Construction Work

As kids all of us have played the block building game. We arranged blocks of different shapes and sizes to create tall structures. We took pride in what we made and worked hard to come up with innovate designs every time. Wouldn't it be interesting to carry this fascination of block building in real world and make a career in construction industry? Construction industry values every type of skills, whether planning, managerial, legal, designing or manual, and hence no matter where your strengths lie, construction industry is sure to have a suitable profile for you. Lets us see the different construction work profiles that candidates can take up in this domain.

Different types of Construction Work Profiles

• Construction Workers (Labor Work) - Construction workers refer to the team of laborers who perform the actual work of erecting a building. It includes the tasks of brick work, cementing, painting and paperhanging, drywall and tile installation, tapering, plastering, insulation and refrigeration work, plumbing, concrete finishing, etc.

• Heavy Machinery Operation Work - These operators drive heavy machineries that carry abundant weights and transport materials to the construction site. They operate heavy vehicles such as crane, dump truck, haul truck, excavator, extruder, front end loader, grader, mixer, concrete pump, caterpillar, etc.

• Structural Designing and Development Work - Designing work includes planning the design for the structures. It refers to the work of architects, AutoCAD drafters, land surveyors, civil engineers, site engineer, construction safety consultants, construction management workers, labor contractors, real estate property developers, etc.

• Administrative Work - Construction activities cannot progress unless backed by strong administrative work. It includes the work of financers, insurers, marketers, lawyers, documentation specialists, economists, human resource managers, property cost estimators, quality control inspectors etc.

Scope of Construction Activities

Construction work is not limited to building structures. It includes developing facilities for public use such as roads, highways, tunnels, footpaths, airports, stations, docks, dams, water supply systems, sewage supply system, earthwork, etc. Besides building functions, it also includes renovations, demolitions and excavation work.

Common Misconceptions v/s Facts

Some common misconceptions are associated with construction work. For example, construction work is a job for men, work is dirty and dangerous, or jobs are not available easily, etc. Construction is no longer a stereotype male dominated industry. Many women participate in construction activities, whether manual, operational, designing or quality controls. It is true that construction work is strenuous and vulnerable to health hazards; however, work is bound by stringent safety rules and employers emphasize on adopting those measures strictly, thus reducing the work related risks. Career prospects for jobs are positive and jobs are readily available for the eligible candidates.

Recent Trends

Green construction is the latest trend catching up with the construction industry. Green work denotes adopting environment friendly practices for construction activities. It promotes using practices that will generate less wastage, ensure optimum utilization of electricity and water, reduce the impact of harsh weather conditions, and utilize the given space in most effective manner. Green construction aims at reducing the negative impacts of construction on the environment.

Construction Work: Pros

• Competitive salaries and perks of insurance, retirements plans, leaves, benefits, compensations, etc.
• Ample job opportunities in private and government sectors for candidates with varying skills and knowledge
• Scope for growth in career. Laborers can work as contractors and management assistants can progress to levels of supervisors, managerial and project leads with experience.
• Challenging work with scope to use creativity and innovations. Hence, more job satisfaction for workers.
• Avenues to enhance knowledge with changes in trends and client's expectations

Construction Work: Cons

• Work is performed outdoors. Hence, workers have to ensure heat, rains, windy or cold weather.
• Workers can get injured while performing manual work or operating heavy machinery
• Lack of job security as workers are appointed on contract basis

Bring back the memories of playing block building game. Take pride in creating an identity for your city by building remarkable structures. We hope the given construction work description has boosted your morale of making a career in construction work.