INDUSTRY INSIGHT
The building and planning sector today
Property is big business. With money to be made by developers, the demand for building and planning professionals has never been greater.
The exciting thing about this sector is that it incorporates lots of different business functions: if you’re the type of person who would like to get a taste of economics, finance, management, law, construction or the environment, a career in building and planning could be for you.
Like many industries, building and planning is becoming an increasingly global industry and consequently opportunities to work overseas, either as an employee of a large organisation or as an independent consultant, are also growing.
The skills and qualities you need to work in this sector vary depending on the particular nature of the job. Construction project managers will have a different focus and set of priorities to an estate agent.
However, there are some core skills that most professionals in this sector need, including:
* an eye for detail and the ability to produce and follow specifications
* a logical, practical mind with good spatial awareness
* excellent communication skills, in particular the ability to convey a vision or sell an idea
* IT knowledge
* good teamworking skills
* ability to meet deadlines and juggle priorities
* the ability to adapt to different working conditions.
JOB ROLES
* Architecture
If you are looking for a challenging career that involves combining art and science, then architecture could be for you.
Architecture is a demanding profession as it addresses many of the important issues that affect society today. In addition to designing, planning and supervising the construction of buildings, the role of an architect may also involve exploring new ways of living, investigating new technologies and materials whilst balancing environmental issues.
So, what will you be expected to do? An architect’s primary concern is to design a structure that is sustainable, functional and often aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Key responsibilities include:
* controlling a project from start to finish
* designing structures
* producing detailed working drawings and specifications
* meeting client needs/expectations.
There are many different forms of architectural practice, ranging from large public or corporate organizations to small private firms. There are also plenty of opportunities for those with an architectural degree to work in specialist fields such as planning, landscape or conservation. Others may move into more general fields of work such as media, teaching or writing.
At interview you will have to present a portfolio of work that reflects a broad range of relevant work experience (including sketches and freehand drawings). Employers won’t expect skilled architectural work but evidence that you have the skills potential to produce it. Excellent communication skills together with creativity and technical knowledge are also important.
Key skills
* strong imagination and a creative mind
* good style and design techniques
* high standard of IT skills
* strong leadership qualities and organisational skills
* analytical ability
* good negotiation skills
* flexible approach to working and learning
* ability to investigate problems and provide solutions
* good communication skills (written and verbal).
* Civil engineering
The civil engineering profession is all about creating, improving and protecting the environment in which we live. Without civil engineers, our society would not function.
Civil engineering attracts a broad range of people because it offers so much as a profession and draws on a whole range of artistic and scientific talents.
What does the job involve?
You could be involved in seeing a project through from design stage to construction and completion. Possible projects might include the development and construction of bridges, tunnels, roads, railways, dams, pipelines and major buildings.
At times, you might be in the office undertaking computer-aided design work, or ensuring the client is kept up to date. On other occasions, you might take on a more hands-on role, working on site, leading teams and solving problems.
Civil engineering requires the use of maths and science, but people with imagination and vision are also in demand.
Civil engineers have to be able to translate numbers and drawings into reality. In general, the role you have on a project depends on the type of organization you are employed by and what area of civil engineering you work in.
Specialist areas
Careers in civil engineering encompass many different areas. Here are some examples of the areas in which you could work, what’s involved, who you could work for, and the skills you’ll need.
* Coastal and marine
All aspects of coastline development are considered, including protection against tidal flooding and erosion, waterfront and marina developments, dredging and the environmental impacts of this work. There are opportunities for engineering and environmental graduates with the Environment Agency, local authorities, and specialist consultancies and contractors.
* Environmental
Civil engineering in the environmental sector covers many different areas, including those that deal with flood defence (like the various work that has been carried out at the Bar Beach in Lagos), waste management and contaminated land. Engineers in these fields attempt to minimise the effect of human activity on the environment. Graduates are likely to work with professionals from other disciplines, such as geologists and chemists.
