• You don’t mind writing reports.

A good choice if...

A good choice if...

33


MechanicalengineersA role for those who like taking thingsapart to see how they work. Mechanical engineers design,build/assemble and test the quality ofany kind of machine or mechanicalcomponent. They also investigatewhether a mechanical device mightsolve a problem on a project.Therefore, as a mechanical engineer,you could work across a whole rangeof engineering industries, includingaerospace, automotive, defence,construction, manufacturing,medicine, pharmaceuticals andutilities. You might find yourselfdesigning a component of the Boeing787 Dreamliner engine, installingheating systems in a football stadium,testing a robotic arm for amputees orworking out how to make a factory’smanufacturing process more efficient.

Mechanical engineering is closelyrelated to electrical and electronicdisciplines, as well as automotive andaerospace. You might work in alaboratory, out on a construction site,in an office or in a factory; it dependson which sector you choose to work in.

Look beyond the job titleBecause they can work across a widerange of industries, mechanicalengineers are in demand withemployers. But the job title might nothave the words ‘mechanical engineer’in it, as it can be specific to the sector.For example, you might work in a

mechanical engineering role but yourjob title might be aircraft technician (ifyou work for the military), processengineer (if you work in chemicals) ormanufacturing engineer (if you workin manufacturing). Read job andapprenticeship descriptions carefully tomake sure you don’t overlook someopportunities.

• Your favourite toy was a Meccano set.• You like taking things apart and putting them back together again justto see if you can.

• You don’t mind fiddly work.

Software engineersA role for those who want to work in engineering and IT. Nowadays software engineering is anIT job. Some have argued thatsoftware engineers aren’t, in fact,engineers at all as the job has changedso much over the years. However,software engineers can becomechartered engineers, according to theEngineering Council, and they can beseen as using engineering principleswhen designing, developing, testingand evaluating software. The softwarecould be for computers but also otherelectronic devices, such as cars orsmartphones.

Software engineers design andprogramme system-level software:

operating systems, database systems,embedded systems and so on. Theyunderstand how both software andhardware function. The work caninvolve talking to clients andcolleagues to work out what solutionor system is needed, as well as full-ontechnical work. Software engineers canalso be known as applicationprogrammers, software architects orsystem programmers/engineers.

Apprenticeships and universitySoftware engineers tend to work for IT companies but they can also workfor the engineering companies in theautomotive and defence industries,among others. Lots of apprenticeshipsare available. At degree level, there area number of specialist softwareengineering degrees available,alongside computer science degreesthat contain elements of softwareengineering. Useful GCSEs and/or A level subjects include computerscience/IT, maths, further maths and physics.

• You like IT.• You enjoy programming.• You are good at explaining technicalthings to non-technical people.

A good choice if...A good choice if...


34WHICH JOB ROLE?

Property definedProperty is all about making money out of land and real estate – that canmean farmland, a wind farm, a skyrise tower block or luxury apartments.

Making moneyThe property industry is not just madeup of estate agencies. There are manyfirms that provide all sorts of servicesto clients (people or organisations whowant to gain, lose or invest in propertyor land). Some of the ways a propertyfirm makes money for its clients are:• selling, buying, letting or renting

real estate• negotiating the terms of contracts

for landlords and/or tenants • valuing land or property and setting

the price for it to be sold or let at• finding ways to increase a

property’s value or rental income• conducting building surveys• overseeing matters relating to

planning and land development, eg getting planning permission

• assessing a property’s impact onthe environment.

The employersMany property professionals work forproperty or chartered surveying firms.There are also some jobs with house-building companies, in whichproperty professionals value,buy and make decisions aboutland that could be built on.There are vacancies in thepublic sector, particularly withregards to valuing land and propertyand with matters to do with planners.Other organisations that deal with orown large amounts of real estate mayalso hire property professionals: theseorganisations include retail chains aswell as infrastructure companies suchas Network Rail.

Property andconstructionProperty firms usually don’t buildconstruction projects themselves;they leave that to the constructionprofessionals. Instead they are oftenthe clients of the constructionprofessionals because they decidewhether a project should go ahead(see page 18 for more information onthe construction industry’s clients).

Types ofpropertyProperty is divided into three typesand property professionals usuallyspecialise in one of these:1. residential2. commercial (any property with a

business use, ranging from shopsand offices to warehouses)

3. rural.

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

k

35


PlannersDecide how things fit together. Planners make decisions about how weuse the space around us. They decidehow many houses, hospitals, schoolsand shops we need, for example, andwhere they go. They balance the needsof the population with the need toprotect the environment and historicalbuildings. They frequentlycommunicate with politicians andmembers of the public.

The role of a planner variesdepending on your employer. If youwork in the public sector, you willdecide whether construction can goahead (looking at things such as thesize of the planned project, the impactit will have on the environment,whether it will fit in with thesurrounding area or whether there areenough transport links to it). If youwork for a property or constructioncompany, your job is to try to getplanning permission for the project.

Routes inTo become a fully fledged planner, youneed to have either an undergraduateor postgraduate degree approved bythe Royal Town Planning Institute.Useful A level (or equivalent) choicesfor a planning undergraduate degreeinclude business studies, economics,geography, politics, history, art andpsychology. If you choose to study aplanning degree at postgraduate levelinstead, good undergraduate subjectsinclude law, geography, politics,engineering or environmental sciences.

You can do an apprenticeship intown planning technical support, afterwhich you could become a planningtechnician. From there you couldchoose to complete a degree ordiploma to become a planner and youremployer may support you to do this.You could also get a job as a planningtechnician with a vocationalqualification such as a HND.

•You get on with all types of people.• You are comfortable making difficultdecisions that not everyone will agree with.

• You can interpret and apply rules and regulations.

• You are organised.

PropertysurveyorsNot stuck behind a desk all day. A property surveyor (sometimes knownas a general practice surveyor) does adifferent role to quantity or buildingsurveyors. Their role is to make themost money possible out of a piece ofland or property. Clients include theland or property’s owners; people orcompanies looking to rent or buy landor property; or wealthy individuals orinvestment management groups whowant to invest in a property.

Property surveyors are based in anoffice but spend most of their time outvisiting sites. They might:

• value a piece of land or real estate• sell or let property, marketing it to

possible buyers and negotiating toget the highest price possible

• find properties for clients to rent orbuy, negotiating to get the lowestprice possible

• work out how clients can pay thelowest business rates (taxes) allowedby the law

• manage properties on behalf ofclients, overseeing everything fromcollecting rents to ensuring that theproperty is kept in a good condition

• help to turn a piece of land from anempty space into a housing estate oroffice block, for example

• advise clients on where best to investtheir money in property.

Do you need a degree?There are a few apprenticeships,during or after which you’ll usuallywork towards a degree while working,but most opportunities are forgraduates. Your degree needs to beapproved by the Royal Institution ofChartered Surveyors: most universitystudents study property or landmanagement, but some complete apostgraduate course after studying anundergraduate degree in geography oreconomics, for example.

• You don’t want to be stuck behind a desk all day.

• You are good at getting the best deal or your way.

• You like strategising and planning.• You are good with people.

A good choice if...A good choice if...

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IS A CAREER CONSTRUCTION

LIKE NO OTHERExcitement is building The construction industry employs 2.7 million people, over 8%

of the UK workforce and by 2021 over 230,000 new jobs

will be created in construction – one of these could be yours!

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38

rise after completing them and theymay make it easier for you to workinternationally, too.

To gain some qualifications, youneed to be a graduate (or have spenta significant amount of time in theworkplace). For others, apprenticescan initially gain a lower qualificationand then work up to a higherqualification afterwards. Check withthe relevant institution. If you aregoing to university, ensure that thedegree is accredited (approved) bythe relevant institution.

Take advantage nowProfessional institutions can helpyou to find out more about thecareers in their fields. Someinstitutions offer help in findingwork experience, or arrange opendays where students can visitemployers. They may also havedetails of bursaries and fundingsources for university.

P rofessional qualifications arequalifications that can begained while working toprove that you know yourstuff. These qualifications

are set and awarded by professionalinstitutions (also known as professionalbodies). Every profession withinconstruction, engineering and propertyhas an institution that acts as its voice,looks after its needs, gives careersinformation to students, shares thelatest industry data or technologicaladvances, and makes sure thatstandards are kept high. Have a lookopposite for selected institutions.

About professional qualificationsThese qualifications are, in theory,optional but they are, in practice,compulsory if you want to progressyour career. Because they’re recognisedby the industry, they help you to proveyour skills to employers and to gainpromotions. You usually receive a pay

WHICH JOB ROLE?

ProfessionalqualificationsIt’s more than a piece of paper: a professional qualification accelerates your career.

Professional bodies’ directory

Below is just a sample of construction,engineering and property professionalbodies. It’s worth contacting theEngineering Council or ConstructionIndustry Trade Board to see if there areothers in your chosen profession.

•Chartered Institute of ArchitecturalTechnologists (CIAT) www.ciat.org.uk

•Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)www.ciob.org

•Chartered Institute of Plumbing andHeating Engineering (CIPHE)www.ciphe.org.uk

•Chartered Institution of BuildingServices Engineers (CIBSE)www.cibse.org

•Chartered Institution of Highways andTransportation (CIHT) www.ciht.org.uk

•Chartered Institution of Water andEnvironmental Management (CIWEM)www.ciwem.org

•Construction Industry Trade Board (CITB)www.citb.co.uk

•Energy Institute (EI)www.energyinst.org

•Engineering Council www.engc.org.uk

• Institute of Carpenterswww.instituteofcarpenters.com

• Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers (IEEE) www.ieee.org

• Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)www.imarest.org

• Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)www.ice.org.uk

• Institution of Chemical Engineers(IChemE) www.icheme.org

• Institution of Engineering andTechnology (IET) www.theiet.org

• Institution of Mechanical Engineers(IMechE) www.imeche.org

• Institution of Structural Engineers www.istructe.org

•Landscape Institute (LI)www.landscapeinstitute.co.uk

•Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) aerosociety.com

•Royal Institute of British Architects(RIBA) www.architecture.com

•Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors(RICS) www.rics.org

•Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)www.rtpi.org.uk

•Society of Environmental Engineers(SEE) www.environmental.org.uk

39


3Try it out: get work experience• If you have work experience or

placement weeks coming up atschool or college, talk to yourteachers, tutors or careers officerabout arranging one with anemployer in the relevant career area.

• Seek out employers that offer workexperience during the holidays. Seethe employer overviews from page56 onwards to find opportunities.Your school or college will also havea list of local employers.

WHICH JOB ROLE?

Seen a career you like?Next try out a career for size to see if the shoe fits: follow our practical steps.

‘Look for as manyopportunities as youcan to learn moreabout the careeryou’re interested in,whether it’s attendinga summer school,arranging some workexperience, taking anonline course orspeaking to relevantemployers andorganisations at careers events.’EMILY ARCHER, project manager, Pathways to Property

Take the next step

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

k1Find out more online• Visit targetcareers.co.uk and the

websites of relevant professionalinstitutions.

• Check out targetcareers.co.uk,www.ucas.com and universitywebsites if you’re considering uni.

• Search for any careers fairs near you– or ask your teachers – so that youcan go along and speak toemployers in the industry.

2Get chatty• Find out whether someone you

know is working in the industry orstudying the subject at university.This could be a relative, a familyfriend or a contact recommended byyour teacher.

• Draw up a list of questions to askthem. Aim to find out what they doday to day, the skills they use, thebest and worst bits of the career, anddifferent ways to get into it.

• Contact them to see whether theywould be interested in answeringsome questions by email.

CAREER STORIES

CareerstoriesEight apprentices, trainees and university students tell you about theirexperiences... and whether they’re happy with their choices.


