For a sector that contributes so greatly to the economy, the construction industry represents roughly only 8% of the South African workforce in 2022.
Databuild, a leading knowledge hub and intellectual capital specialist in the construction industry, points to the Statista research and says now is the time to highlight career prospects, attract new talent and improve the image of the construction sector. Morag Evans, CEO of Databuild, says every country is different when it comes to how the construction industry is perceived. South Africa’s construction industry should stand out as being home to a fast-growth industry rich with prospects and opportunities, she adds. It is important to remember that construction is inextricably linked to physical infrastructure development, including buildings that serve important purposes like hospitals, schools and police stations. “If you are in construction, you are part of this… your work has helped to build these important structures and help communities flourish. There is a sense of accomplishment when the fruits of one’s labour is immediately visible, with a healthy reliance on the teamwork dynamic.” says Evans. The construction industry has traditionally been seen as physically demanding and male-dominated, but this perception is slowly changing. Evan says “As more organisations continue to create awareness and initiatives to educate women on all the potential career opportunities, we are seeing an influx of females in the labour force. Women are aware of various roles to be filled, including procurement, project management, health and safety, surveying and estimating, to name a few.”Another advantage is that working in this industry is exciting – every day brings with it something different and offers the opportunity to engage in new challenges and responsibilities.
Evans says, “Construction offers the chance to travel, broaden one’s horizons, meet new people and discover new things. Demand for construction work never diminishes… every economy requires construction on some level, and there are so many ways to enter the industry and broaden growth prospects.” She adds that skills transfer, and on-the-job training are effective pathways into the industry, at all levels. Learnerships, bursaries and other industry initiatives are effective ways to share knowledge, information and develop skills. Training programs, offered by the various MBSA regions, allows learners to acquire the technical qualifications and the practical experience required by the market. The B.U.I.L.D Programme, an initiative implemented by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), encourages all industry stakeholders to support students and emerging contractors coming into the market. This is done by creating the opportunities on projects for large contractors (Grade 7 upwards) and contribute towards a national build fund established to provide financial support for training and development. Whilst it is important for construction companies to continue to promote the positive opportunities available in the industry to attract new entrants, Databuild encourages the youth to keep abreast of developments and engage with industry organisations that offer training or funding as a viable entry point into the market. “There are many ways in which someone can apply their talents in construction and multiple avenues of opportunity to develop new skills and apply tried and tested ones. You will never have enough knowledge and you will always be learning in this industry”.