* Facilities management
Facilities managers help to create a safe and efficient working environment by assessing the impact of surroundings upon people and the workplace. Most graduates will need to undertake further vocational training to gain the required knowledge of building design, safety legislation and environmental issues.
* Highways
The roles undertaken by contractors, consultants and client are increasingly becoming blurred, because the road network is now managed through teamwork and partnerships. The emphasis in this area is on integrated traffic management and ensuring sustainability. Skills you’ll need include project management, planning and IT skills.
* Power
Power engineering covers a wide range of projects from wind farms to hydro-electric, oil or coal-fired power stations. Every country uses energy so opportunities exist all over the world. This is a specialised area, so further training is needed, although graduates may have the opportunity to gain experience in large firms within a power engineering division.
* Risk management
Risk managers assess the possibility of injury, loss, disadvantage or destruction. This usually takes place during the planning stage of a project. Graduates wishing to enter this sector should have some experience of statistics and probability tools.
* Water and public health
This involves the crucial task of providing clean drinking water to the public. Graduates working in these areas usually divide their time between the design/management office and site. There is currently a need for people qualifying at different levels and there are many opportunities for those with the right skills, knowledge and attitude.
Professional qualifications
An important stage in a civil engineer’s career is the achievement of a professional qualification. This is recognised as a benchmark of quality and defines you as a professional capable of practising in most countries around the world. Organisations within the industry will support, encourage and offer rewards for you to achieve the qualification.
There are three main types of professional qualification awarded by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). These can be identified by letters after a person’s name.
* an engineering technician (TMICE) has basic knowledge of engineering principles and vital technical skills
* an incorporated engineer (MICE) uses technical knowledge and good management skills to manage project teams
* a chartered engineer (MICE) is an innovator and leader and has strong technical knowledge.
* Structural engineering
No longer a messy job for the boys, today’s structural engineers often spend much of their time designing and preparing the drawings for architects’ ideas. Structural engineers have an impact on every part of our lives. They are involved in the construction of every aspect of the built environment, ranging from where we live, to where we travel, through to commercial, industrial and leisure buildings.
So whether you are working, resting or having fun, you are benefiting from the expertise of structural engineers.
Their key role is to establish building stability so that creative structures are safe and will stand the test of time. Through calculating the stresses that will occur, they ensure that the loads are transferred effectively through the structure to the foundations, giving buildings a firm footing.
What they do:
Structural engineering’s technical scientific basis enables engineers to design and build exciting structures such as the Abuja Stadium and the Palms Shopping Mall in Victoria Island, Lagos, both of which use the latest materials and innovative construction techniques.
Structural engineers often specialise in one area of work, such as bridges and tunnels, buildings, or large constructions such as oil installations. If a building appears to be collapsing or subsiding, a structural engineer will suggest methods of improving the foundations and keeping the structure intact.
It is the engineer’s job to analyse plans for new projects, taking into account factors such as how weight will be distributed, and where stresses and strains will occur in the structure. Structural engineers also decide which materials to use when planning the detailed design of a structure, depending on the various factors that arise during the design process.
Where could I work?
One of the main attractions of a career in structural engineering is variety – both in terms of the projects you can get involved in and the people you can work with. Each job will involve new teams of people facing different problems and using the latest cutting-edge technology.
Structural engineering is a worldwide profession, and with appropriate qualifications and training you can work almost anywhere in the world. Major civil and structural engineering projects are undertaken each year around the world and good-quality structural engineers are increasingly in demand.
The following are just a few examples of the areas you could work in.
* Consultants
Consulting structural engineers advise individual clients – often architects, builders, local authorities or property developers – about the viability, safety and design of various structural proposals. Consultants produce innovative designs in accordance with a design brief specified by their client, taking into account structural stability, durability, aesthetics and cost.
There are opportunities for engineering graduates with many consulting firms, both large and small.
* Contractors
Like consultancies, contracting companies vary in size. The larger companies generally act as the main contractor and often engage smaller, more specialist firms to complete certain parts of the project.
