Convert to construction: your route to a graduate career in the built environment?

So, you’re interested in a career in construction, but you’ve studied for a non-construction related degree. Rest assured that there are postgraduate conversion courses available that could provide you with the technical knowledge required for a career in the industry. You can take these either before you apply for a job or while you’re working in your first construction role because many employers take on graduates from any degree background, appreciating the breadth of experience they bring to a company.

What do conversion courses involve?

Steve Tyler, postgraduate programmes leader at Nottingham Trent University, explains: ‘Construction-related conversion courses typically comprise a range of modules delivered through a blended learning approach. There will usually be a dissertation module, and students are assessed by a combination of group project work, individual assignments, and seen and unseen examinations.’

Conversion courses usually prepare you for a career in construction management.

Full-time conversion courses in construction generally last for one year, though courses can range from nine months to two years in length. Conversion courses usually prepare you for a career in construction management. You’ll need a good first degree, but Steve confirms that you needn’t have studied construction before: ‘Students have come to us with first degrees in music technology, biological science, geography, politics and English.’ 

• targetcourses.co.uk offers more advice and full details of the courses on offer.

Studying a construction conversion course before applying for a job

You may feel that starting a postgraduate conversion course straight after completing your first degree is best for you, or perhaps you’re thinking about going back to university full time after working for a while or taking a gap year. By achieving a postgraduate qualification before applying for construction roles, you can be sure that the technical knowledge and independent learning skills you gain will provide you with a great platform for your job hunt. As Steve describes, ‘in recent times graduates from full-time postgraduate conversion programmes have been highly regarded and sought after by employers in the construction sector.’ This doesn’t negate the benefits of having relevant work experience, and of course how you plan to fund your studies is an important consideration: you need to think carefully about whether construction is right for you before committing to this route.  

Studying a construction conversion course while working

The knowledge and skills you gain will provide you with a great platform for your job hunt.

Another route that is worth bearing in mind is securing a construction role and studying for a postgraduate qualification while you work. If you can demonstrate your enthusiasm for the construction industry and your skills to employers who accept applications from non-cognates (graduates from a non-construction related degree background), they’ll support you through a relevant postgraduate course if necessary.

There are obvious work pressures involved with combining full-time work and high-level study, but on the plus side it could ease the financial strain and it helps your learning: ‘The principal advantage of this route,’ says Steve, ‘is that essential academic development can take place alongside practical experience, enabling students to more fully integrate their knowledge and understanding.’