One of the largest and most valuable industries worldwide is also one of the most misunderstood.
Construction is crucial to our infrastructure, without construction, we wouldn’t have homes, roads, stores, schools, factories or hospitals. there wouldn’t be no running water, electricity, or air conditioning. Everything begins with construction.
However regardless of the key role construction plays in society, the sector has been marginalized. Stereotypes influence poor public perceptions of the construction industry, which means the hard work and dedication people applied through studying for their degree or gaining their trade is placed a perceived lower tier of work. Below we list a couple of the myths within the industry that are baseless, and we hope to change your mind!
“Finding a job in construction is very easy”.
Construction workers are hired based on their skills and training which is not common amongst many. People complete courses and programs to learn the expertise required for roles within the industry. This sector involves constant training and learning to guarantee that the workforce is up to date with the ever-changing demand. They carryout training in the form of safety classes, construction technology, seminars and professional workshops.
“Construction work is unskilled labour”.
Wrong! The actual truth is that education is a vital factor in construction and the belief that it’s easy to get a job in this industry no need for skill or education is baseless. Just like any other industry, there will always be a number of people that dropped out of school but there are also those who did very well in college.
“There’s no place for women in construction”.
Reported by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, it is women who make up 3.4% of all tradespeople, 7.7% of project managers, 13% of construction firm owners, and 14% of construction and building inspectors. That’s a record high, and we know those figures are only going to continue to rise. The recruitment of women in construction is growing at a rate 5 times faster than the industry as a whole. Many organisations are passionate when it comes to diversifying the industry.
“Working in construction is unsafe”.
Whilst a building site does come with its hazards and doesn’t sound like an appealing place to work, it’s not as bad as painted out to be. Its 2023 and construction is actually a safe and well-regulated environment for staff. Although projects in the construction industry can involve anything from working at height to detonating explosives –it is also where risk assessments, health and safety regulations, and PPE are highly enforced.
“Construction is constant hard physical labour”. “You will be working outside in the cold”.
Spending majority of your day outdoors in the cold, getting your hands dirty may not be for everyone, but there are other options. There are various careers in construction that mean you work indoors. Careers such as a cost estimator, machine broker, project manager and many, many more all involve a balanced mix of desk work and site visits – so every day is different. There are a countless number of roles which are only office based meaning no site visits and no physical labour whatsoever, the options are endless in construction.
“Construction is boring”.
Simply not true. Working in construction can mean you travel far and wide for work, If that be inspecting a machine or traveling for tradeshows. It can mean you have helped to grow your community, or you have been part of constructing could become a famous and historic buildings or landmarks. Do you think the people involved in building the Empire State Building ever found their days boring?
Omnia Machinery is an industry expert in used construction equipment and a trusted machinery trader. We stock a wide variety of quality used construction equipment, to suit many different jobs, such as cranes, road equipment, quarry, earthmoving, piling, drilling, and underground mining. We provide our customers with all information and pictures with their quotation before any sale is agreed upon. From inspections to shipping, we are here to support you through every step of the transaction and keep you informed throughout the whole process enabling you to purchase in confidence. Contact us today with your machinery requirements.