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| 1 Mar 2023 | |
| General News |
NEGS Careers News - Term 1 Week 5
iCanMed | How To Finish UCAT Prep In 50% Of The Average Prep Time
February 28, 2023
To help students succeed, iCanMed has broken down 100,000 UCAT exam questions to identify the key question types that are asked every year. By analysing trends and gaining a full understanding of how the exam works, we’ve developed rock-solid preparation strategies and plans that enabled our iCanMed students to average a 90th percentile, and a quarter of our students to score in the 95th+ percentile range (top 5%).
In these 1.5-hour webinars, we will be:
ADF | Gap Year Information Session, Sydney
February 28, 2023
Spend an exciting 12 months in the Navy, Army or Air Force, where you’ll get paid for meaningful work while travelling Australia, gaining skills for life and making lifelong friends.
Join us for an info session to speak with current serving personnel about the Australian Defence Force Gap Year.
University of Sydney | Why study Project Management?
March 1, 2023
Join us to learn more about the Bachelor of Project Management. This course provides you with the knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to succeed in today’s business environment. You’ll learn the fundamentals of project management in an industry context, from theory to technical application in real-world environments.
Studying project management opens the door to a wide range of careers in industries including engineering, computer programming, healthcare, construction, major events management, mining, and finance. Be the go-to person to get the job done in any industry!
University of Sydney | Putin, History, and the Ukraine War
March 1, 2023
Commentary on the Ukraine War is full of historical allusions and comparisons. In his own speeches on the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin often refers to earlier periods in Moscow’s relationship with neighbouring regions such as Ukraine—from tsarist times, through the Russian Revolution, to WWII and its aftermath. What is Putin’s view of Russian history, and what can this tell us about his view of Russia’s role in the world today?
myfuture | An introduction to myfuture webinar
March 1, 2023
This webinar will be an introduction/refresher to the myfuture career information service. The presenter will demonstrate how the platform can be a useful tool in career and transition planning, highlighting resources that are most relevant to your students and colleagues. This will include reference to myfuture’s psychometric career interest test (My career profile), the occupation and course information, videos, pathway infographics, and resources mapped to the Australian Curriculum Work Studies sub-strands. This webinar aims to provide attendees with confidence to share their learning with colleagues and students.
UNE | Highlands Science and Engineering Discovery and Challenge Days
March 7 to March 8, 2023
The Highlands Science & Engineering Challenge and Discovery Days are held each year through the support of the Schools of Science & Technology and Environment & Rural Science, and The Armidale Central Rotary Club.
The Discovery Day, which is directed at years 5-6 primary students, will be held on Tuesday 7th March, while the Challenge Day, which is directed at years 9-10 high school students, will be held on Wednesday 8th March.
Each day is designed, through fun and practical hands-on activities, to inspire the students about the opportunities available in science, technology and engineering. Activities include bridge building, a catapult or a bionic hand! School teams are invited to attend.
Charles Sturt | Explore Days 2023
March 7 to March 28, 2023
Are you in Year 10, 11 or 12? Explore Day is your chance to check out what life at Charles Sturt University is like – but with a twist!
Keen to check out where you’ll be staying? You’ll get to take a look at our accommodation and tour our campus, chat with students and get the lowdown from lecturers. There’s even a free lunch and a swag bag of goodies. But the best bit about Explore Day? You can get involved! Pick which interactive session/s interests you, book your spot and then get set for some hands-on learning that’s also a whole lot of fun.
Each of our Explore Day campuses will run different sessions on everything from arts to vet science. There’s lots for you to explore.
SCCE | Exchange Webinar
March 7, 2023
Preparing for your exchange program is an important part of the process and is vital to continued program success. At these online meetings, an experienced high school exchange advisor will share an overview of high school exchange programs with Southern Cross Cultural Exchange.
You’ll learn more about living with a host family and how studying overseas can help you develop confidence and independence… and gain a lifetime of memories.
