Before you work in construction, it’s always good to know to take some proper training first. During training, you’ll know more than just how to use a wrench. You’ll learn how to read blueprints. You’ll know what a submersible pump system does.
Admittedly, not all schools and other educational facilities offer courses in construction. It’s not exactly as common as accounting or nursing. But you can still acquire construction training in various ways. You just need to know where to look.
Online Courses on Construction Training
You might find it hard to look for quality construction training in various schools around your area. But when you research online, you’ll find that you actually have a lot of options. Through massive open online courses (MOOC), you can acquire training from the best experts around the world. All you’ll need are a computer, an internet connection, and the capacity to cover enrolment fees.
Udemy, for example, offers a course on how a building is designed and built. Through this course, you’ll also learn about civil and structural engineering, architectural design, and project planning.
To know more about construction as an industry, you can also take some courses on construction management. This will prepare you if you ever climb the ranks and become a manager of a construction project. Oxford Home Study Centre offers a short course on construction management. And the best thing about this is that it’s entirely free of charge.
Organisations that Offer Construction Training
Some people might find it hard to enroll in online courses because of the lack of resources. You may not have access to the internet or don’t have a proper computer. You might also not have enough money to cover enrolment fees. But this doesn’t mean You can’t take construction training at all anymore. Fortunately, there are some organisations that offer construction training for individuals from low-income households.
An example is Construction Hope. It’s an organisation based in Portland, Oregon. They offer free construction training to individuals to help them acquire knowledge and skills in construction so that they could foster a self-sufficient lifestyle. Apart from construction skills, you’ll also learn about safety, blueprint reading, and construction culture.
Podcasts About Construction
Another issue is that you might not have enough time to take construction training. You might be busy taking care of your family or working in your other jobs. It’s not like everyone could just spend a couple of hours a day learning about construction while juggling other responsibilities. But, again, this doesn’t automatically mean that you can’t learn about construction anymore. What you can do is multitask with a podcast.
As you cook dinner, drive, or run errands, you can listen to these podcasts. One of them is Inside Modular. It dives deep into commercial modular construction. It discusses the latest news and trends in the construction industry. It also conducts interviews with various experts. Although this isn’t ideal for a beginner, it’s a good resource for you to understand the nuances of the construction industry. This would, no doubt, prepare you better for your future job in construction.
Another podcast is the Construction Leading Edge Podcast. It discusses various topics about the construction industry, such as how to properly eliminate waste and which tech innovations could help you in construction.
There’s a common misconception that working in construction is something that anyone can do. You don’t need collegiate training for that. As long as you know how to use the contents of your toolbox, you should be fine. All you’ll need are the proper clothing for manual labour, a hard hat, and goggles, and you’re good to go.
But that’s not necessarily true. Much like any other job out there, it’s always better to get proper training first.