40

ALICE BELCHERJOB Degree apprentice EMPLOYER Jaguar Land RoverPREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS11 GCSEs, 3 A levels

My automotive degreeapprenticeship

When I was in sixth form, I applied to university but I wasn’t passionate about the subject and was putoff by the fees. My brother, who had a degree in mechanicalengineering and worked for a power company, suggested Iconsider engineering careers. I’d always been interested in carsand so I looked into apprenticeship schemes with carmanufacturers; when I read about my employer, I knew thisapprenticeship was something I really wanted to do.

Application adviceThe application process involved an online application form withseveral questions, online aptitude tests and an assessment day,which included a group discussion exercise, a practical exerciseand an interview. I applied in the October of year 13 and theassessment day was held at some point between February andApril. Some applicants panic about application questions askingabout engineering experience, but there are many ways you couldhave been involved in engineering without realising it: I wroteabout doing up a house with my family.

During the assessment centre, make suggestions in the groupdiscussion and use your common sense in the practical exercise;mine involved wiring a steering pump. My dad had given me apractice interview beforehand, which was helpful. Before you answera question, take five seconds or so to think about it.

Study, work and chatting to royaltyI’m five years into my apprenticeship: my first two years were spentcompleting a foundation degree and I’ve just started the penultimateyear of a BEng in applied engineering. I’m also completing an NVQlevel 4 in engineering leadership. It can be difficult to combinestudying with full-time work, especially as I also play football. What’sworked for me is to study for one very focused hour most evenings.

I’m based in the vehicle configuration and testing systemsdepartment, which has four sub-departments: coding, hardware,forward-planning, and data. We run tests to ensure that ourvehicles are electrically sound. I’ll complete a placement with ourresearch team in Warwick University this year, but I’m currentlydoing placements in our sub-departments. For example, inhardware, I dealt with the equipment used to test the vehicles andlearned how to fix issues while the vehicle was on the track. I worked on the Jaguar F-Pace and I enjoyed taking it from when itwas first built to seeing it being mass-manufactured.

Apprenticeships aren’t just work and study. I met Prince Charleswhen I was picked to represent the company during his visit. I wasalso named a rising star in Autocar’s Great British Women in the CarIndustry awards. I also go to schools, including my old school, tospread the message about engineering and apprenticeships.People from my school are now on our apprenticeships schemes,which is brilliant.

GCSEs A levelsÁ DegreeapprenticeshipÁROUTE

IN

LIAM SARGEANTCURRENT JOB Trainee site assistantmanager PREVIOUS JOB Bricklayingapprentice EMPLOYER Redrow HomesPREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS 8 GCSEs, NVQ level 1 diploma

My bricklayingapprenticeship and beyond

It’s amazing how in house building you take an empty field and create a community; I love looking at afinished project and seeing how happy the clients are. I was neverthe most academic and always enjoyed more practical subjects so I did an NVQ level 1 in construction alongside my GCSEs. We spentsome time in each of the construction trades, including bricklaying.I loved it so when I left school I went to college to study for a level 1diploma in bricklaying. It was then that my course leadersuggested I’d benefit from doing an apprenticeship. It was luckyhow I got one: an employee of Redrow came into college and mycourse leader asked him if he’d pass on my CV.

My apprenticeshipsIn three years, I completed both an intermediate apprenticeshipand an advanced apprenticeship, achieving NVQs levels 1, 2 and 3in bricklaying. I loved my apprenticeships. I worked on new-buildhomes across six sites. In bricklaying, you usually work in a ‘gang’of two bricklayers and one labourer. We wouldn’t do the foundationsbut everything from the damp course (a layer of waterproofmaterial in the wall near the ground) up. It wasn’t just bricklaying: I learned setting out, which is when you take the drawings by thesite manager and turn them into reality, and I also did a little bit ofstonemasonry.

Although you never get used to working out in all weathers, thejob satisfaction is amazing: you can look back on a day’s work andactually see what you’ve achieved. My highlight so far has beenwinning both the CITB English Apprentice of the Year and the CITBGreat British Apprentice of the Year awards. My employer put meforward for a regional award and things just went from there.

My training programmeAt the end of the apprenticeships, my manager suggested Ibecome a site management trainee, which I also enjoy. I inspectthe quality of work on houses due to be completed: I might need toarrange with the subcontractors to redo something or ordermaterials. When I was first giving feedback to subcontractors, it felta bit awkward – it can be hard transitioning from ‘being one of thelads’ to ‘management’ – but it gets easier with experience.

I’m working towards a BTEC level 3 in construction and the builtenvironment, and an NVQ level 3 in site supervision. I study onblock release, going to college every six weeks for a week. It waschallenging at first to balance work and study, but you learn tomake time. One tip is to action something today if you can – don’tleave it to tomorrow.

I’d like to continue at my employer and to look into propertydevelopment. I’m pleased I went down the apprenticeship route. I always wanted to be up doing stuff instead of sitting in class andI’ve gained lots of confidence, met lots of great people and builtskills, all while being paid.

GCSEs+ NVQ

Intermediateapprenticeship +advancedapprenticeship

ÁSite management training programmeÁROUTE

IN

41


EMIL FIJALKOWSKIWORK EXPERIENCE Industrial traineeelectrical engineer, Arup DEGREE MEngelectrical engineering, University ofBirmingham PREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS3 GCSEs, 3 BTECs, foundation degree

My electrical engineeringdegree and placement

GCSEs +BTECs

FoundationdegreeÁ

MEng electricalengineeringÁROUTE

IN

I came to England halfway through year 10. I gained three GCSEs and two BTECs before going on to college tocomplete a BTEC level 3 in ICT. I’d always liked disassembling mytoys and making new things out of the components, which is why I was always going to go towards more technical subjects.

I applied to university because I thought it would give me a widerrange of opportunities. As I was doing ICT at college, I appliedmainly for computer systems courses, but I had an offer for therelated subject of electrical engineering, and I accepted it because I liked the course and university during the open day. Electricalengineering actually suits my interests and hobbies better, so I’m happy I chose it.

I had to do a foundation year first as I hadn’t done any sciencebefore. I’m glad I did because it prepared me for universityassessments and I had two ‘fresher’ years, which meant that I hadtime for parties before having to worry about my results! Somepeople think that doing BTECs means it will be harder to get intouniversity but most universities accept them, even if they are notrelated to the degree you’re applying to. For me, it was the bestpossible way in, as I didn’t have to stress about A levels.

From university to the workplaceAt university we have nine modules per year and two hours oflectures per module, plus a few hours of tutorials where exam-typequestions are solved and explained. Our knowledge is also assessedvia lab sessions. I was keen to apply for a placement year because Iknew that work experience puts you ahead of other candidates whenapplying for graduate jobs. I applied to Arup because I’d met graduateemployees during careers fairs and had heard about the trainingprovided by the company, including presentations from suppliersabout their systems. I thought it’d be a good way to learn.

On placementAs a placement student, I use computer software to preparedrawings and designs, which are used by architects andtechnicians to make necessary changes to a building. I’m workingon the electrical systems of one of the 85 underground stationsabout to be built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, part of a $22bn project. Mytasks have involved connecting and routing cables for all electricalequipment within the building and designing a fire alarm system.

I am based in the London office and I work in a team of around120 engineers, although the electrical team I work with daily ismade up of about ten. I usually work from 9.00 am – 6.00 pm. I really like how open my colleagues are to explaining and teachingme about stuff I’m interested in. My role requires me to work withother types of engineer and suppliers, which gives me theopportunity to learn about areas outside of electrical engineeringtoo. One of the light suppliers even invited me to watch anAmerican football game at Wembley Stadium from their private box!

IWAN JONESDEGREE AND UNIVERSITY BSc (hons)quantity surveying, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) PREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS10 GCSEs, 3 A levels

My quantity surveying degree course

GCSEs A levelsÁ UniversityÁROUTEIN

I knew about construction because my father is a quantity surveyor and my cousin is a planner; I likedmaths at school and wanted to find out more about quantitysurveying so my dad arranged for me to do some work experience.I enjoyed it and decided to study quantity surveying at university. I chose NTU because of the reputation it held for my course andbecause I thought the combination of different study methods,trips and placement opportunities would enable me to become themost competent quantity surveyor possible.

Student lifeI am now in my final year and I enjoy the variety of teaching and thereal-life experience the course gives me. The first year saw the mostcontact hours with around 15–20 hours a week, the second year wasslightly less and the final is around 5–10, with most of my remainingstudy time spent reading and researching. Modules are delivered vialectures, which are followed up by a seminar either later in the weekor the next week to highlight what was taught in the lecture.

We are usually assessed through coursework and exams, but thisyear I am also doing a dissertation on poor cash flow managementand its effect on construction companies. We’ve worked on a numberof real-life projects and trips, which has greatly developed myknowledge. As someone who didn’t have a detailed knowledge ofquantity surveying, I found the course difficult initially, with lots ofnew terms to pick up, but my tutors were very helpful and patient. I’dadvise prospective students to get some work experience beforestarting; a little bit of knowledge goes a long way.

I’m from Cardiff and so I lived in a hall of residence in my first year.It was a great experience and an amazing way to meet new people. I have a great social life: I am a part of the hockey club – I have beensocial secretary and am currently a captain. It takes my mind offwork. Finding a balance between my coursework and social life hasn’tbeen too difficult, as I treat my degree as an 8.00 am – 5.00 pm job,leaving my evening free for training and socialising with friends.

Working lifeMy course included a placement year, which I spent with well-knowncontractor Morgan Sindall. I was based on a £20m demolition,refurbishment and newbuild education project in South Wales. I found itinteresting to see the transformation of a green field into a three-storey,8,000m2steel-framed school. It demonstrated to me the importance ofthe whole team in construction, ie it’s not just bricklaying.

University has matured me as a person by developing myorganisation, communication and presentation skills, which I’vebeen able to bring to my placement role. Through going touniversity and doing a placement, I’ve gained key skills thatgraduate employers look for. Updating my LinkedIn profile andgaining references from my placement employer has seen mebeing offered a number of jobs.


42

GEORGINA GOULDINGJOB Civil engineer apprenticeEMPLOYER Balfour Beatty PREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS 13 GCSEs,2 A levels, 3 BTECs

My civil engineering degree apprenticeship

I wasn’t sure what to do after school or whether I should go to university: I’d passed my GCSEs with gradesA*–C , but I’d also enjoyed the practical aspects of a BTEC inelectronics. While I was doing my GCSEs, my mum was studying afoundation degree in engineering and I became interested in thecool stuff she was learning. For that reason, although I took A levelstoo, I decided to focus my studies towards a level 3 extendeddiploma course in construction and the built environment.

From work experience to apprenticeship applicationWhile at college, I wrote to companies asking for work experienceand applied to formal schemes. I was offered work experience withBalfour Beatty. I spent February half term in London visitingCrossrail and talking to the team working on it. I kept in touch withsome of them via LinkedIn and they told me when there was anapprenticeship vacancy in the company. Some students may bereluctant to give up their holiday for work experience, but I wouldn’tbe where I am without it.

I applied for the apprenticeship online by submitting a CV andcovering letter and was then invited to a face-to-face interview. I was asked questions about my interest in construction, what myfuture goals were, what I did in my spare time and my strengths,weaknesses, likes and dislikes. I think I was successful because I wasn’t afraid to show how keen I was.

Three months in My apprenticeship will last six years: four for my BEng degree andtwo for my professional qualification. I started three months agoand work on the Sellafield nuclear site. We are constructing a ‘boxencapsulation plant’ worth £440m, which will be part of theprocess of making nuclear waste safe. I am directed by twograduate civil engineers and spend 80 per cent of my time out onsite. I conduct surveys, set out (marking out the plans for thebuilding on site) and take photos. I work 7.00 am – 4.30 pm, and I only live five minutes away from work.

I go to university once a week and am currently studying threemodules; my lectures start at 9.00 am and finish at 4.00 pm,although I have a two-hour commute. My company also trains me:I’ve just gone on a setting out course and I’m on a CAD course next.