WEP | Student Exchange Info Session
March 7, 2023
Imagine making friends from all over the world, learning about yourself and the world around you and seeing sights you could only dream of! Find out more about your student exchange opportunities at WEP’s online info session.
Central Coast Career Pathways Expo 2023
April 4, 2023
We are excited to announce that the Central Coast Career Pathways Expo is returning in 2023!
Held at Avondale University, this event is an opportunity for school students to learn more about their career and study options after high school.
Bond | Year 12 Extension Program
April 13 to May 6, 2023
Get a head start on your studies with the Bond Business School Year 12 Extension Program, which comprises fast-paced and fun two-day workshops designed to prepare you for university life. Facilitated by our world-class academics, the Extension Program offers an enriching opportunity that supports the existing Year 12 curriculum across areas such as business and maths. Faced with real-world situations, participants will hone their skills, problem solve, and work collaboratively with their peers. The Extension Program is free of charge to students.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive an early offer into their chosen degree, subject to meeting the academic entry requirements.
Top performing students from the days will be awarded one of six part-fee scholarships exclusive to the Year 12 Extension Program.
Mathematics stream
Thursday, 13 April and Friday, 14 April, 2023
Business stream
Wednesday, 26 April and Thursday, 27 April, 2023
Friday, 5 May and Saturday, 6 May, 2023
Scholarships for Students with a Disability
If you have a disability, this doesn’t have to stop you from attending university. Alongside dedicated support services, heaps of institutions also offer special scholarships for students with a disability. In this blog, we’ve found some you might like to take a look at.
Who are these scholarships for?
Disability scholarships are often open to students with many different disabilities. This can include physical disabilities, learning and cognitive disabilities, sensory issues, and even mental health issues.
Some particular scholarships may target students with a specific disability (e.g. deaf and hard-of-hearing students, students with autism) so make sure you read the eligibility criteria carefully before you apply.
Why should I apply for a scholarship?
There are lots of reasons a scholarship can help with your studies. They can provide financial assistance towards things like mobility aids, adaptive technology, and other study costs. Some scholarships come with additional access to support services, or priority access to accommodation.
Each year there are hundreds of scholarships that go unawarded because nobody applies – so it’s always worth having a go.
Top scholarships for students with a disability
Here are some scholarships for students with a disability you might like to check out:
Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarship – a scholarship worth up to $10,000 each year for a student with a physical disability to help cover educational expenses.
Vision Australia Further Education Bursary – provides adaptive technology to help students who are blind or have low vision to succeed in their studies.
Australian Disability and Indigenous Peoples’ Education Fund – provides small six monthly grants of up to $2,500 to assist people with disabilities to continue their learning.
Redkite Dare to Dream Scholarship – open to any teenager in Australia who has cancer or has had cancer at any point in their life. Teens can receive up to $5,000 to help them achieve a goal.
Northcott Scholarship Opportunities – support for people with a disability currently studying at TAFE, University or other Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
You can find tons more scholarship opportunities on our database here.
How Do You Know How Much You Should Be Paid?
So you’ve got your first job – exciting! One of the best parts of work is having your own money to do with as you please. Of course, we want to believe that employers will do the right thing and follow the rules, and trust that they will pay you the right amount. But if you have some concerns, or are just curious to know, how can you find out how much you should be paid?
How much should you be paid?
The easiest way to find out how much you should be paid is to take a look at the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay Calculator. They calculate your pay by using the award for your industry.
Awards are defined by Fair Work as “legal documents that outline the minimum pay rates and conditions of employment. [They] apply to employers and employees depending on the industry they work in and the type of job worked.”
There are over 100 awards in Australia, and they cover pretty much every industry and occupation imaginable. So chances are there is an award that covers you. Using their Pay Calculator, Fair Work can find out which award you’re covered by, then asks a few more questions (whether you work full-time, part-time, or casual, your age, etc.) and uses all this information to give you a minimum pay rate.
