The Construction Industry
This is an introduction to the Construction Industry and the careers that are available within it.  There will be an opportunity to discuss and explore the industry with our tutors through your classroom sessions.

The resources we provide on this page are linked to our Mobile Construction Classroom teaching.  The links to videos and existing websites are provided recognising their ownership and responsibility for the content.

Resources to Support Learning

Construction is an exciting industry that impacts all parts of your life.  It built the house you live in, the roads you travel on, the sports centre or football stadium you visit.


To complete a construction project many different trained people are required:


·         Surveyor to assess suitability of the land area

·         Architects to do the design work of the building

·         Scientists to assess the impact on our environment

·         Civil Engineer to plan and design the structure to be built


There are also many skilled craft roles which you can learn at college or through apprenticeships.  These are the skills you learn as part of your SATRO Mobile Construction Classroom:


·         Bricklayers

·         Carpenters

·         Plumbers

·         Electricians

·         Decorators


Find out about working in Construction

What it is like to work in construction - click here

Take this virtual reality tour of a construction site - click here
How the Industry Works
The construction industry is normally divided into 3 sectors:
  • buildings - residential (homes) and non-residential (offices/shops)
  • infrastructure - roads, railways, bridges, utilities (electric/gas/water)
  • industrial - factories, refineries, manufacturing plants
The process of building will start with the client (customer) deciding what they want built, in what timescale and at what cost.  The next steps include:
  • design by an architect
  • the costing materials by a quantity surveyor
  • a structural engineer checking the safety of the proposed building
At this stage planning permission is sought to ensure that regulations are being met.  This will include looking at the building site to check if wildlife is being destroyed, will it cause disturbance to others, does it meet the development plans for the area and is the road system adequate.

The construction project itself will  normally have a main contractor who will be responsible for the overall build.  They will then use subcontractors for specialist work like concrete, steelwork, plumbing, electrical work etc.   The building site will be run by the Site Manager who will be responsible for the build as well as the health & safety of everyone on-site.

Here are links to some of the careers involved in construction:

Land Surveyor - click here

Architect - click here

Civil engineer- click here

Site Manager - click here

Plumber - click here

Carpenter - click here

Decorator - click here

Stonemason - click here

Many people start their career in construction through an apprenticeship.  This is a job with training where you work alongside others and gain a qualification. 

Find out the 14 best things about being a construction apprentice - click here