Being the only girl on site (and the only apprentice in my team)could have been intimidating, but everyone has been verysupportive and happy to answer my questions; my line managerhas even agreed to me having exam revision days if I need them. I feel that everyone is willing me to succeed. I was torn about mynext step after college, but I made the right choice. I am getting adegree and getting paid: I may be missing out on a uni social life,but I can afford a car to take me to see friends at weekends!

GCSEs +BTEC

BTEC +A levelsÁ Degree

apprenticeshipÁROUTEIN

SAM SAUNDERSJOB Construction trainee EMPLOYERMace PREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS11 GCSEs, 1 A level, 2 BTECs

My construction managementtraining programme

I have had an interest in construction from a young age; living in London, I’ve been inspired by watchingiconic landmarks, such as The Shard, being built. I loved thethought of being involved in constructing amazing buildings,making an impact on individuals and communities – whether theyare tourists visiting landmarks, employees needing workplaces, orindividuals wanting homes and entertainment venues. At college, I considered going to university, but I leaned towards anapprenticeship because I thought the benefits of doing oneoutweighed those of university: I’d gain practical experience whilestill getting to go to university, earn a salary and have my fees paidfor. At the end of my programme, I believe my experience andindustry contacts will give me an advantage I wouldn’t have had ifI’d just gone to university.

Constructing the Atlas BuildingMy current project is the Atlas Building, which is the tallestresidential building in London’s ‘tech city’. I’m working on thestructural frame and brickwork packages (parts of the project) forthe residential building and I look after logistics for the wholeproject. I ensure that trade workers are working in a safe way, andinspect work to make sure it matches up to the design and is ofgood quality. I need to communicate with both management andworkers to ensure that the project is completed to schedule.

I enjoy the social element of my job, as well as the balance ofworking out on site and in an office. It was challenging to adjust toworking life at first – for example, waking up early and commutingan hour to work – but I love observing the progress on the AtlasBuilding and reflecting on how much I’ve learned. I’ve developed my knowledge through studying a HNC in construction for one daya week, working with different people on site and having trainingfrom my employer. I will be doing an NVQ level 6 after finishing my HNC.

Looking back on my applicationI heard of Mace when a family friend told me that it had been the contractor on the Shard, so I looked to see whether it hadapprenticeships. I submitted my CV via an online form, had atelephone interview and then completed a group assessment. The interview questions included asking me my reasons for beinginterested in construction, the skills I had to offer and why I wanted to work for the company. I’d prepared answers and so I wasconfident in the interviews, which I think is an important quality inconstruction management. One practical tip is to be early forinterviews, as it makes a good impression and allows you to relax.Try not to be too nervous, as the interviewers want you to besuccessful: they are not trying to trip you up.

GCSEs A level +BTECsÁ

Training programmeÁROUTE

IN

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GREGORY KINGDEGREE BSc construction engineeringmanagement JOB Assistant sitemanager, Galliford Try PREVIOUSQUALIFICATIONS 13 GCSEs, 4 A levels

My graduate job in site management

ROUTEIN

44

JENNIFER REILLYJOB Commercial management trainee EMPLOYERWates PREVIOUS QUALIFICATIONS15 GCSEs, 3 A levels, BSc economics

My quantity surveying training programme

GCSEs+ A levels

UniversityÁFinancejobÁ

Training programmeÁGCSEs

+ A levelsUniversityÁ

GraduatejobÁ ROUTE

IN

My career in construction wasn’t planned and I didn’t know anything about construction when I was in sixthform. My school was very academic and it was just assumed that Iwould go to university. I graduated with a BSc in economics in 2013and worked in finance for two years, but it wasn’t for me so I lookedaround for other opportunities. This role appealed to me because ithad a grounding in maths, but it also had the variety of working ondifferent projects and going out on construction sites.

Applying and workingThe online application form included questions on why I was applyingand why I was interested in construction. I had a telephone interview,before going to an assessment centre with other applicants – whoranged from career changers like me to new graduates and schoolleavers. We were given an exercise to complete as a group and then aone-to-one interview with a manager. My interviewer wanted to findout how much I knew about the day-to-day role of a quantity surveyorand why I was interested in construction. Do detailed research intothe role and know what you would be doing when you first start out.Relate the experience and skills you would need in the role to yourprevious experiences, so you have examples to talk about.

I’m working on a school. We’ve knocked down three buildings toreplace them with new ones and we’re designing them as well asconstructing them. I’m based at the school and my office is rightnext to the buildings: I’ve seen them being built before my veryeyes, which is fascinating. I manage my own ‘subcontractorpackages’, which are different parts of the project being completedby subcontractors. I procure (agree) the subcontractors’ service,check the work, value it and then pay them. My packages rangefrom £30,000–£500,000.

I love the interaction in my role: I communicate with the client,our subcontractors and my Wates colleagues on the project. I’m avery social person and like adapting my communication styledepending on who I’m talking to. I sometimes find it frustratingthat, because I’m still learning, I don’t always know the answers tosubcontractors’ questions, but that knowledge will come with time.I’m studying for a two-year HNC in construction at college and thenI’ll work towards my professional qualification.

Reflecting on my choicesI chose to study an economics degree because I liked maths and itseemed to have more of a business focus than a maths degree. IfI’d known about quantity surveying and studied it at university, itwould have been quicker to qualify. Either way, I would definitelyhave gone to university; I had a brilliant time. I’m happy with theroute I have taken to my current role because experiencing adifferent career has led me to appreciate quantity surveying moreand be confident that it’s the career for me.


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Aged 17, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I attended a variety of university open days and looked at coursesranging from aeronautical engineering to product design. I stumbledacross a course at Loughborough University that seemed to tick allthe boxes for me. My degree was a four-year course, including aplacement year, sponsored by a consortium of constructionemployers. This meant that they had input into the course contentto make doubly certain that what we learned was relevant to ourcareers on graduation.

As part of the UCAS application process I was invited toLoughborough for an assessment day where I learned more aboutthe course. I was also interviewed by one lecturer and one memberof a consortium company. Each applicant had to obtain sponsorshipfrom a consortium company and so I attended interviews withseveral companies before accepting an offer from Galliford Try. Thismeant that they contributed to my tuition fees, supported mystudies and guaranteed me a placement year and graduate job.

From student to employeeTeaching at university ranged from lectures to hands-on, practicalexercises. Our consortium of employers gave us guest lectures ontopics ranging from finance to legislation to new technologies. Thisvariety of topics meant that I was able to learn a lot about theconstruction industry in just three years. This knowledge was thenreinforced by my placement year. That said, there has been a lot oflearning since I’ve been on the job too, and keeping up withdifferent construction technologies and processes is bothenjoyable and challenging. In just 18 months, I have had 25 days oftraining from my employer.

Since graduating, I have worked on three projects with values inexcess of £100m. I have worked in central London and Reading, butI haven’t yet had longer than an hour commute. I have been on mycurrent project for over a year and have seen a building start lifefrom scratch. My day consists of a series of progress meetings,planning work and coordinating work on site. I split my day 50:50between being on site and in the office, solving problems on siteand planning and writing reports in the office. I am in a team of sixsite managers and have worked on a variety of packages (parts ofprojects) including the steel frames and mechanical and electricalengineering. The variety of my work and being able to look at aproject with a sense of accomplishment are things that I reallyenjoy. It’s satisfying to hand a completed building to the client, fullyknowing the effort that has been put in by the team.

Preparing for the futureGoing to university was the correct choice for me, as I feel it openedup greater opportunities to learn about the entire industry, ratherthan just one role. While not all the course content is relevant at themoment, it will be increasingly beneficial as my career progresses.

Join us for our virtual open day: www.brookes.ac.uk/tde/virtually-there/

The School of the Built Environment

FURTHER DETAILS

Visit us online:tde.bz/pg-bimmtde.bz/pg-qscm

Or contact the SeniorPostgraduate Administrator:tde- [email protected]+44 (0) 01865 483342

BUILD YOUR FUTUREWITH OXFORD BROOKES

Are you looking to further your career, or pursue a career change? Oxford Brookes University offers an MSc in Building Information Modelling and Management (BIMM) and an MSc in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management (QSCM). Both are available for January or September entry, with distance learning and full time modes of

Aimed to provide graduates with real-life based problems within the construction sector, our QSCM and BIMM courses are focused on meeting the challenging demands of the modern learner. Through the intelligent use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), both masters are designed to deliver an innovative programme of study.

Why choose this course? In MSc BIMM, we use an applied approach to teaching. Students work on real-life or reality based problems, as experienced within the construction sector and its associated industries, consultants and clients.

Our MSc QSCM staff sit on professional committees, including CIOB and Constructing Excellence. Our longstanding links with prominent companies in this sector ensure that the programme is directly tailored towards the employment skills needed for the construction industry.

Image captured by Franco Cheung

MSc BIMM is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

MSc QSCM is acreddited by CIOB (pending accreditation by RICS).


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APPLYING TO UNI

Perfect your unipersonal statement

A dmissions tutors use theUCAS personal statementto decide who to invite toan interview or to makeoffers directly, so use the

space wisely. Here’s what you need toinclude in your 4,000 characters.

What admissions tutors want to seeAdmissions tutors want to know theanswer to these three questions, whichyou can use to structure yourstatement:• why do you want to study the

course?• what have you done that makes you

suitable for the course?• what else have you done that means

you will do well on the course andcontribute to the university?Tutors want to see examples of

what has sparked and developed yourinterest in the subject, and that youhave the skills to cope with thedemands of the course anduniversity life. They also want youto to explain how or why theyhave influenced you.

Don’t be tempted to copyanother’s statement: UCAS hassoftware to pick up on this andthe tutors genuinely want to hearabout you. ‘Telling the story ofwhy you’ve chosen the courseyou’re applying for and how yourhobbies relate to that is important,’advises Emil Fijalkowski, an MEngelectrical engineering student at theUniversity of Birmingham.

‘I think universities like to know thatyou enjoy spending your free time onthe subject, for example by readingindustry magazines or websites.’

If you are applying for a numberof courses, you can avoid thespecifics of individual courses and talkabout what interests you aboutengineering, construction or propertyas a whole. You can find more tips at targetcareers.co.uk andwww.ucas.com.

•What you find interesting about thesubject (you don’t need to definethe subject).

• Anything practical you’ve done thatties into your course: if you areapplying for an automotiveengineering course and you’verebuilt engines in your spare time,say so.

• Any industry work experience – butrelevant work experience isn’tessential.

• Anything about your previoussubjects that made you feel thiscourse is right for you.

• Any topics you have read about thatare relevant to the subject,including articles published byprofessional bodies, or anydiscussions you have had withprofessionals in the industry.

• Specific career goals if you havethem (use pages 18–38 to find outmore about job roles).

•How any work experience, part-time jobs or extracurricularactivities have developed skills thatwill help you on the course and atuniversity. For example, manyconstruction, engineering andproperty courses include groupassessments so you could writeabout how your time playingfootball has developed yourteamworking skills.

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

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Do write about…

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APPLYING TO UNI

Impress on yourinterview day

You might be asked about yourreasons for applying, for example:

•Why do you want to study thissubject specifically (as opposed to a similar one)?

•Why have you applied to thisuniversity in particular?

•Tell us about a news story you’veread about construction/engineering/property.

•What do you expect to get out of thecourse and the university?

•Why did you choose your A levels (or equivalent)?

•What are your interests outside of studying?

You might also be asked your thoughtsabout your future career, for example:

•Do you have any career goals? What are they?

•What roles would this degree qualify you to do?

•What does a [eg quantity surveyor]do? What would you do day to day in the role?

•What skills would you need in orderto be a good [eg quantity surveyor]?

If you have applied for an engineeringor another maths-based degree, you might also be asked:

•Maths or physics questions (typically from the A level syllabus).

• To apply your knowledge of maths orphysics to the outside world – anexample question from theUniversity of Oxford requires you toconsider the engineering design of avertical-faced gravity dam wall anddiscuss the forces acting on the wall.