Contractors tend to concentrate on the management of the construction process rather than dealing with the design. As a contractor you will be required to work as part of the construction team starting as an assistant engineer, with the opportunity to progress to site management.
Skills you’ll need
If you’re determined to make it as a structural engineer, you need to be highly numerate and strongly analytical, as you will use mathematical models to investigate where stress occurs and calculate out how the structure can be altered to overcome problems. Attention to detail is an essential skill, as is the ability to communicate easily with clients who are unfamiliar with engineering terms and technicalities.
Becoming chartered
The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) is the professional body that represents the interests of structural engineers. If you are studying for a degree in civil or structural engineering you can join the Institution as a student member. Graduates wishing to progress towards professional qualifications have to complete a period of initial professional development, which usually takes around three or four years.
Graduates with an accredited MEng, or the equivalent, can work towards chartered membership by taking the Professional Review Interview with senior engineers, followed by the chartered member written examination.
Graduates with an accredited BEng (Hons), or equivalent, may undertake a period of further learning and then progress to chartered membership in the same way. If you have a three-year ordinary degree, you can work towards associate membership (Incorporated Engineer) by progressing through a similar scheme. It is possible for associate members to transfer to chartered membership later in their career.
IStructE offers advice on the training that its members need in order to progress to professional status with the Institution. The support offered by the Institution and local branches in the UK and throughout the world, allows enthusiastic and gifted engineers to progress to chartered or associate membership as quickly as possible.
* Surveying
Although there are many different careers within the building and planning industry, a lot of the work is carried out by surveyors and they often supervise other professionals.
Chartered surveyors cover the whole spectrum of surveying, from urban to rural settings. Technical surveyors work as hands-on specialists alongside chartered surveyors offering support, advice and specialist knowledge.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is the leading global body for chartered and technical surveyors. To become a chartered surveyor or technical surveyor you need to graduate from a RICS-accredited degree or diploma, or you can take a conversion course.
After obtaining your degree you will need to complete the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence or the Assessment of Technical Competence if you want to become a technical surveyor.
This encompasses two years of structured, practical training with an employer, ending with a RICS professional assessment.
Alternatively, you can take an HNC/HND in any of the surveying areas or an approved S/NVQ 4 and then complete the relevant RICS Assessment. If you have completed a degree/diploma course that is not approved by RICS, you can take a conversion course to upgrade your academic qualification.
* Facilities management surveyors
What they do?
* administer and manage building services and project manage building developments
* consider the environmental impacts on new developments
* identify and administer issues relating to health and safety and space management upon completion of a development
* consider issues relating to planning, design and management of complex facilities
* manage the maintenance and operations of new developments and existing buildings.
Key skills:
* good organisational skills
* strong leadership qualities
* teamworking skills
* logical and methodical approach
* willingness to work both in and out of doors
* flexible approach to working and learning
* problem-solving skills
* written and verbal communication skills
* high standard of IT skills.
* General practice surveyors
What they do?
* value properties by applying knowledge of local property market
* buy, sell and let property of all kinds for individuals, companies, leading institutions and public authorities
* consider the development, investment, planning and commercial performance of buildings and property globally
conduct structural building surveys and vendor condition reports for clients
* assess properties for business rates, capital taxation, acquisitions and disposals
* offer advice on landlord and tenant matters and resolve legal disputes for clients relating to property and building contracts.
Key skills:
* good negotiation and mediation skills
* ability to interpret, analyse and evaluate data
* the ability to develop and maintain professional contacts
* the ability to remain calm under pressure
* good judgement
* written and verbal communication skills
* knowledge of the property market
* high standard of IT skills
* problem-solving skills
* logical and methodical approach to work
* ability to prioritise and to meet targets.
* Planning and development surveyors
What they do?
* secure or award planning permission
* identify new development opportunities to generate income
* investigate, plan, supervise and manage new and existing developments
* provide advice to public sector organisations on a range of issues (eg development planning and control and conservation matters
* provide consultancy advice to businesses, individuals and public bodies
* consider the impact new developments will have on the environment and the economy.
