Construction is the most attractive industry for 2024

Do you want to work in the construction industry? You’re not alone: according to research from high-profile recruitment firm Randstad, the construction sector tops the list of the 10 most attractive industries for 2024. 

And it’s easy to see why: huge demand and sky-high salaries, including for construction managers (up to $320,000), design managers (up to $240,000) and senior estimators (up to $200,000), can make construction careers a lucrative pathway for those who choose this path. 

And there’s never been a better time than now:

“It’s a great time to start a career in the building and construction industry,” says Distinguished Professor of Construction Management Martin Loosemore, a leading researcher in construction innovation and reform.

There are so many exciting and new career paths, employability rates and wages are very high in comparison to other industries and there is a severe shortage of skills to deliver the housing, buildings and infrastructure needed to sustainably support Australia’s growing population into the future.

Getting to the top of the construction management game requires a specific mix of skills, capabilities and qualifications. A qualification from an institution like UTS, home to one of Australia’s leading Construction Management programs, can be a good place to start.

UTS offerings span both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, meeting students at various points along their construction career trajectory. The Bachelor of Construction Project Management is for future construction management professionals, while the Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate in Construction Management equip people with existing construction experience (or similar) and align expertise with the management skills required to lead construction projects.

Students gain fundamental construction management, process and technology skills, as well as a wealth of opportunities to interact with industry. Depending on the course, these include industry-led projects; paid cadetships at leading construction companies; site visits; and guest lectures from titans of the sector, including David Chandler OAM, the former NSW Building Commissioner.

A long-term supporter of the UTS Construction Management program, Mr Chandler led a program of vital industry reform over the five years of his tenure in an effort to rebuild trust in the building and construction sector. His annual lecture to final-year Bachelor of Construction Project Management students helped bridge the gap between university learning and the real and pressing challenges impacting the contemporary construction sector.

In his final presentation, immediately prior to his retirement earlier this year, Mr Chandler spoke to students about corporate ethics and responsibility in construction project management.