B efore deciding to offer youa place, some universitiesinvite you for an interview(sometimes known as arecruitment day or

assessment). This is more likely if youare applying for an engineering courseand will definitely be the case if youare applying for a course that issponsored by an employer.

Format of the interview dayMany universities invite a number ofstudents on the same day and givethem a tour of the faculty and campusand lots of opportunities to meetcurrent students. You are often alsogiven a group exercise to complete andan individual interview, which can lastbetween 20 minutes and an hour. Yourinterviewers will be admissiontutors/lecturers but, if the course isemployer sponsored, you will alsomeet and be asked questions bydifferent HR managers to match youto an employer.

Hints and tipsThe interview days vary in howformal they are, but it’s wise to dresssmartly. At heart, the interview isjust a conversation, so prepareanswers to likely questions (see boxopposite) but don’t be afraid to askyour own questions to find out moreabout the subject, the course andwhat recent graduates do now.

The interviewers want to see howpassionate you are about the subjectand whether you have the ability tolearn while on the course. So theymay use group exercises to see howyou would discuss topics in class (befriendly, be interested, contribute,but don’t talk over others) and mayask you technical questions (don’tworry if you go wrong: the lecturersare more interested in yourworkings and whether you respondto their hints).

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

k

Typical interviewquestions

Headline partner

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1. Take the tests.

2. See whereyou rank on theleaderboard.

3. Receive yourbespoke strengthsreport.

4. If you arein the top 100at close ofcompetition –

come along to thegrand final.

5. Meetemployers andfind out about school leavercareers.

6. Takepart in livechallenges.

7. Be crowned championand win an amazing prize.

targetcareers.co.uk/challenge

Closing date:3 April

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Are you Work Ready?Complete the TARGETcareers SchoolLeavers’ Challenge to see how workready you are compared to your peers,receive a FREE report outlining yourstrengths and how to use them whenplanning your career and be in with achance to be at the grand �nal at thetop of the BT tower (27 April). Enter now!

A

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APPRENTICESHIP APPLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS

Your application checklistIf you are applying via an online application form, our checklist will help you succeed.

Have you done your research?

Go on to the employer’s website and findout what the company does, any recentnews, what your job will involve, thetraining you’ll receive and the skills you’llneed. This will help you to think aboutwhy you’re applying and why you’d be agood employee.

Your at-a-glancechecklist

Have you proofread it?

Even when you’re applying online, it’s stillworth printing off a hard copy of yourapplication to check it through. Sometimesyou can spot errors on a printed page thatare easy to miss on screen. If it’s not easyto print off a form, cut and paste youranswers into a separate document andprint that out instead.

Have you evidence of how you match up?

You can’t just say that you have the skillsemployers want – you need to giveexamples. You could draw them fromschool, your family, sports teams, work,the Guides, Scouts or Cadets, orcommunity activities.

Have you written to the word count?

There is usually a set word limit for eachanswer on an application form: be carefulnot to go over. At the same time, youshouldn’t write very short responses thatdon’t give the employer enough to go on.

Do you know why you are applying?

If asked about your choice of career, thinkabout your work experience, volunteering andactivities in school/college and outside. Whatdo you enjoy doing? What are you good at, andhow does this match up with your decision toseek work in that industry? If asked why thisemployer, explain why the work, training andcareer opportunities on offer appeal to you.

Have you taken credit?

Include examples of yourinvolvement in teams, butexplain what you did tocontribute to team success.Use ‘I’ rather than ‘we’ inyour answer.

Have you kept a copy?

At an interview, the employer is likely toask you about the information you’veprovided in your application form.Remember to look through yourapplication beforehand.

T here’s no taking a one-size-fits-all approach when itcomes to applying forapprenticeships, trainingprogrammes or entry-level

jobs, as the process isn’t centralised inthe way that applications to uni are.Big companies will usually ask you to

submit an online form. The typicalform requires you to fill in yourcontact details and education andwork experience history, beforeanswering some questions on yourreasons for choosing the career andapplying to the employer. You mayalso be asked to answer questions

about your skills or say why youwould be good in the job and want towork in the industry. Sometimes youwill also be asked to upload a CV andcovering letter (see pages 51–53 forcovering letter and CV advice). Ourchecklist is full of tips to help youimpress.

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50APPRENTICESHIP APPLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS

The skills worth showing off aboutIf you are applying with a CV, you usually have to send in a covering letter too.

T he recruitment process isdesigned to test whetheryou have the ‘general’, non-technical skills that allconstruction, engineering

and property professionals need.Opposite we’ve listed the main skillsemployers seek and what they involve– one or more of these skills will betested at each stage of the process. Forinstance, in both your applicationform and interview you might beasked to describe when youdemonstrated good organisation – andthat might also be assessed in a groupexercise.

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

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COMMUNICATION Can you choose the right form of communication for thesituation in hand (eg face to face, phone call, email)? Canyou adapt your communication style depending on whoyou are talking to (eg a friend, a customer, your boss)?Can you adapt your communication style according towhat you need to achieve (eg to inspire teammatesbefore a game)? Are you able to talk confidently in frontof a group? Can you write a report?

TEAMWORK Have you worked successfully in groups? Do you helpyour teammates out if they are struggling or encouragequiet members to speak up? Do you consider how youractions affect others? Can you create a positiveatmosphere?

PLANNING AND Do you think ahead and set out action plans? DoORGANISATION you make a ‘plan B’ in case ‘plan A’ doesn’t work out? Can

you prioritise and juggle tasks to meet deadlines? Canyou give examples from outside your academic work?

COMMERCIAL Do you understand how the company you are applying to AWARENESS makes money? Do you know how your job would

contribute to that?

SELF-MOTIVATION Are you able to motivate yourself to do something? Haveyou set yourself a personal target and then achieved it?

PROBLEM-SOLVING Have you found ways around obstacles? Do you suggestsolutions and figure out new ways of doing things? Canyou judge when to ask for help?

CUSTOMER SERVICE Have you had experience of working with clients orcustomers? Do you know how to communicateprofessionally? Have you successfully handled angry ortroublesome customers?

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Get covered with a covering letterIf you are applying with a CV, you usually have to send in a covering letter too.

John Thorpe17a Christmas WayAbingdonOxonOX99 2PQ

J Smith & CoConstruction20 Construction Rd,OxfordOxonOX99 1AB

19 March 2017

Dear Mr Smith,

First paragraph: State the vacancy you are applying for and where you saw it. For example:‘I am writing to apply for your construction management trainee scheme, which I sawadvertised on targetcareers.co.uk.’ If you are not applying for an advertised vacancy, statewhat you are looking for. For example: ‘I am writing to see whether you would be able tooffer me a week’s work experience.’

Second and third paragraphs:Write about how you have the skills, qualities, attitude andexperience (if you have any) to succeed in the role. Refer to the skills and qualities askedfor in the job description. If there isn’t one, use the skills listed opposite as a starting point.You should back up your claims with examples of when you demonstrated those skills,expanding on details from your CV. For example: ‘I believe that I have the right skills andqualities to excel on your trainee scheme. I have developed the leadership potentialyou’ve asked for through my involvement with Explorers. I was part of the Young LeadersScheme and helped to run scout meetings. For example, I led a session on...’Fourth paragraph: Give reasons for wanting to work at that employer and in this role inparticular. You could mention projects that the company has worked on, the training offeredby the company, the qualifications you would gain, the company’s values or somethingelse that attracts you. Link your reasons to your career ambitions. For example: ‘I amapplying to J Smith & Company because I really want to work and learn in a company thattakes on innovative projects, such as the 2 George Street project. I was impressed by howyou retained the Grade II listed exterior while making the interior more environmentallyfriendly...’

Final paragraph: Finish by thanking them for considering your application and statingwhen you’d be able to start if hired and when you’d be available for interview.Yours sincerely,John Thorpe

A covering letter is a letter oremail that you send inwith your CV to explainwhy you are the rightperson for the vacancy

and why you want to work for thatemployer in particular. If you aresending your CV via email or (rarenowadays) through the post, you mustalso send in a covering letter. If you areapplying for an apprenticeship via anonline application form, you might begiven the option of uploading acovering letter – if so, do so. It’s anopportunity to show them how muchyou want the role.

There are two ways to send yourcovering letter via email and bothways are equally fine unless theemployer has specifically asked for oneway:1. Attach both the CV and the

covering letter as MS Worddocuments or PDFs to your email.Make the email a brief messagesaying that your application for thevacancy (give the relevant details) isattached.

2.Write the whole of the coveringletter directly into the email. Attachyour CV.

Get the formatting rightIf you can, address it to a specificperson responsible for hiring, eg ‘DearMr Smith’. If you aren’t given a name,address it to ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. Signoff the letter with ‘Yours sincerely’ if itis to a named person and ‘Yoursfaithfully’ if to Sir/Madam. Includeyour home address and the date on theletter if the covering letter is in aseparate document. If your coveringletter is in an email window, includeyour contact details at the end. Yourletter shouldn’t be longer than onepage of A4.

Tailor it to the roleThe secret to a covering letter is tomake it very specific to the companyand the vacancy you are applying to. If you can send in the same coveringletter to a different company purely by

changing the name of the company itis addressed to, your letter isn’tspecific enough. The example aboveshould help you to ‘tailor’ your letterto the role and make recruiters want tointerview you.

W hether you’rethinking of applyingfor work experience,an entry-level job ora school leaver

training programme, chances are you’llneed to put together a CV. This is astandard part of the applicationprocess and helps to give employers aclear idea of whether your writtencommunication skills are up toscratch. Your CV needs to be easy toread and understand; it should coverall the necessary information andshouldn’t include any howlers, such asspelling mistakes, that will put therecruiter off.

There is no one right way to puttogether a CV. There are somestandard headings that you will finduseful and there are some commonerrors you need to avoid. However,you can adapt the format to suit youand reflect your strengths. A CV is apersonal document and everybody’sCV is different.

You should also update your CVfor each job application and adapt itto show you have the qualities andqualifications the employer isspecifically looking for.

What should you include? Our example CV will give you ideasand help you get started. It has noteson the level of detail you need toinclude, how your CV might evolveover time, and some optional extras. This is the basic information you needto cover: • Personal details and contactinformation – this is essential.

• Education – again, essential. OurCV uses ‘Education andqualifications’ as a heading. If youhave done a relevant training courseyou could highlight this by using‘Training’ as a separate heading.

• Employment history and workexperience – another must-have.You could present this as twoseparate sections.

• Voluntary work. You could give thisits own separate heading, create a‘Work experience and voluntarywork’ section, or give details of your voluntary work in your‘Interests’ section.

• Skills. When you are describing yourwork experience and voluntaryactivities, look for ways to highlightskills such as communication andteamworking. If you have specificrelevant skills you can drawattention to them by putting them ina section of their own.

• Strengths and achievements. Youcould give these a section of their own,or cover them in the other sections.

And a few don’ts...• Most importantly of all, don’t lie.

If you’re found out you could loseyour job and, even worse, in somecases you might be liable forcriminal prosecution.

• Don’t waffle. Your CV should be nolonger than two pages and at thisstage it’s more likely to be one page,as in our example. You can usebullet points and you don’t have touse full sentences.

• Don’t be too fancy or too informal.Describe what you can do in adirect, confident way. Use aprofessional-looking font such asTimes New Roman, Arial, Verdanaor Cambria.

• Don’t leave in typos. Check yourspelling and grammar and getsomebody you trust to read your CVand check it again. Employers spend30 seconds on average scanning aCV, so make sure you don’t givethem any reasons to reject you basedon a silly mistake.


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How to write a cracking CVOur easy guide will help you put together a CV that shows you in the best possible light.

Include contact details: phone numbers,an address and an email address (makesure this is sensible and soundsprofessional). You don’t need to includeyour date of birth or age.

If you’ve attended more than onesecondary school, list the most recentfirst. You don’t need to include yourprimary school.

You don’t need to say ‘Curriculum Vitae’ atthe start of your CV. Begin with your name.

