Careers Brief - Built Environment Programme HNC

Pathways:

HNC Architectural Technology

HNC Building Surveying

HNC Construction Management

HNC Quantity Surveying

Overview

Your HNC offers you a nationally recognised qualification to enhance your career development and the opportunity to continue your studies full-time or part-time to degree level. You can also progress through gaining professional qualifications.

The construction industry can provide global job opportunities and although vulnerable to fluctuations in demand locally, overall demand is normally steady. There are a wide variety of career opportunities. The creation of the built environment ranges from initial ideas, through design and building, to ensuring the completed structure operates smoothly.

Within construction management you could be aiming for a career as a construction site or project manager, moving into contract management or self-employed in a specialist area of work. Employment might be with specialist contractors, large multi-service companies, in-house department in public or commercial companies, housing associations or consultancies.

Specialist building areas include: architectural technologist, quantity surveyor, project planner, building control surveyor, town planner, property management, facilities management surveyor, estate agent, building surveyor, teaching, research, health and safety.

Use the website links below to find out more.

Further Study

Progression will be available onto HND and degree courses full or part-time at Southampton Solent University.

You will be able to apply for entry into other related degrees. Entry point would depend on your grades, experience and overlap between courses.

Top-up degree courses are designed as a direct progression for HND level qualified (or Foundation degree) to achieve an Ordinary or Honours degree.

Institutions offering related Top-ups include:

University of Bedfordshire; University of West of England, Bristol; University of Huddersfield; University of Kent; Leeds Metropolitan University; University of Northampton; University Campus Suffolk.

To search for degree courses go to www.ucas.com (UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK). Use the university/college links for course details.

You will need to use UCAS to apply for courses. Contact the Course Tutor of your chosen course to find out your position, before you make your formal application.

Find out how much this will cost you. Where is your funding coming from? Go to the university/college website for information on course costs and finance and to www.direct.gov.uk/uni/ for additional help with student support.

You could progress onto an appropriate higher level Masters and/or PhD doctorate, usually having attained a good Honours (First or 2.1) degree. This could be to develop your area of study to a more in-depth practical and/or academic level or to gain other specialist training.

For information on all postgraduate courses and research, go to the national online directory at www.prospects.ac.uk/links/pgstudy/ .

Go to the main section on Further Study of this Careers Guide for additional information and help.

Resources

www.prospects.ac.uk/

Graduate Prospects - online national careers service for HE students studying in the UK:

Drop down 'Career advice' and click on 'Use your qualification' for 'Your HND...what next?'
Drop down 'Sectors' to click on 'Property & construction'
Drop down 'Jobs & work' and click on 'What job would suit me?' for Prospects Planner

www.ciob.org.uk/

CIOB The Chartered Institute of Building representing professionals in the industry - go to 'Careers' to click on 'Building Careers'. Career advice line available.

http://targetjobs.co.uk/construction/

GTI publication for graduate jobs and careers intelligence

www.get.hobsons.co.uk/advice/

Hobsons/GTI graduate careers publication - careers advice section

http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk/

Careers database and links to jobs nationally. Search by either clicking on side-heading 'Careers' and choose a category or type in job title.

www.ciat.org.uk/

Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists

www.nhbc.co.uk/AboutNHBC/Careers/

NHBC - The National House-Building Council

www.cskills.org/

Construction Skills - the Sector Skills Council