Construction is the UK’s biggest industry, with two million people at work in more than 700 different types of jobs. And with a boom in residential housing, regional regeneration projects and civic construction, it’s a great time to start building your graduate career.

Builders and planners are also excited about the new projects that being commissioned for the 2012 London Olympics. Not only is there a need for the development of sports-related facilities, but parts of east London and the Docklands area will be entirely redeveloped. And it’s not just the capital that requires builders and planners; there are currently numerous urban regeneration projects taking place up and down the country – in Sheffield and Liverpool for example.

The attraction of building and planning for graduates

Apart from the demand for people, one of the reasons that this sector appeals to a whole cross-section of graduates is the fact it incorporates lots of different business functions and issues: a mixture of economics, finance, management, law, construction and the environment.

Read construction industry job descriptions.

And of course, working in building and planning means making an obvious, tangible impact on the world we live in. As concerns grow about housing the UK’s expanding population without negatively impacting on the environment, this sector offers real challenges. All this could be waiting for you should you choose a career in building and planning.

Like most areas of business, building and planning is becoming an increasingly global industry and opportunities to work abroad are also growing, with areas such as the Middle East offering exciting opportunities.

Skills for the construction industry

The skills and qualities you need vary depending on the particular nature of the job. Estate agents will have a different focus and set of priorities to architects, and local town planners need to be more politically sensitive than most. However, there are some core skills that most professionals in this sector need, including:

• good general business awareness
• an eye for detail and the ability to produce and follow specifications
• a logical, practical mind with good spatial awareness
• the communication skills to convey a vision or sell an idea
• IT know-how
• good teamworking skills
• the ability to meet deadlines and juggle priorities.

Although there are many different graduate careers within the building and planning industry, much 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. Both roles may involve specialising in areas such as facilities management or development, and surveyors must be accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

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• Architecture
• Civil engineering
• Health & safety
• Structural engineering
• Surveying
• Skills you will need
• Job profiles