If the work experience or job you areapplying for specifies that you needspecific exam grades, show that you havethem. If you haven’t achieved much in theway of qualifications and have shown youmeet the requirements, you could list thesubjects you studied without includingyour grades and concentrate onhighlighting your strengths in other areas.

Employers will be keen to find out aboutyour skills, for example, IT skills, teamworking, customer service andcommunication skills. If it’s relevant to therole, mention that you have a full cleandriving licence (if you have).

Putting any voluntary work you have doneon your CV helps to create the impressionthat you are committed and motivated.Include any fundraising, involvement inteams, positions of responsibility andawards.

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Employers won’t expect you to have lots ofrelevant work experience, but they will beinterested in any that you do have. Givesome details about what you learned andcontributed.

You don’t have to include a section on yourinterests, but this can be a good way totell employers about your strengths andgive them a sense of what you might belike to work with.

You don’t have to include this. Employerswill assume you have references and willfollow them up if you get through to thenext stage. You definitely don’t need toinclude contact details for them.

You can provide a brief description of anyfull-time or part-time jobs you have had,explaining your responsibilities andachievements.

JOHN THORPE17a Christmas Way, Abingdon, Oxon OX99 2PQ

Email: [email protected]: 01449 123456 Mobile: 07759 234567

Education and qualifications2010–present Abingdon Secondary School

A levels (predicted): Maths (B), Physics (C), Chemistry (C)BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Engineering (Merit)GSCEs: Maths (A), Physics (A), Chemistry (B), Biology (C), EnglishLiterature (C), English Language (B), Geography (C), IT (B)

Employment and work experience2016 (2-week placement, August) Civil Engineers & Building Design,High Street, AbingdonShadowed design team and attended design meetings. Used technicalcomputer programs, including AutoCAD 2014. Helped to compile reportsfor clients. Performed necessary administrative tasks and gained anunderstanding of all departments.

2016 (July) South Oxfordshire Holiday Park, WallingfordHelped caretaker with repairs and maintenance, including cleaning andgardening.

2013–present Customer service assistant, Tesco, Abingdon (part time)

Working on the checkout and at the customer service desk. Has helpeddevelop my commercial awareness and communication skills.

IT skillsGood working knowledge of AutoCAD 2014, Excel and Word.

InterestsI am a keen footballer and have played in the school team for the last fiveyears. In the year I was captain (2014) we came second in the countyleague. I have volunteered as a football coach at local primary schools’after-school clubs and have tried and enjoyed many other outdooractivities, including kayaking and climbing.

References available upon request

If you aren’t writing a covering letter, youcan include a personal statement at thebeginning of your CV that describes yourstrengths and why you are interested inthe career. If you do this, keep it brief –ideally two to three lines and not morethan 60 words. We’ve started this CV witheducation and qualifications instead.Employers will expect to see educationand qualifications covered near the top ofyour CV.

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

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I f recruiters like what they see inyour applications, you may beinterviewed on the telephoneand face to face by a member ofhuman resources and/or senior

management. In both cases, they willask you why you want to work for thecompany and what makes yousuitable.

If you are applying for a technicalrole or have already undertaken somerelevant study (eg as part of avocational course), the recruiters mayquestion you on some specialist areasof knowledge.

Possible interview questions (and howto answer them)Why do you want to work for us?This question is testing how much youknow about the company and yourmotivation. Use what you have read onthe website (don’t just parrot) and linkit with your own future career goals.

What makes you suitable for the job? If you’ve done well in your studies,mention it, but also break down anysoft skills that you have and useexamples from your past experiencesto back them up. For example, if yousay you’re determined, you need togive evidence. One good examplemight be fighting your way throughmartial arts tournaments out ofschool. Go back over your ownexperiences and find one to impressthe employer.

Give an example of a difficult situation youhave faced and how you dealt with it.This doesn’t need to be a nuclearstandoff that you resolved. Perhapsyou’ve had to deal with infirmrelatives or a friend who got intotrouble. Break down the situationusing the STAR (situation, task,action, result) method and explain tothe recruiter all the steps you took.

Find out what an interview and assessment day involve and what you can do to impress recruiters.


The perfect job interview

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The open-ended questionYou may be asked to speak a littleabout yourself, about one specificevent listed on your CV or even aboutyour last holiday. While the recruiterdoes want to know more about you,this is more of a test of yourcommunication skills. Speak clearly,confidently and concisely and be readyto provide more details if necessary.

Technical questionsThese are rare, but if you have done arelated qualification you may be givenan example problem related to thework that the company does. Forexample, if you were going for a tradeapprenticeship, you might be shown ablueprint of a particular piece ofequipment and asked to explain how itworks.

An assessment centre – a longer interviewThink of an assessment centre as afull working day (9.00 am – 5.00 pm)of interviews, tests and otherexercises to test your suitability for acompany. As a general rule, it is thelarger engineering and constructionschool leaver schemes that useassessment centres, such as Ford orBalfour Beatty. Assessment centresbring groups of candidates togetherand can include some or all of thefollowing:

Aptitude testsA short exam set to a tight time limit.These are often multiple choice and are designed to test your naturalability with numbers, logic, verbalreasoning or other aptitudes.

Behavioural exercisesThese aim to discover how you’ll work as part of a team and the

Find out more at

targetcareers.co.u

k

Dress for success. Forinterviews, you should alwaysbe dressed smartly. You may beinvited out to a rural office or aconstruction site, but you’ll stillneed a smart trouser/skirt suit.

Give yourself time. Nothingmakes a bad impression liketurning up late. Practise thejourney beforehand if you can.

Bring your papers, please. Yourinitial application, personal

statement (if you have one) andany related coursework couldcome in handy if you can’tremember exact details in the

interview.

Eat, drink and be merry. Have breakfast and make sureyou’re hydrated before you go.You don’t want to pass out dueto interview nerves. It’s OK toask for a drink of water in your interview.

Think about the little things. It’s safer not to post on socialmedia about the company asthey may see it. Also: does yourmobile have an offensiveringtone or voicemail?

A voicemail should just containyour name and a polite messagerequesting a name and numberfor the caller. Keep your phone

off or on silent during an interview.

Be a professional – what you need to know

business. Common tests includepresentations, group exercises andtests of your reaction to certainscenarios. For example, in scenariosituations, an employer may ask youwhat your reaction would be to amock client email or what you woulddo to organise a list of pressing issues.

Social time Sometimes structured, sometimes not,there is normally an opportunity totalk (although not too informally!)with recruiters, managers and currentapprentices at the company.

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Employers andcourse providersBalfour Beatty ..................................58

BAM Construct UK ............................59

Galliford Try ......................................60

Jaguar Land Rover ............................61

Laing O'Rourke ..................................62

Nottingham Trent University ............63

Redrow Homes ..................................66

Skanska UK plc ..................................67

University of Salford ........................68

Thames Water....................................69

Veolia..................................................70

Wates..................................................71

Find out more about the organisations who want to hear from you.

A–Z of organisations who

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Pres

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Case

studies

Aptitud

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Grou

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s

Asse

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Seco

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First interview

– te

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First interview

– fa

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-face

CV and

cove

ring lette

r via email

Applica

tion form

includ

ing a CV

Applica

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Grad

uate program

mes

Loca

tions

Unde

rgradu

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ts/in

ternsh

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Tech

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rammes

High

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Adva

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app

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Interm

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opportunitiesAt a glance

recruitment methodsAt a glance

Balfour Beatty • • • • • •

58 Balfour Beatty • • • • •

BAM Construct UK • • • •

59 BAM Construct UK • • •

Galliford Try • • •

60 Galliford Try • • • • •

Jaguar Land Rover • • • •

61 Jaguar Land Rover • • • • •

Laing O’Rourke • • • • • •

62 Laing O’Rourke • • • • • •

Redrow Homes • • • • • •

66 Redrow Homes • • •

67 Skanska UK plc • • • • • • • • • •

Skanska UK plc • • • • • •

70 Veolia • • • • •

Veolia • • • •

Wates • • • • • •

71 Wates • • • • • •

58

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61

62

66

67

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London, Solihull, Newcastle, Manchester, Redhill, Langley, Basingstoke, Derby, Sheffield,Southampton, Bromborough, Nottingham, Swaffham and various locations in Scotland.

Hemel Hempstead, London, St Albans, Bristol, Solihull, Salford, Leeds, Glasgow,Edinburgh and Wellingborough.

Multiple places across the UK.

West Midlands/Halewood.

London, Manchester and various locations in Scotland.

Yorkshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Northamptonshire, Essex, Kent,London, Devon, Hertfordshire and Bristol.

Peterborough, Oxford (Drayton & Deddington), Somerset and North Somerset,Derby, Doncaster and London.

Bristol, London, Bury, Cardiff, Derby, Birmingham, Padworth, Rochester, Sheffield,Telford, Tendring, Wyre and Cannock.

Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Crawley, London,Luton, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Rickmansworth, Berkshire and Kent.

London, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Midlands,Yorkshire, Cumbria, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester, Cambridgeshire, EastAnglia and various locations in Scotland.

Locations of particular opportunities do vary socheck the employers’ A–Z profile page and website.

o want to hear from youTurn over to find out moreabout the employers

Thames Water • • •

69 Thames Water • • • • • • • •

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Contact detailsEmerging Talent5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU

www.balfourbeatty.com/careers

@balfourgraduate@balfourbeatty

Job rolesEngineering, construction management,designing, planning, environment, projectand facilities management. You can alsotrain in business roles such asprocurement, IT and Health and Safety andmany more.

SalaryCompetitive

Opportunities on offer• intermediate apprenticeships • advancedapprenticeship • higher apprenticeships • trainee roles • undergraduate placementsand internships • graduate programme • work experience

Sponsorship throughout universityYes

Work experience offered to• school students • further educationcollege/sixth form students • universitystudents

Application deadlineAugust 2017

Who we areYou are part of the next generation ofinfrastructure experts.

As the UK’s largest construction andinfrastructure business, we are looking for thebest school leavers to join our team. Togetherwe can work on iconic projects that changethe world around us.

For more than 100 years we have created andcared for the infrastructure that underpins allour lives and drives progress – we finance,design, build and maintain transport links,health facilities, schools and universities,power generation, public spaces and muchmore.

Apprentice opportunitiesYour career starts early at Balfour Beatty. Weoffer exciting apprenticeships in all aspects ofour business, including engineering,construction management, designing,planning, environment, project and facilitiesmanagement. You can also train in businessroles such as procurement, IT and Health andSafety.

Our package and programmeYou’ll receive a competitive salary, package,industry qualifications and a learningprogramme that is second to none. From dayone, you’ll have real responsibility andaccountability, working on projects that makea difference.

We will harness and develop your skills tomake sure we succeed together. Yourdevelopment is at the heart of our businessand we offer a range of opportunities forpromotion and development.

Our iconic projects rely on a diverse workforceto succeed. We’re the first ConstructionCompany in the UK to have partnered withStonewall on their Diversity Champion’sProgramme, a core member of both Race ForOpportunity and Opportunity Now.

Got your attention? We are waiting to hear from you. To find outmore, visit: www.balfourbeatty.com/careers

Balfour Beatty

Locations Regions with

opportunities

Balfour Beatty love to get the most out of theiremployees; on my very first day I worked on thenotoriously busy M25. With experiences like this, I feel that an apprenticeship is more meaningful,especially because Balfour Beatty offer real-lifeexperience that you just wouldn’t gain throughacademics.

Oliver Gregory, working towards an advanced levelapprenticeship in surveying.