For example, say you’re 15 years old and just got your first casual job behind the counter at McDonald’s. If we put this information into the Pay Calculator, we can see that the minimum amount you should be earning hourly is $11.69. You can also view common penalty rates that apply to your award (e.g. rates for public holidays).
The Fair Work Ombudsman website is full of heaps of useful information about employment conditions, including leave, entitlements, and info about what to do if something goes wrong.
You can also take a look at more work resources on Study Work Grow.
Work Experience with Your Local Council
Looking for somewhere to do your work experience? A great place to consider is your local Council.
Many local Councils have structured work experience programs for high school students, as well as VET and university students looking for placements. They’re definitely worth considering on your work experience search.
Why should I do work experience with the Council?
One of the main benefits of work experience with the Council is that they often have a huge variety of departments. This means you have heaps of areas to choose from, no matter what your interests might be. They often include things like:
Plus a ton more!
Where can I find out more?
To see if your local Council offers work experience, take a look at their website. You can find your local Council via a handy directory of all local Councils in each State and Territory:
If you can’t find any information, you might like to contact them directly and ask.
Keep an eye out to see if they have any opening and closing dates for their work experience programs so you don’t miss out. Many Councils encourage you to apply at least 6 weeks before you want to do your placement, so it’s best to apply ASAP.
Want more work experience opportunities?
If you’re still not sure, you can take a look at heaps of other opportunities we’ve found in our Work Experience database.
Ideas for Work Experience
AFP Forensics Work Experience Program
Closes: March 10, 2023
How to Find Local Competitions to Enter
There are lots of competitions around the country (and even the world) that you might like to enter, but maybe you’re looking for something a bit closer to home. Thankfully, even smaller rural towns usually run local competitions. The question is, how do you find these opportunities? We’ve got some ideas.
Local councils
A great place to start looking for competitions is your with your local council. This can be on their website, or on social media accounts (like Facebook). Councils often share lots of local events, workshops, and even competitions that you might be interested in.
Social media
Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, are often full of groups for your local community, where people can join and share all sorts of info. You might like to join one of these groups and keep an eye out for any competitions.
Newspapers and magazines
Lots of towns and communities publish a local newspaper or magazine, and these days you often don’t even need to buy a physical copy – lots of them can be found online too. They often have a section that features local events and opportunities, including competitions.
Just ask
If you’re really struggling to find things, the next best thing to do is just ask. Ask your teachers, parents, friends, put a post up on social media – you might be surprised at the responses you get. Even just Googling “competitions + your town name” can produce some great results.
Tax and Young People
It’s not the most fun subject to talk about, but it’s an important one – tax. If you’ve got yourself a part-time or casual job, even if you’re still at school, chances are you’ll need to know about tax.
But what even is tax? Think of it this way. Tax is a small amount of money that gets taken off your pay. The government uses this money to provide important services and infrastructure, like roads, hospitals, and even schools – tax improves our quality of life. This means we can access services like Medicare for free, instead of having to pay every time we need to go to the hospital or doctor.
Do I need to pay tax, and how?
If you have a job, the short answer is yes, you probably need to pay tax.
You need to pay tax on your income once you make more than $18,200 a year (this works out to roughly $350 a week). Remember that this is combined income – so if you have more than one job, even if you earn $10,000 at one and $12,000 at the other, if it’s more than $18,200 combined you will need to pay tax. There are also some other things that count towards your income total, such as investments and some government payments. See the full list of things you need to declare as income here.
Thankfully, paying tax easy – you don’t even have to do anything. Your employer should automatically pay tax on your behalf. If you get a payslip, you should be able to see how much tax comes out of each pay. This is called “Pay As You Go” (PAYG) tax, and unless you work for yourself, this is how you will pay your tax. So don’t stress!
So what do I need to do?
Tax File Number
Before you get your first job, you will probably be asked to get a Tax File Number (TFN). This is a unique number that stays with you for life that the government uses to keep track of your income, superannuation and debts (such as HECS-HELP).
