How Do You View the Construction Industry?

The reason I've decided to pose this question to you all is because I've recieved an email from the Considerate Constructors asking if I'd like to take part in a careers seminar aimed at children who are about to leave compulsory education. The idea is to paint a positive image of the industry to an age group who are largely unfamiliar with how the built environment operates, and how they could potentially play a part in altering the skyline.

I think it's a brilliant idea!
So, given the negative stereotypes that I've listed (which could easily be applied to other industries, especially the military) how would you react if one (or more) of your children came home from a careers seminar and declared that they want to work in the construction industry? And what are your opinions on it in general?

I'd wish him/her luck... I enjoyed slinging mud(concrete) in my early twenties. Went from shoveling the shit to finishing and made GREAT money doing it!

The construction isudstry in the USA is fianally continuing on at a sustainable pace.
You're off your rocker.

Construction's been going on pretty well here in Central Ok. and has been the last 2 years;

Oklahoma City, Edmond, Midwest City, Moore and Norman issued 1,841 single-family building permits through June, according to the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association. That was 2 percent fewer than at midyear 2010 — but 19 percent higher than at midyear 2009, when just 1,548 permits had been issued.

Read more: Summertime stats make it clear: 2009 was the bottom for housing in Oklahoma City | NewsOK.com

Hell, we have a new Skyscraper(Devon Tower) being built right now in downtown Okc...
15.jpg
 
The construction happening now is based on sounder finiancial considerations and need than just on the speculation of the past.
therefore sustainable.
 
Do you or any of your friends work in the industry, or anything directly allied to it?

I know a guy who did construction on and off but he was kind of like on call, whenever there was room for a few extra bodies he got called up, but he did not have a permanent job with any companies, those are hard to come by with so many companies cheating using illegals.

I see.

One of the reasons I support the scheme I mentioned in my OP is because it has measures in place that go towards preventing illegal immigrants carrying-out work on British building sites. To gain access to a site in the UK you have to sit a test (CSCS test) that evaluates your competency. It's a fairly basic test, but to sit it you have to provide various official documents to check whether you're here illegally, and the test is only available in English. Obviously some of the more determined will slip through the net, but the scheme really does seem to be working. Coupled with the fact that the government is really starting to crack-down on businesses employing illegal immigrants. The fine is £10,000 for every illegal worker found working on the premises, and they really pursue the offending owners, too.

You have issues in the UK with illegals taking all the construction jobs too? what countries are these illegals mainly from?
 
I know a guy who did construction on and off but he was kind of like on call, whenever there was room for a few extra bodies he got called up, but he did not have a permanent job with any companies, those are hard to come by with so many companies cheating using illegals.

I see.

One of the reasons I support the scheme I mentioned in my OP is because it has measures in place that go towards preventing illegal immigrants carrying-out work on British building sites. To gain access to a site in the UK you have to sit a test (CSCS test) that evaluates your competency. It's a fairly basic test, but to sit it you have to provide various official documents to check whether you're here illegally, and the test is only available in English. Obviously some of the more determined will slip through the net, but the scheme really does seem to be working. Coupled with the fact that the government is really starting to crack-down on businesses employing illegal immigrants. The fine is £10,000 for every illegal worker found working on the premises, and they really pursue the offending owners, too.

You have issues in the UK with illegals taking all the construction jobs too? what countries are these illegals mainly from?

Largely, no. As a contractor who scrutinises a potential member of staff's background before taking them on and firmly believes that I have a moral duty to favour native workers over foreign, no, I don't have any ongoing concerns over illegal workers. I'm also selective over who I hire (I never advertise), and I insist on any applicants having a valid CSCS card (as do most contractors). Illegal immigrants only really seem to find illegal work in their own communities i.e - kitchen work, cleaning jobs, etc. Basically, areas in which there are less intrusive background checks.
 
The reason I've decided to pose this question to you all is because I've recieved an email from the Considerate Constructors asking if I'd like to take part in a careers seminar aimed at children who are about to leave compulsory education. The idea is to paint a positive image of the industry to an age group who are largely unfamiliar with how the built environment operates, and how they could potentially play a part in altering the skyline.

I think it's a brilliant idea!
So, given the negative stereotypes that I've listed (which could easily be applied to other industries, especially the military) how would you react if one (or more) of your children came home from a careers seminar and declared that they want to work in the construction industry? And what are your opinions on it in general?

I'd wish him/her luck... I enjoyed slinging mud(concrete) in my early twenties. Went from shoveling the shit to finishing and made GREAT money doing it!

You're off your rocker.

Construction's been going on pretty well here in Central Ok. and has been the last 2 years;

Oklahoma City, Edmond, Midwest City, Moore and Norman issued 1,841 single-family building permits through June, according to the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association. That was 2 percent fewer than at midyear 2010 — but 19 percent higher than at midyear 2009, when just 1,548 permits had been issued.

Read more: Summertime stats make it clear: 2009 was the bottom for housing in Oklahoma City | NewsOK.com

Hell, we have a new Skyscraper(Devon Tower) being built right now in downtown Okc...
15.jpg

I grew up in okc/moore. 1961 - 1985, I was a bricklayer
 
I see.