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Contact detailsBAM Construct UK Ltd, Breakspear Park, Breakspear Way, Hemel Hempstead,Hertfordshire, HP2 4FL

T: 01442 238300W: www.bam.co.uk

Job rolesHere is a taste of just some of the job roleswe offer in our early career programmes:

BAM day-release trainees: ConstructionManagement, Quantity Surveying, DesignManagement, Planning, Building ServicesEngineering

BAM apprenticeship programme: TechnicalApprentice, Facilities Management,Customer Service, Business Administration

BAM graduate programme: ConstructionManagement, Quantity Surveying, DesignManagement, Architectural Technician,Building Services Engineering

BAM industrial placements: ConstructionManagement; Quantity Surveying, BuildingServices Engineering

SalaryCompetitive

Opportunities on offer• day-release trainees • apprenticeshipprogramme (stay tuned for our newapprenticeships) • graduate programme • industrial placements • scholarships • summer placements

Sponsorship throughout universityAt any point

Work experience offered to• school students • further educationcollege/sixth form students

Application deadlineOngoing

UsWe are a leading construction and propertyservices company that designs, constructs,refurbishes and operates outstandingbuildings for public and private sector clients.Our company is made up of six businessunits: BAM Construction, BAM FM, BAMProperties, BAM Design, BAM Plant and BAMServices Engineering, which means we areable to offer our customers a completesolution.

We believe buildings are for people. Creatingand maintaining a building is both a humanand technical challenge – that’s why weemploy inspiring, dedicated, trustworthy andcreative people to deliver what our customersneed.

Our people are the brains behind some of theUK’s most iconic and technically challengingbuildings, including transforming a newheadquarters for Scotland Yard, the inspiringevents venue First Direct Arena in Leeds, andthe City Football Academy, an £87.9 millionproject that delivered state-of-the-art trainingfacilities for Manchester City FC and was

awarded ‘Best Community DevelopmentProject’ in the National CSR Awards 2015.

YouDeveloping and investing in early career talentis a big passion of ours and we believesupporting talent early on only means greatthings for BAM’s future.

We offer a number of exciting early careerprogrammes, all with the aim to kick startyour career at BAM.

We make sure that once you are in BAM, youreceive dedicated learning and developmentsupport – and most importantly, have a greattime!

Like the sound of BAM Construct UK?If you like what you’ve read and want to findout more, please check out our careerswebsite for more information:www.bam.co.uk/careers

Oh, and don’t forget to check out our socialmedia too!

@BAMConstructUK Twitter

@BAMConstructUK Facebook

BAM Construct UK


opportunities

“My experience at BAM so far has been very positive andbeneficial. I constantly receive support from everyone I workwith and am truly seeing the benefit of working and studyingat the same time. The experience it gives me is undeniable.”


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Contact detailsEmail – [email protected]

Websitewww.gallifordtry.co.uk/careers/graduate-and-entry-level-hires/entry-level-hires

Job roles• civil engineer • quantity surveyor • site management • structural engineer

SalaryCompetitive

Opportunities on offer• higher apprenticeships • undergraduate placements/internships • graduate programme

Sponsorship throughout university• full sponsorship over PT/ FT furthereducation

Work experience offered to• school students • further education college/sixth form students

• university students

Who we areGalliford Try is a leading UK housebuilding andconstruction group.

The group’s Linden Homes brand sellsdistinctive homes to the public, while GallifordTry Partnerships is a regeneration specialistbuilding affordable homes for housingassociations and local authority providers.The construction business carries out buildingand infrastructure work across the UK withclients ranging from major Governmentdepartments through to regulated utilitiesand private sector companies.

What we offerWe offer a wide variety of career opportunitiesfor school, college and university leavers likeyourselves interested in engineering andconstruction-related disciplines through ourentry level programmes through trade andnon-construction apprenticeships, higher andprofessional apprenticeships and trainees.

Our roles include: Quantity Surveying,Architecture & Design, Site Management &Engineering, Estimating, Planning andBusiness Administration.

All our entry level employees are supportedwith structured training frameworks tosupport in developing professional andpersonal skills, these include experimentallearning and outdoor programmes.

Our graduate, trainee and apprentice positionsprovide a solid educational base which allowsyou to work towards a professionalqualification and a rewarding career in anexciting industry. Upon joining, typically yourtime will be split between academic andtheoretical study at college/university andpractical experience on site or in an office. Thecosts of the course will be met by thecompany and full support will be offered forboth studies and skills development.

Our PackageYou will receive a competitive salary andbenefits package, which generally includes:

• Bonus scheme• 28 days holiday + public holidays• Yearly pay reviews• Corporate discounts – offering a wide choiceof discounted vouchers and services

Galliford Try


opportunities

Why I like working at Galliford Try ‘I love the flexibility of the role and I feel Galliford Try hasgiven me a platform to progress my career.’Rebecca, Entry Level Intake 2016

‘What I enjoy the most about the scheme is the variety oftraining and skills you are given from day one and thesupport you are provided from your team and business unitwhenever you need it.’Jack, Entry Level Intake 2015

Galliford Try’s graduate and trainee induction day 2016


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Contact detailswww.jaguarlandrovercareers.com

Facebook: Jaguar Land RoverApprenticeships

Job roles• Automotive Engineer• Electrical Engineer• Electronic Engineer• Engineering Craft Machinist• Manufacturing Engineer• Mechanical Engineer• Accountancy Technician

SalaryAdvanced: Min £13,000 per annum Degree: Min £18,500 per annum

Number of vacancies Over 200

Opportunities on offer• Advanced Apprenticeship• Engineering Degree Apprenticeship• Commercial Degree Apprenticeship

Sponsorship throughout universityFully-funded for Degree Apprenticeships

Applications Open October 2017 atwww.jaguarlandrovercareers.com

Deadline – 31 December 2017

Our recruitment process has been created soyou can impress us with the best of your skills,expertise and personality. We want you to beprepared and confident, ready for a successfulapprenticeship with Jaguar Land Rover.

We are looking for enthusiastic people that areresilient, responsible and willing to learn, havestrong problem-solving skills, are able to workwith others and are passionate about ourvehicles.

More about usJaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largestpremium automotive manufacturingbusiness, built around two iconic British carbrands: Land Rover, the world’s leadingmanufacturer of premium all-wheel-drivevehicles, and Jaguar, one of the world’spremier luxury sports saloon and sports carmarques. We employ 40,000 people globallyand support around 275,000 more throughour dealerships, suppliers and localbusinesses, including its own UK employees.

Our school leaver opportunitiesThe award-winning Jaguar Land Roverapprenticeship schemes provide studentswith a strong blend of real world experienceand academic learning. Applicants can choosefrom either the four-year AdvancedApprenticeship aimed at GCSE students or thesix-year Engineering or Commercial DegreeApprenticeship aimed at A-Level entrants. Inboth cases, recruits can look forward toworking in cutting-edge product developmentand manufacturing environments developingvehicles for two of the most iconic globalmotoring marques.

How do we select? Our recruitment process has been created soyou can impress us with the best of your skills,expertise and personality. Our processconsists of:

• Online Application • Situational Judgment Test • Online Psychometric Test • Assessment Centre

Entry requirements Advanced: Five GCSEs at grade C or above,including Maths (Higher), English Languageand a Science / Technology / Engineeringrelated subject. Level 3 EngineeringVocational qualification will be accepted as analternative to your additional 3 GCSE’s.

Engineering Degree: Five GCSEs at grade C orabove, including Maths (Higher), EnglishLanguage and a Science / Technology /Engineering related subject. Plus two A-Levelsat grade C or above to include Maths plus anadditional Mathematical / Physics / Chemistry/ Technology or Engineering subject at Grade Cor above.

OR A Level Maths at C Grade or above plus anEngineering Level 3 qualification of 120 creditvalue (720 GLH). See website for further details.

Commercial Degree: 280 UCAS points gainedfrom 3 A-Levels, one of which must be a gradeB in a numerical or business related subject.See website for further details.

Qualifications gained Advanced: NVQ Level 2 FoundationCompetencies; NVQ Level 3 (businessrequirement dependant); A technical certificate;BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma Engineering

Degree: NVQ2 in Performing EngineeringOperations; NVQ3 appropriate discipline; NVQ4in Engineering Manufacturing; Foundationdegree; BEng degree in Applied Engineering

Commercial Degree: Certificate Level of theCIMA qualification; Qualified CIMA CharteredAccountant; BSc in Professional Accounting

Training provided Apprentices receive internaland external training supported by anallocated internal training managerthroughout their apprenticeship.

Jaguar Land Rover


opportunitiesHalewood, CastleBromwich,Solihull,Wolverhampton,Whitley & Gaydon


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Contact detailsEarly Talent TeamBridge Place, Anchor Boulevard, Crossways, DA2 6SNEmail: [email protected] Contact tel: 01322 730730Website: www.laingorourke.com/careers

Social mediaFacebook: facebook.com/earlytalentLOR Youtube: youtube.com/user/laingorourkeltdTwitter: twitter.com/Laing_ORourke

Job roles• civil engineering • digital engineering • mechanical engineering • buildingservices engineering • quantity surveying • construction management • humancapital • procurement • estimating • planning • quality • health, safety andenvironment/sustainability

SalaryCompetitive

Opportunities on offer• School and College Leaver Programme

Sponsorship throughout university• Sponsorship throughout university

Application deadlineApplications open November and remainopen until all roles filled – check website

How you select• Application form including CV• Online tests• Telephone interview• Assessment day (group discussion, presentation, 1 to 1 interview)

Laing O’Rourke


opportunities

UK wide depending oncurrent projects

“I found LOR by doing a Google search of the top construction firms in the UK. They came out asone of the top three; so I looked on their website and found the School and College Leaverprogramme and applied straight away.“I love the fact that you can be involved on a number of projects of historical significance likeCrossrail, and you get to see the latest building technology in practice.“My biggest highlight so far has been the final pour on the Elephant Road project structure, I hadbeen working on this since the very first excavations. I got to see a complete project go from a holein the ground to a complete structure with one tower over 23 stories tall. “Whatever I’ve been doing, I have learnt lots from working here about my job role and theconstruction industry in general. The main thing that I have learnt is that you can never ‘know itall’; there is always something new to learn or something someone can show you or help you with.“So if you’re thinking of applying, think carefully about what you enjoy and what you’re good at andresearch the varied job roles in construction, as there are so many that can suit certain peoplebetter than others.”Anthony Sawyers, Trainee Quantity Surveyor.

We are Laing O’Rourke. We design and buildiconic buildings and complex infrastructureprojects used by millions of people every day -and we’re always looking to create structuresthat will help build a better future foreveryone. Our expertise allows us to work onsome of the largest and most complexprojects in existence. Join us as a School &College Leaver and you’ll have the opportunityto work on some amazing projects with someexceptional people.

Our five-year School & College Leaverprogramme combines studying for anaccredited degree with on-the-job experience.You’ll work alongside experiencedprofessionals on live projects, and attenduniversity at the same time. Throughoutyou’ll learn innovative engineering and

construction techniques, and get to knowcolleagues who’ll continue to support youthroughout your career at LOR.

We have opportunities for School & CollegeLeavers in areas from Civil Engineering andDesign to Planning and Quantity Surveying.We’ll pay for all your university fees, andthere’s even an achievement award when youcomplete the relevant professionalqualification. If you’ve got or on track from 96UCAS points or more, please apply.

We also run a two-to-four yearApprenticeship+ programme for peopleleaving school with at least three GCSEs.There are opportunities around the countryand include roles such as scaffolding, steelfixing, electricians and site operatives.


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Main subject areas/programmes offered

Architectural design - BArch (Hons) Architecture - BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design - BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology

Civil engineering - BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering - BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering - MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Design andConstruction

Construction and quantity surveying - BSc (Hons) Construction Management - BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying - BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying andConstruction Commercial Management

Product design - BA (Hons) Product Design - BSc (Hons) Product Design - BA (Hons) Furniture and Product Design

Property management and development - BSc (Hons) Building Surveying- BSc (Hons) Property Development andPlanning

- BSc (Hons) Property Finance andInvestment

- BSc (Hons) Real Estate

Entry requirements Entry requirements vary by course. Searchwww.ntu.ac.uk/courses for moreinformation.