You don’t technically need a TFN to start working, but you’ll pay more tax if you don’t have one, and you won’t be able to access any government benefits. But getting one is easy and totally free, so there’s really no excuse not to.
Once you’ve got your TFN, simply give it to your employer, and voilà – that’s really all you need to do.
Tax return
At the end of every financial year (which ends in June, not December), if you’ve been paying tax, you’ll need to lodge something called a tax return.
Lodging a tax return adds up your income for the year, and then the government checks how much tax you’ve paid. If you paid more tax than is due, you’ll get some money back. If you paid less, you’ll have to pay the extra. Most people tend to get a small return each financial year. You’ll need to lodge your tax return before 31 October each year.
If all of this is sounding a bit complicated, we promise it’s not. You can use the ATO’s myTax tool to lodge a tax return online and for free. You’ll need to setup a myGov account first.
The best part about using myTax is that most of the information is already prefilled for you. Your employer sends your income info to the ATO so you don’t need to.
If you’re finding the whole process too confusing, you can also visit a registered tax agent and they can lodge a tax return for you on your behalf. But keep in mind you’ll need to pay a fee for their service.
How do I lodge a tax return?
If you do lodge your own tax return, there are a few general steps to follow:
Declare all your income. You will need to fill in any money you earned throughout the financial year. Don’t forget, this can include things like government payments and interest. Most of this information should already be prefilled for you. If your employer has sent you a payment statement, double-check to make sure the figures in your tax return match the statement.
Claim any deductions. If you have any work-related expenses, you can claim their cost as a deduction and receive some of the cost back. These can include things like uniforms and laundry costs, tools, travel expenses, and other things. They must be relevant to your work, and you can’t have been reimbursed by anyone for them (for example, if your employer pays for your tools on your behalf, you can’t claim them as a work-related expense). You will also need to keep a receipt or record of purchase. This step is totally optional, but it can be nice to get some money back. But be careful when claiming deductions, because if you get it wrong you may have to pay some money back. Read up thoroughly on what you can and can’t claim as deductions first.
Submit! Triple-check all of the values you’ve entered, then submit your tax return. You should hear back from the ATO in around 2 weeks, and they’ll tell you whether or not you can expect some money in the bank, or whether you owe them.
Why do I need to lodge a tax return?
You will need to submit a tax return every financial year, as long as you are earning money. It’s important to make sure you submit it on time each year, or you might be missing out on some extra money you could get back. Even worse, if you owe money, not knowing and not paying could land you in hot water down the track.
Want to know more?
Staying on top of your finances can save you from future headaches, and can sometimes come with the bonus perk of a few extra dollars in your bank account.
If you want to find out more about money, we have heaps of resources on budgeting, superannuation, and more on the Study Work Grow website.
Degrees of the Future
We speak a lot about jobs of the future, and how it’s important to set ourselves up with the right skills today so we can adapt to whatever comes. And it seems that a lot of universities also have this in mind, and are designing more flexible degrees that can equip you with multiple skills, instead of focusing on a single area.
So we’ve found some cool degrees that can set you up for the future. Take a look.
Rather than being industry-specific, this degree from Bond combines study and skills from a wide variety of areas, including business, communications, technology, and law. You also get to pick some elective subjects, really personalising the degree to your own interests. Plus, you will participate in the Beyond Bond professional development program, getting real-world experience as part of your degree.
Pair this unique degree with one of UTS’ 25 core degrees to create an entirely new course that sets you up with important future skills. Take part in real-world projects and self-initiated proposals, and come together with students from all different study areas to share ideas and collaborate.
If you’re interested in learning about how the brain works, this course is for you. Delve deep into the workings of the mind through participation in hands-on experience with real researchers, and learn valuable communication and critical thinking skills. You can also pick several flexible units to study from any discipline, either to deepen your knowledge or learn something new.
