Learning to love construction

In her second blog, Natalie, one of our PR Account Executives, writes about her first impressions of the construction industry. Does she #loveconstruction? Read on to find out…

I’ve been at Harris for just five weeks now, but feel like I’ve learned so much about the construction industry, its main players, the trade press and how press offices interact with those publications.

I now know my reactive maintenance from my planned, my solvent-based paint from my water-based and my specifier from my contractor. But I’ve only scratched the surface and there is so much more for me to learn.

Within the industry, I’ve found there is a sense of togetherness, with people working in partnerships to deliver some fascinating projects. Where, in other industries, one company may be solely responsible for a project, there is interaction between parties in construction, and companies share responsibilities – contractors work with their clients while specifiers work with architects and there are various publications in the trade press tailored towards each of these parties. There’s a lot of team work between professionals and it’s very admirable.

A recent campaign by industry publication Construction News has showcased this sense of community. Using the Twitter hashtag #loveconstruction, industry bods were asked to tell the magazine, in just 140 characters, what they loved about the construction industry. Many aspects of construction were celebrated in the tweets – from how it boosts the economy, to how it inspires people and brings people together.

But one thing which stood out to me in this online celebration of construction was its ability to create jobs and, more specifically, apprenticeships. In this industry, young people are being given opportunities to learn a trade, and build up their skills, quite literally, from the ground.

One of our clients is offering 19 apprenticeships this year, and the current MD of that company used to be an apprentice himself 30 years ago. Construction can offer job opportunities and on-the-job training to young people – for life. With recent figures showing long-term unemployment is at a 17-year high, equipping the next generation with forever skills is a fantastic foundation for growth in construction and in the UK.