Key skills:
* written and verbal communication skills
* general management skills
* teamworking skills
* flexible approach to working and learning
* strong analytical and evaluation skills
* high standard of IT skills
* knowledge of business, economics and law
* good numeracy and financial skills
* ability to form strong customer/client relationships
* accuracy and attention to detail.
* Quantity surveyors
What they do?
* prepare detailed quotations of the estimated financial cost for new developments
* provide effective cost management and cost control on building projects and developments
* influence the financial side of construction from feasibility of a project through to completion
* provide expert advice on labour costs, materials, taxes and contractor selection
* consider the maintenance and running costs of a building, once developed.
Key skills:
* creative and innovative thinking
* high standard of financial and numeracy skills
* knowledge of property values, construction costs, business and economics
* leadership qualities
* teamworking skills
* good IT skills
* a practical, logical and analytical approach to work
* willingness to work both in and out of doors
* good communication skills (written and verbal)
* accuracy and an eye for detail.
* Estate agents
What they do?
* acquire property of all types
* collect information about a property and talk to vendors about a property’s special features
* sell property to buyers on behalf of clients
* dispose of property deemed surplus to clients’ requirements
* sell property by private treaty, auction or tender
* procure property for clients
* let and sublet commercial and residential property on behalf of clients
* acquire office space or storage space for government departments.
Key skills:
* commercial awareness and a good ‘feel’ for the property market
* confidence and an outgoing personality
* knowledge of property values
* knowledge of property law and financing
* negotiation skills
* written and verbal communication skills
* ability to work in a team environment.
Training
This kind of work is open to all and some estate agencies will offer places for graduate trainees. A business or property-related degree may come in handy though. Training is usually in-house and it is possible to gain an NVQ in estate agency work.
SKILLS REQUIRED
Competition for top jobs remains fierce and recruiters are looking for a range of qualities in their candidates, particularly interpersonal, team working and IT skills.
You’ll need to demonstrate to employers that you are not only a good academic, but you have the technical, managerial and communication skills to succeed in your role, and make a positive contribution to their organization.
Project work
Building and planning is dominated by project work, which can be unpredictable and time-consuming.
Employers will expect you to be tolerant of uncertainty and resilient when faced with new challenges. You must demonstrate to potential employers that you can cope with demanding projects by citing experience of project work at university, focusing on your contribution and how you coped with unforeseen problems.
An industrial training or internship is also another excellent way of illustrating how you worked on a specific project.
Work experience
A degree alone is no longer a guarantee of a top job – employers expect graduates to have experience of the workplace too. They want evidence that you are reliable, can work effectively as part of a team, and that you can handle responsibility.
IT skills
Building and planning employers look for creative people with the technical expertise to take a good idea from conception through to completion, so it pays to keep your IT skills up to speed.
Employers are likely to be more impressed by job seekers who have put in a bit of extra effort in order to acquire these skills, rather than those who have simply met the basic requirements of their degree course. Topping up your degree studies with short IT-related courses or postgraduate courses is also a good way to impress potential employers.
Networking
Employers are attracted by the ability to build contacts, and you can demonstrate this in many ways.
Joining professional organizations gives you the chance to meet a network of professionals working in your chosen specialism, and will show employers that you are serious about your professional development.
Internships and placements are also a good way of building useful contacts, as are short programmes.
Interpersonal skills
Communication skills are extremely important to today’s employers.
Employers want to recruit well-rounded people, and they increasingly look for evidence of leadership, communication and teamwork. Demonstrate that you are a team-worker by focusing on your involvement in activities such as team sports or group projects during and after university
Flexibility
It pays to be flexible when looking for your first job – both in terms of where you work and your future development. Increasingly, job seekers are expected to be prepared to move out of their home area if they want the top jobs and should be flexible in their approach to where their working location should be.
Once you start work, you will be expected to keep up to date on the latest technological developments. While there may be formal training, you will also be expected to acquire new skills rapidly through self-directed learning and additional training courses.
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