Interested in finding out more? You can take a look on Course Seeker to browse thousands of courses from universities and institutions across Australia.
The 3 Must-have Enterprise Skills for School Leavers
It’s no surprise that today’s world of work is drastically different to only a few years ago. Rampant technology changes, work-from-home, flat management structures, AI, start-ups, online university, and the ‘gig economy’.
Because of this, students need to be equipped with flexibility and an open mind to trying new things, so that they can approach the world of work without the same rigidity that we did years ago.
Which 3 enterprise skills are most important?
There’s a huge range of skills that students need (enterprise skills comprise more than 25 distinct skill sets like leadership, negotiation, etc.), but if your students have these 3 enterprise skills, they’ll have the ability to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves in the world of work:
Interpersonal skills
No matter how technological we get, life and business still require interpersonal skills. It doesn’t matter if students are literally ‘staring at a screen’ all day long (like we see so many do today), they still need to interact with other people, even if it’s simply typed or spoken communication while working remotely.
Employers need to have employees that they can converse with about tasks, and young entrepreneurs/self-employed people need to be able to work with a wide range of people, from suppliers to contractors to customers.
Adding to this, we also need collaboration skills – another key enterprise trait, as our ability to work together is critical to us as a society. If you can relate to people, converse well with people, and collaborate with people, you’ll easily stand out from a wide field of candidates.
Problem solving
As we shift away from needing people with degrees or experience, to valuing people with know-how or the ability to get things done, problem solving is even more important than ever before. Ask almost any employer and they’ll tell you that they’re far more likely to employ someone who can quickly learn how to do something, or solve a problem fast, over someone who has ‘experience’. This is especially so in the technology industries – as rapid solutions to problems (which this skill focuses on) is becoming far more valuable than tenure or degrees.
Problem solving as a skill also ties in the need for creativity and critical thinking, both of which can make an individual highly valuable to an employer. Do you want to hire someone who you need to do the thinking for; or someone who can spot a problem, and come up with a solution you hadn’t even considered? It’s not hard to see which employee would be a better choice.
Time management
Yes, there are hundreds of ‘productivity’ apps, reminders, calendars, task-management tools, hacks, tricks and more. But without the ability for a young employee to manage what tasks are priority and then manage their own process of doing them on time, schedules blow out and employers miss their productivity goals (even the small ones like getting a marketing project finished this week).
The ability for a young person to self-manage might seem like a minor thing, but in a workplace where tasks or projects need to be done to meet a schedule, it will very quickly show up as being a major problem. It starts in school with getting ready on time in the mornings, and doing homework/assignments on time, but in the world of work it means deadlines that can cost a business a significant amount of money or missed opportunity if things aren’t done when they should be.
So while this might seem like the simplest of the 3 enterprise skills, being able to manage how and when tasks get done is the foundation of everything else.
There are so many enterprise skills that can make a young employee highly sought after (and a young entrepreneur successful), but starting with the ability to work with people, to be valuable by solving problems, and getting everything done efficiently is a great start.
To find out more, explore our Job Spotlights database – as we feature enterprise skills throughout every one of the 190+ jobs profiled on the Study Work Grow website.
University Spotlight – University of Queensland
Campuses & Access
The University of Queensland’s main campus is located in St Lucia, in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD. It’s easy to access the campus via public transport, including bus, train, and ferry. There are also limited paid parking options for those who wish to travel by car. UQ also has a rural campus in Gatton, located west of Brisbane, and a small campus in Herston dedicated to health studies and research.
The St Lucia campus is very large, occupying nearly an entire suburb itself. It takes around 20 minutes to cross the campus on foot.
Some of the paths and buildings across the St Lucia campus are accessible by wheelchair, with most buildings containing lifts for access to upper floors.
Online Learning
UQ currently offer no options for online or blended study in any of their undergraduate courses. They do offer some short postgraduate-level courses online. If you’re looking to study at an undergraduate level at UQ, you’ll need to study on-campus.