Apply toAdmissions TeamSchool of Architecture, Design and the BuiltEnvironment Nottingham Trent UniversityNottinghamNG1 4FQ

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.ntu.ac.uk/adbe

Take the first step in your career Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is one ofthe UK’s largest universities, with over 27,000students studying across four campuses.

The University is highly recommended by thestudents who study here – a huge 92% of ourstudents would recommend NTU (NationalStudent Survey 2016). We’re ranked in the top20 universities in the UK for teaching quality(Times and Sunday Times Good UniversityGuide 2016) and have also invested over£421 million in inspiring and modernenvironments for you to live, work and play in.This includes our award-winning Students’Union as well as upgraded library facilities.

The School of Architecture, Design and theBuilt Environment is based at NTU’s CityCampus, in the heart of Nottingham. Over3,000 students study with us, lectured andsupervised by a large and diverse team ofacademic staff. We offer courses in fivesubject areas: • Architectural design • Civil engineering• Construction and quantity surveying• Product design• Property management and development

We have a strong reputation for providingchallenging, professionally accreditedcourses that are highly engaged with theirrespective industries. Our courses’professional accreditations recognise thequality of the course content, which will giveyou an extra edge in the graduate market.

All of our courses in civil engineering,construction and property offer theopportunity to apply for a year-long workplacement, usually taken in the third year ofyour degree. Placements are an opportunityto apply and develop your understanding ofindustry practice, gain valuable workexperience and build your professionalnetworks locally, nationally andinternationally.

You’ll gain hands-on experience of workingwith the latest industry-standard facilities inour workshops and learning spaces. Withteaching staff and skilled technicians on-handyou will be greatly supported as you learn andbe encouraged to explore your intereststhrough research.

The standard and relevance of our courses,the quality and international perspective ofour staff, excellent placement opportunitiesand our extensive commercial links allcontribute to our outstanding graduateemployment record and will help open doorsto new and exciting career opportunities. 98%of our graduates from the School ofArchitecture, Design and the BuiltEnvironment are employed or in further studyjust six months after graduating from NTU(DLHE, Positive Outcomes 2014/15).

Find out more Visit www.ntu.ac.uk/courses-adbe to find outmore about our courses and to register for anopen day.

Nottingham TrentUniversity

“I would recommend my course at NTU because there is a highstandard of teaching and facilities, and because of theopportunity to do a placement year in industry which isextremely valuable to your learning and employability.”

Alice Cox, BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering


Work or uni – not sure whichoption would suit you?

Find your perfect �t attargetcareers.co.uk

t

Use TARGETcareers to:• Search over 33,000 university

courses

• Find school leaver schemes,higher apprenticeships & more

• Research career routes withthe UK’s best advice

• Read reviews on youruniversity of choice

• Test yourself with our SchoolLeavers’ Challenge

66

Contact detailsLearning & Development Team Redrow Homes Redrow House Kinsall GreenWilnecote Tamworth Staffs B77 5PX

Job roles• Apprentice Bricklayers • ApprenticeCarpenters / Joiners • Apprentice Plumbers• Apprentice Electricians • ApprenticeQuantity Surveyors • Apprentice Architects& Civil Engineers • Office Aprentices

SalaryCompetitive

Opportunities on offer• intermediate apprenticeships • advancedapprenticeship • higher apprenticeships • technician/foundation trainingprogramme • undergraduateplacements/internships • graduateprogramme

Sponsorship throughout university• throughout • for your final year

Application deadlineTrade apprentices will be end of June 2017.Office apprentices are recruited on a rollingbasis as required.

Redrow is a housebuilder with an award-winning reputation. We pride ourselves oncreating beautiful homes that people love tolive in. And we apply the same level of careand attention to developing our apprenticestoo.

Provided you’re willing to apply yourself, it’san exceptional opportunity. Earning while youlearn, you’ll gain a nationally recognisedqualification and acquire invaluable workexperience. You’ll also be part of a friendly,supportive team that takes your futureseriously. We offer a wide range ofapprenticeships, too.

It doesn’t matter whether you want to learn amanual trade or work in an office: there couldbe an exciting future for you here.

Perform well and impress us, and you couldfind yourself building a successful long-termcareer with Redrow.

We currently employee over 2,100 staffacross England & Wales, including a largetrainee base.

• Divisional offices in Lancashire, NorthWales, South Wales, Yorkshire, Staffordshire,Northamptonshire, Devon, Kent, London,Essex, Hampshire.

• Redrow has a dedicated learning anddevelopment centre in Tamworth,Staffordshire offering tailored trainingcourses to all of our staff

• We were named in the 2015 CITBApprenticeship Awards: Great Britain LargeEmployer of the Year.

• We are a proud member of the prestigious5% Club. a campaign focused on creatingmomentum behind the recruitment ofapprentices and graduates into the UKworkforce. By joining the club, we havecommitted to the aim of ensuring that 5% ofour UK workforce are apprentices,graduates or sponsored students onstructured programmes within the next fiveyears.

Your career options don’t stop after youcomplete an apprenticeship with Redrow.Perform well and you could earn theopportunity to progress further within thecompany.

• Our trainee site assistant programme takesthe best and brightest and helps developthem into our site managers of the future,including many former trade apprentices.

Redrow Homes


opportunities “I’ve worked with people who have taken a realinterest in me as a person and in my progressionthrough the industry”

Benn Smith, Trainee Site Assistant and former apprenticecarpenter with Redrow.


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Contact detailsEmerging TalentEmail: [email protected]/earlycareersLinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/company/SkanskaTwitter: @skanskaukplcwww.Skanska.co.uk/earlycareers

Job roles• Civil engineer • Construction supervisor • Design engineer • Bid writer • Highwaysmaintenance operative • Planner • Estimator• Environmental manager • BIM technician • Buyer • Multi-skilled operative • Streetlighting technician • Piling operative • Fitter • Plate welder • Geotechnical engineer • Electrical engineer • Environmentalengineer/consultant • Mechanical engineer • Quantity surveyor • Site management

SalaryCompetitive

Opportunities on offer• intermediate apprenticeships • advancedapprenticeship • higher apprenticeships • technician/foundation trainingprogramme • undergraduate placements/internships • graduate programme

Sponsorship throughout university• throughout • for your penultimate year • for your final year

Work experience offered to• school students • further education college/sixth form students • university students

Application deadlineVaries depending upon the role. Most schoolleaver roles are advertised betweenJanuary and May for a September start andwill be closed once filled.

One of the UK’s leading constructioncontractors, we’re an inclusive, responsiblebusiness that’s helping to build a bettersociety. We currently have a variety ofexciting opportunities available for school andcollege leavers.

Known for major projects like the Gherkin andCrossrail, Skanska is building for a betterfuture. Drawing on our Scandinavian heritage,we’re green, innovative and progressive. Webring people and technology together, as partof our commitment to making construction asafer and more collaborative industry.

We believe that people are the heart of ourbusiness. It’s why we place such a strongemphasis on creating the right workingculture. One that’s based on a collectiverespect for ethics and principles, whereyou’re encouraged to really make the most ofyour talents in a supportive and caringenvironment. We call it Naturally Skanska.

So if you’re ready to start your career andwould like to work on some of the country’smost interesting, challenging and rewardingprojects, we’d love to hear from you.

Our school leaver opportunitiesWe have a wide range of Level 2, 3 and 4opportunities – from roles in our Highwaysbusiness, to design technicians, quantitysurveyors and piling operatives or within oursupport functions – there is something foreveryone.

How do we select?All applicants are required to apply online. Atelephone interview and then face to faceassessment is included in the selectionprocess for all roles.

Skanska UK plc


opportunities

“It’s a great feeling to be able to lay claim to some involvement in the structures within the built environment around you, some of which may become iconic and in the public eye for years to come.”

Graduate Quantity Surveyor


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Entry requirements All courses require a minimum of EnglishLanguage and Maths at GCSE grad C orabove, or equivalent.UCAS Points Tariff dependent on course butwill range between 96–128. Please checkthe website for individual course entryrequirements and information on previouslyrequired subjects. BTEC National Diploma MMM–D*DD. Pleasecheck the website for individual courseentry requirements and information onpreviously required subjects.

Funding Fees 2017–18Type of Study FeeFull-time £9,250 per yearFull-time International £14,400For a full breakdown of all our feesdepending on your chosen method of studyand subject please see your individualsubject webpage.

Scholarships and BursariesVice-Chancellor’s Excellence Scholarship£2,000 for ABB at A Level or equivalent Awarded for ABB at A level or equivalent:£2,000 award for the first year of thecourse. There is no need to apply you willreceive this in two instalments Salford Student BursaryAward of £3,000 to students from GreaterManchester with declared householdincome of £25,000 or less. Salford Advantage BursaryA £3,000 bursary for students who havebeen in the care system and/or thoseestranged from their parentsOther scholarships and bursaries may bemade available in due course. For a list of allour funding opportunities, as well as the fullterms, conditions, and eligibility criteria foreach award, please visitwww.salford.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/money-matters/scholarships-and-bursaries.

Apply toThe University of SalfordThe CrescentSalfordM5 4WT T: 0161 295 5000E: [email protected] Web: www.salford.ac.uk

The University of Salford is a practical,technical, professional institution with anhistoric and continually growing reputation inconstruction, engineering, and property. Ourdedicated School of the Built Environment is aworld-leading, professionally accreditedschool (CIAT, CIOB, and RICS) with excellentemployability for our graduates; 96% of ourrelated graduates are in employment orfurther study within just six months ofgraduating. With innovation at our core, we’verecently added several courses asaccelerated degrees, enabling study of a fulldegree over two years rather than three,getting work-ready students into the heart ofthe industry quicker than ever before. We’rehome to the world’s only full climate-controlled energy house, and are rankedfourth in the UK for architecture and the builtenvironment, with all of our courses comingwith the opportunity for industry placementopportunities.

In Engineering, our courses come equippedwith professional accreditations from theJoint Board of Moderators and 12 otherindustry bodies. We’re incredibly proud to bein the top five percent in the world for our civiland structural engineering courses, and cancount a virtual reality environment, windtunnel, flight simulator, and brand new £2million petroleum and gas engineering labamongst our incredible facilities.

Construction and Property• HNC Construction• BSc (Hons) Architectural Design andTechnology* (CIAT)

• BSc (Hons) Architecture• BSc (Hons) Building Surveying* (RICS)

• BSc (Hons) Construction ProjectManagement* (CIOB, RICS)

• BSc (Hons) Property and Real Estate* (RICS)• BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying* (RICS, CIOB,ICES, BQSM)

• BSc (Hons) Architectural Engineering• MSci (Hons) Building Surveying**Also available as an accelerated two-yearfull-time or three-year day release degree

Engineering• MEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering• BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering• BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering withFoundation Year

• BEng (Hons) Aircraft Engineering with PilotStudies

• MEng (Hons) Aircraft Engineering with PilotStudies

• BSc (Hons) Aviation Technology with PilotStudies

• MEng (Hons) Civil and ArchitecturalEngineering

• BEng (Hons) Civil and ArchitecturalEngineering

• BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering• BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering• MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering• BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering withFoundation Year

• BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering withFoundation Year

• BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering• MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering• BEng (Hons) Petroleum and MechanicalEngineering

Please see the website for the full list ofprofessional accreditations.

University of Salford


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Contact+44(0)20 7061 3438

Type of employerUtilities

LocationsWe are recruiting for multipleapprenticeship positions based within theThames Water patch.

Number of vacancies20+

Salary£14,500 starting salary plus benefits.

Each Apprentice will receive a laptop andsmart phone on joining.

Entry requirementsMinimum of five GCSE's at grade C andabove including English, Science and Maths(B grade in Maths for ICA)

Training providedYear 1 – At college studying engineeringtheory for a BTEC qualification.

