BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR A CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION
Robust regeneration and economic development in the East Midlands is creating new opportunities for graduates wanting to work in the construction and building industry.
In 2005 2.41 million people were employed in construction in the UK. This number is expected to rise by over 17 per cent to more than 2.8 million by 2011. An average of 87,600 new workers will need to be recruited per year into the building and construction industry to meet demand.
The sector in the East Midlands currently employs over 150,000 people. For current levels of operations to be maintained, it is estimated that the sector needs to employ at least 750 graduates per annum; to grow beyond the average this number needs to be significantly higher. This is good news for graduates who are looking to build a serious career in an exciting industry.
One such graduate is Junji Xu. Originally from China, he found a role in the Construction and Building sector through the regional Graduate Recruitment Service, HotProspects, which is supported by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda).
The Loughborough University graduate, who has a Masters degree in Water and Waste Engineering, used the service to find employment as a Graduate Modeller at Clear Environmental Consultants in Derbyshire.
Junji’s employer, Clear Environmental Consultants, specialises in sewerage modelling, urban pollution management, river modelling, drainage and storm water management. The company, which currently employs 20 people, uses specialist technical expertise to develop innovative solutions for the wastewater and drainage industry.
Junji Xu said: “I am really enjoying my new role; it uses every aspect of the knowledge acquired during my Masters degree. I have also been able to go on and complete a lot of additional courses relevant to the industry, so this really is my dream job.
“There is a great deal of variety in the day to day tasks I am involved with. I am currently learning about the design stages of drainage systems.”
Although the detailed process of planning through to construction means that projects can take a long time to complete, Junji Xu thinks it will be very rewarding to look at something he played a part in.
“In terms of my career I feel there are just as many opportunities for me here in the East Midlands as there are in other big conurbations like London. I certainly did not feel the need to look elsewhere. If graduates are prepared to be loyal to the region, there are so many different career routes for them to take.
“I came to the East Midlands as I wanted the opportunity to develop my languages and experience another culture. I believe by staying in the East Midlands it will allow me to progress my career further, and more quickly.”
Junji added: “The East Midlands offers an exceptional quality of life for graduates and I am able to have a fantastic work/life balance. The cost of living is relatively low and housing is still affordable.”
Junji Xu said: “I found the HotProspects website on the internet and thought it sounded ideal for me, as I wanted to stay in the East Midlands after finishing my degree.”
HotProspects was initially set up to tackle the low graduate recruitment in the region. It aims to help retain graduates in the region by promoting the benefits of the East Midlands.
Jamie Margetts, Director for Clear Environmental Consultants, believes graduates are essential to the future of the business. “The graduates we employ for our training scheme have degrees in relevant subjects such as civil engineering or water and waste management. Although the job is often a challenge, graduates find the work very rewarding and there are lots of opportunities.”
Junji Xu recommends using HotProspects to help graduates wishing to find work in the East Midlands. He said: “The team helped me find my role really quickly, and only suitable roles were put forward to me, saving me a lot of time.”
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