Five reasons to pursue a career in construction consultancy
This article is part of our Grow Together perspective series, highlighting the opportunities and culture of the industry.
A year after the ‘Great Resignation’ first became a buzzword, worker unrest continues to sweep the globe, and the mass exodus within the global job market is forcing businesses to take a long, hard look at both their workplace and their culture. Is it diverse and inclusive? Is it forward-looking? Is the work provided both rewarding and flexible? If the answer to even one of these questions is a no, it’s highly likely that, in such a competitive market, vacancies will remain empty.
That’s why, at a time when many professionals are weighing up their options, the built environment has a real chance to become a magnet for talent. As a sector, our industry can offer exciting development opportunities for professionals at every stage of their career. We just need to get better at shouting about it. So, with that in mind, here are just five of the many reasons to pursue a career in construction consultancy.
1. A new era, a new perception
The image of construction has long been one of strongly ingrained stereotypes - men in hard hats, high viz gear and muddy boots - but that impression is antiquated. Although on-site work is clearly a fundamental pillar of the industry, it is but one of the many exciting roles needed to support the delivery of a project; roles that can be performed in an office, on location, or virtually from home. A new era of building methods is creating a need for a variety of skills both on and offsite, and there are now ample opportunities for digital natives to prosper. Even then, the construction labour shortage remains a real challenge - so those on-site roles are also there if you want them.
2. People driving progress
A structure cannot rise from the ground without true team collaboration. Construction consultancy offers a unique chance to collaborate across hugely different functions and geographical borders, working with dynamic, driven and outcome-focused professionals. This kind of diversity of experience fosters an environment of innovative thinking and one that allows for a people-centric approach. And with global businesses like Mace, there’s internal mobility too, with the possibility of enjoying career progression by transferring from one project to another, sharing knowledge, skills and best practice while finding a new personal adventure in the process.
3. Innovating for the future
As digital progress is made and knowledge is shared, projects and programmes are being delivered safer, faster and greener than ever before. Data analytics and drones are now widely used on construction sites to increase productivity. And, with the industry increasingly embracing new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and machine learning, we never stop pushing to improve and transform - harnessing today’s technology to unlock tomorrow’s possibilities. Contrary to the view of construction as an archaic industry, it holds the key to driving true positive change and offers real opportunities to get hands-on with cutting edge tech.
4. Appealing to green minds
Industry innovation doesn’t stop there. Sustainability is at the top of the agenda, with the built environment continuing to attract more and more talent with a green mindset, as we search for new solutions in our bid to build responsibly. Last year’s COP26 shone a light on the urgency around industry-wide collaboration to meet decarbonisation targets, and green technology developments are being implemented progressively across the entire project lifecycle, from the planning stage through to operations and demolition. There is a lot of exciting work to be done in this area as our industry supports clients to realise their carbon reduction ambitions.
5. Creating places that matter
Being part of a team that delivers a project or programme means also delivering on a vision and cementing a legacy for years to come. From graduates to senior project directors, every consultant plays an important role, whether in project and programme management, net-zero carbon solutions, digital and data, commercial management or PMO.
We know from hands-on experience that construction transforms communities, cities and regions. From delivering vital resilience work in Peru following the devastating impact of the 2017 storm El Nino to giga-projects in the Saudi Arabia, and rail infrastructure programmes that connect and enhance communities in Canada – being part of that delivery is a rewarding and fulfilling journey.
Obviously, there are many more reasons as to why now is the perfect time to seek out a career in construction. But in an increasingly uncertain world, construction consultancy bucks the trend - offering structured career development for people with a passion for the built environment. As a collective, the industry must use this moment to take charge of nurturing emerging talent and provide our people with the growth and mobility opportunities that they deserve.
To find out more about the opportunities that Mace currently has on offer, please visit our global careers portal: https://careers.macegroup.com/gb/en.