Years 2 to 4 – Four days a week will bespent in the workplace and one day a weekin college completing your BTECqualification (second year). During thistime, as well as practical on the jobexperience in programming and faultfinding, you will also be working towardsachieving the NVQ Level 3 ExtendedDiploma in Engineering Maintenance.

Applications deadlinesOngoing

How to applywww.thameswater.co.uk/careers/ 712.htm

Get in touch – social mediaFacebook:facebook.com/ThamesWaterEarlyCareersOR Twitter: - @ThamesWaterEarlyCareers

More about usThames Water is the largest water and waste-water services company in the UK. We providethe essential service at the heart of daily life,health and enjoyment to 15 million customersacross London and the Thames Valley and weare going through a period of exciting change.

On a typical day we supply 2.6 billion litres oftop quality drinking water and our 350sewage treatment works treat more than4.2bn litres of waste-water. Our 85,000 milesof water mains and sewers would wraparound the world three-and-a-half times.

We are focusing like never before ondelivering brilliant services and providing ourcustomers with a great experience. We are inthe process of transforming our business inorder to achieve this.

We are on the lookout for talented peopleacross our entire region who are interested inhelping us to become the best water andwaste-water company in the UK.

Our school leaver opportunitiesMechanical and Electrical ApprenticeshipsStudying Mechanical and Electrical disciplinesyou will be working on our sites alongsidearound 2500 of our 5000 employees. We arerecruiting our engineers for the future and areoffering a great opportunity for anybody

looking to start a career within the waterindustry. You will be learning about new andinnovative technologies that will improve theway we work at Thames Water for years tocome. You will have the opportunity to workalongside people that have completed thescheme and are now excelling at their roleswithin the business, who will be able to offeryou support and advice when you need it.

Electrical ICA Apprenticeships(Instrumentation, Controls and Automation)As an ICA Apprentice you’ll be helping tocontrol all the instruments and systems wehave on our sites. You’ll be working on thetechnology which monitors and controls allaspects of Thames Water’s water andwastewater processes, and how they’reperforming across the network. During theApprenticeship you’ll become qualified tocarry out planned preventative and generalmaintenance of equipment, modifying andrewiring, testing and inspecting, conditionbased monitoring and fault finding within oursystems. You will also be fully trained to useProgrammable Logic Controllers (PLC’s) andSCADA (Supervisory Control and DataAcquisition) systems, to write codes andmake modifications to our processes toensure that our sites perform at their verybest.

Thames Water


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Contact detailswww.veolia.co.uk/careers

Job roles• automotive engineer • chemical engineer • electrical engineer • environmental engineer • mechanical engineer

SalaryCompetitive salary and benefits

Opportunities on offer• intermediate apprenticeships • advancedapprenticeship • higher apprenticeships •technician/foundation training programme

Sponsorship throughout university• none


Application deadlineVariable

Veolia is leading a deep-rooted changetowards adopting the circular, low carboneconomy through its mission – ‘Resourcingthe World’. Globally, the 23.8 billion eurocompany is focused on developing access to,preserving and replenishing resources. Byinspiring partnerships across industries,cities and communities, Veolia is now at theforefront of innovation and delivering thecircular economy today.

The company’s future proofing encompassesmaking significant investment and driving thesustainability agenda into the market placeand it invests more than £50 million annuallyworldwide in research and development ofefficient resource technologies.

With over 14,000 staff in the UK and Ireland,Veolia is focused on manufacturing greenproducts and energy and developing tailoredwater, waste and energy managementsolutions that contribute to the developmentof communities and industries and helpreduce its customers’ carbon impact.

Veolia is committed to protecting theenvironment and has been awarded two ofthe UK's most prestigious business accoladesfor its role as an environmental and socialsustainability leader. In 2016 it was awardedBusiness in the Community’s ResponsibleBusiness of the Year and in 2014 the companyreceived the Queen’s Award for Enterprise inSustainable Development.

In 2015, the company recycled more than 1 million tonnes of materials and createssufficient energy from waste to power over600,000 homes. Over 20% of its business inthe UK is circular with a target of 40% by 2020and it has committed to investing more than£750m in the UK over the next five years.

If you’re leaving school or looking for a newopportunity and considering your next step,Veolia’s technical apprenticeships such as ourFleet Academy and our EngineeringTechnologies programme, could be the idealchoice for you. You’ll develop skills and on

some programmes gain a qualification, plusyou’ll earn a wage and have the prospect of acareer with a world-class company.

Our apprentices take part in on- and off-thejob training and development activities andtake on real work challenges so that they candevelop and contribute positively to theorganisation and communities in which wework.

Veolias Fleet Technical Academy launches in 2017There are currently 53 fleet workshops in theUK where our Heavy Vehicle Service andMaintenance Technicians (workshop fitters)work to maintain and keep our fleet on theroad. Veolia’s Fleet team are proud of the workwe do towards the circular economy and trulybelieve in the value of Apprenticeships, manyof our Workshop Managers and senior fleetteams including the Director, commencedtheir working life as apprentices. Joining ourFleet Technical Academy opens you up to thesame opportunities.

The academy is not like other technicianapprenticeships. You will benefit from a HeavyVehicle Service and Maintenance technicianapprenticeship which is designed to developyour skills both academically and practically.The three year programme is a combination ofclassroom based activity and practicalknowledge gained through a series of blockreleases at our partner training centre – S&BAutomotive Academy based in Bristol. Inaddition to this you will receive a full Inductionand on the job practical work experience inour fleet workshops.

The academy will also develop further skillsenabling you to receive recognised industrystandards and qualifications to ensure wehave an industry leading technically trainedteam. For those apprentices who want todevelop their leadership and managementskills; future opportunities to obtain a higherlevel apprenticeship may be available.

Veolia


opportunities


71

Contact detailsWates House, Station Approach Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7SW Contact tel: 020 7061 3435

www.wates.co.uk/careers/early-careersSocial media: twitter.com/WatesGroup

Job roles• Production (Operations – Site Manager)• Quantity Surveying (Commercial)• Building Services(Mechanical andElectrical Services) • Estimating • Planning• Electrical (Level 3) • Mechanical (Level 3)

SalaryCompetitive

Opportunities on offer• intermediate apprenticeships • advanced apprenticeship • higher apprenticeships • undergraduate placements/internships • graduate programme

Sponsorship throughout university• throughout • for your penultimate year • for your final year


Application deadlineFebruary

Build a Career at Wates!Wates – one of the leading family-ownedconstruction, development and propertyservices businesses in the UK.

Some highlights from our business:

• Group Turnover – £1.27bn (2015)• Profit (PBT) – £30.3m (2015)• People – 4,000 +• Investors in People – Gold Award• Waste diverted from landfill – 97.2%• Spent with social enterprises – £1.3m(2015)

• 1,000 young people have benefited fromour Building Futures programme.

• £9.6m provided by Wates Giving to supportcauses across the UK since 2008.

• Business in the Community CorporateResponsibility index score – 92%

ApprenticeshipsWe are looking for motivated individuals witha passion for learning and a keen interest inthe construction, development and propertyservices industries to join our business.

Our early careers programmes are designedto provide you with the right knowledge, skillsand experience to develop your career atWates.

If you are passionate about developing yourcareer and are driven to succeed, we want tohear from you.

Our Apprenticeship programmes are anexcellent pathway for school and college

leavers to develop their skills and knowledgewithin a professional field. We offer a widerange of career routes within construction:

• Production (Operations)• Quantity Surveying (Commerical)• Building Services• Estimating• Planning• Electrical (Level 3)• Mechanical (Level 3)

We offer degree-level apprenticeships (level6) for college leavers which include supportwith professional development, on the jobexperience, behavioural and technicaldevelopment on a structured pathway. Theprogramme is industry recognised anddesigned to provide you with the experienceto support you towards becoming a surveyor,building services manager or site manager.

Our Level 4 technical apprenticeship offersschool leavers and experienced tradesprofessionals to develop the skills andexperience towards becoming a sitesupervisor, building services supervisor orsurveying supervisor. This industryrecognised programme offers structureddevelopment and experience as well assupport in achieving a HNC in the relevantpathway.

With offer a range of other apprenticeships.You can register your interest on our websitewww.wates.co.uk/careers/early-careers

Wates


opportunities

The Level 3apprenticeships areavailable in the North.The remainder arenationwide.



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Arup ...................................................................Emil Fijalkowski ..........................................42, 46Balfour Beatty .................................................Georgina Goulding..............................................43CITB....................................................................Lorraine Gregory ..................................................1Galliford Try ......................................................Gregory King ......................................................44Jaguar Land Rover ..........................................Alice Belcher ......................................................41Mace ..................................................................Sam Saunders ....................................................43Nottingham Trent University.........................Iwan Jones ........................................................42Pathways to Property.....................................Emily Archer ......................................................39Redrow Homes.................................................Liam Sargeant ....................................................41Wates.................................................................Jennifer Reilly ....................................................44

Editor Abigail LewisDesign Thomas GrayProofreader Kath PilgremAdvertising Lee Frith, sales productchampion; the TARGETcareers salesteam; the TARGETcareers campaignmanagement teamCirculation Patty ShufflebothamCommercial director Jon MallottSales director Simon RogersProduction director Jane AndersonGroup chief executive officerGraham Storey

Published byGTI Media Ltd The Fountain Building Howbery Park Benson Lane WallingfordOxon OX10 8BA UK

Tel +44 (0)1491 826262 Fax +44 (0)1491 826401www.groupgti.com

Printer ElandersISBN: 1 84318 939 9ISSN: 2397-8678

GTI would like to thank everyone who hastaken the time to contribute to, or findcontributors for, TARGETcareersConstruction, Engineering & Property. We would also like to thank all those whosupplied advice and photographs.

Balfour Beatty ............................................58BAM Construct ............................................59CITB ........................................36–37, IFC, OBCGalliford Try ................................................60Jaguar Land Rover ......................................61Laing O'Rourke ............................................62Nottingham Trent University ................8, 63Oxford Brookes University ........................45

Pathways to Property................................IBCRedrow Homes............................................66Skanska UK plc............................................67University of Salford ..................................68Thames Water..............................................69Veolia ............................................................70Wates ....................................................20, 71

Index of organisations who want to hear from you

Thank you to our contributors

Key:IFC = inside front coverIBC = inside back coverOBC = outside back cover

© GTI Media Ltd, February 2017All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any meansincluding, but not limited to, photocopying or stored in a retrieval system in any formwithout prior written consent of GTI. This is subject to the single exception ofphotocopying by careers advisers or lecturers for careers counselling. All items soused should be fully acknowledged. The views expressed in articles are those of theauthors and their publication does not necessarily imply that such views are sharedby GTI. Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this publication, thepublishers cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, or for consequential lossarising from such inaccuracies, or for any other loss, direct or consequential, arising inconnection with information in this publication.

INDEX

Have you ever wondered how properties are developed, who is responsible for them and how much they are worth?You may know something about pursuing a career in law or even accounting but working in property is not so well known – even though there are countless career opportunities. Want to know what they are?

Pathways to Property Pathways to Property is a free programme led by Reading Real Estate Foundation at the University of Reading for sixth form students. Supported by British Land and some of the biggest players in the real estate sector and by the Sutton Trust, the programme will help you �nd out where a career in property could lead.

Opportunities include: • A free residential Summer School at the University of Reading each July

• Industry led talks in schools throughout the year

• A mentoring programme

• Work experience placements in real estate �rms

Pathways to Property introduces careers in property by connecting you with those already working in the sector. Industry volunteers from some of property’s leading �rms work with students across the programme to share their expertise and talk about their routes into the profession.

For further information and to get involved visit www.reading.ac.uk/pathways-to-property or email [email protected]

‘The experience improved my understanding of the various ways to pursue a career in property and it gave me an insight into higher education courses in property and real estate.’

Toni, Summer School participant

‘The talks from the graduates were very inspiring. I would de�nitely recommend the summer school to anyone.’

Anita, Summer School participant

construction, engineering & propertyhow to write a cracking cv .....52 preparing for the perfect...

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