One of the reasons I support the scheme I mentioned in my OP is because it has measures in place that go towards preventing illegal immigrants carrying-out work on British building sites. To gain access to a site in the UK you have to sit a test (CSCS test) that evaluates your competency. It's a fairly basic test, but to sit it you have to provide various official documents to check whether you're here illegally, and the test is only available in English. Obviously some of the more determined will slip through the net, but the scheme really does seem to be working. Coupled with the fact that the government is really starting to crack-down on businesses employing illegal immigrants. The fine is £10,000 for every illegal worker found working on the premises, and they really pursue the offending owners, too.

You have issues in the UK with illegals taking all the construction jobs too? what countries are these illegals mainly from?

Largely, no. As a contractor who scrutinises a potential member of staff's background before taking them on and firmly believes that I have a moral duty to favour native workers over foreign, no, I don't have any ongoing concerns over illegal workers. I'm also selective over who I hire (I never advertise), and I insist on any applicants having a valid CSCS card (as do most contractors). Illegal immigrants only really seem to find illegal work in their own communities i.e - kitchen work, cleaning jobs, etc. Basically, areas in which there are less intrusive background checks.

Good 4 u, I hire only citizens, veterans and marrid people.
 
The image of the modern construction industry is usually a negative one, mired in fraud; negligence; sexism and, most importantly, workplace accidents. I've worked in the built environment in some capacity or other for most of my working life, compounded by my time in the Royal Engineers, and I wouldn't want to work in any other industry. I'm now a private contractor. Most of the people I know regard the construction industry with distain, and a common adage in British society is that if you don't pay attention in school, you'll end-up working on a building site. Now, I'm aware that many find the concept of working on a building site intimidating and potentially very dangerous (which it is), but over the last 10 years or so the construction industry is striving to promote an image of accountability, responsibility and respect, which is embodied in the Considerate Constructors scheme. I'm a fully paid-up member and can often be found espousing their agenda. Registration is also pretty much becoming compulsory across the board.

The reason I've decided to pose this question to you all is because I've recieved an email from the Considerate Constructors asking if I'd like to take part in a careers seminar aimed at children who are about to leave compulsory education. The idea is to paint a positive image of the industry to an age group who are largely unfamiliar with how the built environment operates, and how they could potentially play a part in altering the skyline.

So, given the negative stereotypes that I've listed (which could easily be applied to other industries, especially the military) how would you react if one (or more) of your children came home from a careers seminar and declared that they want to work in the construction industry? And what are your opinions on it in general?

Working in contract type trades is a pathetic existence unless you're working for yourself and succeeding.

I'm in that industry and working for myself and I make 2-3x the amount of money i made working for someone else, and have the freedom to work with WHO I want, WHEN I want, and HOW I want.

It's definitely not what I envisioned when I was a kid with the "when I grow up I wanna be a..." thing, but I'm pretty damn happy.

Really? Whilst I agree that working for yourself is far better than working for someone else, I wouldn't say that working on a contractual basis with a contractor is a "pathetic existance". Far from it, actually. When I came out of the army I worked for a year as an advanced scaffolder (one of the many useful tickets I got in the Royal Engineers) and I was making £18-an-hour (at the time that would've exchanged to roughly $35), which is fairly good seeing as the lowest livable wage in London is £8-an-hour.

I'd need a few hourly rate figures to make a rough comparison. Anyone?
 
You're off your rocker.

It's doing alright where I'm at. It's not the first half of the 2000's by any means, but it's moving.
The commercial remodeling biz is still in the tank...Franchisees of Marriott, Hilton, Radisson, etcetera are putting off their PIP projects until corporate threatens to pull their flags.

In most places new housing starts are anemic, if that good.

Building in leisure towns is next to nonexistent...For example, I have it on good authority that the town of Steamboat Springs, CO, has issued <20 building permits since 1/1/11.

Call it what you want, but "sustainable" is a joke.

Yeah isolated cases of local areas around the country are moving but I agree on a national level things suck.

And if I could afford it, I would build a home in Steamboat in a heartbeat.
 
You're off your rocker.

It's doing alright where I'm at. It's not the first half of the 2000's by any means, but it's moving.
The commercial remodeling biz is still in the tank...Franchisees of Marriott, Hilton, Radisson, etcetera are putting off their PIP projects until corporate threatens to pull their flags.

In most places new housing starts are anemic, if that good.

Building in leisure towns is next to nonexistent...For example, I have it on good authority that the town of Steamboat Springs, CO, has issued <20 building permits since 1/1/11.

Call it what you want, but "sustainable" is a joke.

Well in NYC, you have the Second Avenue Subway, WTC, and here in Brooklyn all sorts of buildings are popping up everywhere I go.

Looks pretty "sustainable" where I sit.
 
How Do You View the Construction Industry?

Positively.

I have grown rather fond of living and working and playing INDOORS.

So thanks, guys and gals in the construction industry, for making that possible without my having to depend on my rather limited 2 x 4 technological skills to make that happen.

 

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