Construction and property

If you have a degree in a relevant subject approved by the appropriate professional body, you apply for individual entry-level roles suitable for graduates or a company’s graduate scheme. International students will need to check that they are on the right visa , if they need one. You’ll need to show a passion for the job and the industry, alongside the skills, qualifications and experience the employer asks for. School leavers, or those without a degree, can seek out apprenticeships or entry-level trade jobs.

It is possible to earn more than £100,000 a year in construction, depending on which career path you take: for example, how far you climb the career ladder, whether you choose to run your own business and which location you work from. Many graduates across the construction industry start on salaries ranging from £21,000–£32,000 depending on the employer and location (with engineers typically earning more), but by the time they reach director level they can be on £100,000+.

If you wish to pursue a chartered surveying career in property, the traditional route is to undertake a degree accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (or an accredited postgraduate conversion course) and then seek a graduate job or scheme with a surveying firm. There are now also a few apprenticeships available. However, it is possible to start a career in the property sector without planning to become chartered: for example, by becoming a lettings agent.

Property graduates don’t have to pursue a career in real estate if they don’t want to. Many go into finance, including into investment banking and asset management; others convert to law (often choosing to specialise in property law or conveyancing); and some choose to remain in the built environment taking a building management or sustainability role. A good number choose to take their entrepreneurial skills and either work directly in a commercial or sales role, or start their own business .