The sustainable construction industry has been one of the fastest growing industries of the past five years, and there are many reasons why. Firstly, construction is one of the most important industries in the world – 1 in 14 workers around the world work in construction. Furthermore, the push for sustainability has meant that thousands of green jobs are up for grabs within the industry. In order to reach net zero targets, thousands of construction green jobs will need to be filled in order to serve the next 30 years. Here are 7 ways to boost your career in sustainable construction.
Understand Energy-Efficiency
One of the best things you need to understand if you want to work in the sustainable construction industry is the fundamentals of energy-efficiency. Energy-efficiency aims to reduce the amount of energy needed to fuel things and keep them running effectively – in houses and buildings, this often looks like trapping heat and energy inside the home through insulation, fenestration and adding renewable energy sources such as solar panels. This is often called retrofit, and getting retrofit training could massively boost your career in sustainable construction. Hundreds of thousands of homes will need to be retrofitted to make countries energy-efficient – so it’s definitely something to consider if you want to boost your sustainable construction career.
Pay Attention To The Industry Regulations
It’s essential to pay attention to the law if you want to have a great career in sustainable construction. For example, all countries have agreed to the Paris Climate Agreement, which involves making homes and buildings energy-efficient before 2050. This means that there is a lot of work and jobs available that you can take advantage of – so make sure you’re paying attention to the industry news and regulations to know where to begin.
Research The Green Economy
If you want to work within the green economy, it’s essential that you know what it is so that you can do your job effectively and understand your everyday work. The green economy is a macroeconomic approach that promotes businesses and practices that promote sustainability and protecting the environment, such as green construction companies who carry out retrofit work. Researching the green economy is one of the best things you can do if you want to have a long career in sustainable construction, so make sure that you’re doing as much as possible.
Listen To Industry Experts
One of the best things you can do to find out new opportunities and news about sustainable construction, especially ones that are in your area, is to listen to industry experts. Make sure to create a LinkedIn profile to connect with industry experts and get their insider knowledge, as well as looking for local events that are about the sustainable construction industry. They may be able to help you get on the right track, and find the right upskilling or opportunities for you – so make sure you’re paying attention to industry experts as much as possible.
Gain Experience
Gaining some experience is essential if you want to break into the sustainable construction industry. For example, why not get some experience labouring on a site, especially in the insulation installation and solar panel installation sector? Finding local businesses that are providing this sort of service and asking for ways to get experience through labouring can be one of the best ways to get some experience. Getting the right qualifications is crucial, but to get these qualifications, you must first get some on-hand experience if you want to succeed.
Seek Out Training and Qualifications
Once you have some good experience, you should be seeking out the right training and qualifications to ensure that you can grow and advance your career. Finding the right training and qualifications isn’t easy, but if you pay attention to the experts around you, you’ll be able to complete them. For example, investing in green skills training courses can be good if you want to learn more about how green skills in construction facilitate the green economy. However, construction NVQs in your chosen occupational area (such as fenestration or insulation installation) are also crucial when it comes to getting work in the sustainable construction industry.
Grow Your Network
Many construction businesses get work through word of mouth – and this is very similar for construction workers themselves. Many times, bosses will find people who they want to work on-site through having worked with them in the past and knowing that they’re a good worker, Showing your talents while you’re on-site as well as developing soft skills like good communication, problem-solving, and working in a team are all crucial if you want to grow your network and maintain good connections with people. Showing your skills can get you more work in the future – make sure you’re connecting with bosses and using LinkedIn to build your network.