Study Options
UQ offer undergraduate courses in most standard study areas. They are also one of the only universities to offer a degree in medicine – while the degree is postgraduate, you can apply for provisional entry upon finishing Year 12.
UQ also offer 70 dual degree options, meaning you can study and graduate with two degrees in less time than it would take to study them separately.
The academic year is split across two semesters, running roughly from late-February to mid-November, with a month-long break between semesters. Each semester also includes a week-long mid-semester break. A short optional Summer semester is also offered from late November to late January – there is a break over the Christmas and New Year period. You can view the academic calendar for the year here.
The structure of most courses at UQ is quite rigid, with subjects only offered in certain semesters and must be taken in a set order. You can find out more about specific courses and subjects in the course handbook here.
Accommodation & Living
The University of Queensland offer a variety of accommodation options, including 3 university-owned residences and 10 residential colleges, all located on or close to campus. They have a unique option, UQ Res Homes, which offers temporary accommodation (up to one year) to regional and interstate students and those who might find it difficult to rent privately.
Guaranteed accommodation is offered to commencing and continuing students relocating from outside Brisbane.
Sizes vary from studio to multi-bedroom options. 2023 prices vary between $320 to $720 per person per week, depending on size and location. The fees for all accommodation options include all utility bills – electricity, water, and internet (Wi-Fi). Some options also include catering, while others can have meal plans added for an additional fee. Many options include additional facilities, such as gyms, communal areas, sporting facilities, and more.
Contracts are offered on both 6- and 12-month terms (depending on location). Students must reapply for accommodation at the end of their contract.
You can see all accommodation options and application processes here.
Living off campus in Brisbane city can get quite expensive (the current median rental price for an apartment in St Lucia is $480 per week), and rental options are generally highly competitive. More affordable options further away can mean a very long travel time to and from campus.
Campus & Teaching Facilities
There are several facilities on the St Lucia campus, including cafés and eateries, museums and galleries, and sporting facilities. There are also lots of natural areas, including landscaped gardens and lakes. The St Lucia campus is home to the largest research library in the State, as well as several laboratories, study spaces, and lecture theatres.
The Gatton campus offers specialised studies in agricultural, environmental, and veterinary sciences, and features a working farm, as well as post-harvest facilities and greenhouses.
The Herston campus is located alongside the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, allowing students to work closely with health researchers and professionals.
Student Support
UQ offer a wide variety of student support services, ranging from academic and study support, disability and inclusion support, specialised support for Indigenous students, and health and wellbeing services.
Information about support services is easy to find and access on their website here.
Industry Partnerships
UQ students can undertake an internship during study breaks, allowing you to gain real-world experience in your chosen study area and start making important contacts. Some degrees also have special work-integrated learning options, letting you apply what you learn in the classroom to real-world situations.
UQ also has a special entrepreneurship hub, UQ Ventures, open to all students. Access dedicated co-working spaces, events, programs, and tools to help you grow your own business and learn entrepreneurial skills.
Information Accessibility
UQ’s website is modern and easy to navigate, with functionality that works across all major browsers. It has a handy search function, and essential information about courses, scholarships, and support options are easy to find.
Tours & Information Sessions
You can take a virtual tour of all UQ campuses and accommodation spaces here. They also run guided school group tours, or you can download the UQ Maps app (available for Apple and Android devices) and explore the campuses at your own leisure.
UQ run both online and on campus information events for future students sporadically throughout the year. You can view the upcoming calendar of events here.
Next Steps
If you’re interested in study at the University of Queensland and want to find out more information, the best way to do this is to contact them, either by phone on 07 3346 9872, or by submitting an enquiry online.
UQ also run one Open Day a year, currently scheduled for 6 August.
The Careers Clusters in a building site
While tradespeople might be the first people that come to mind when we think about building sites, there are actually many different people that make construction possible.
Building sites are the place where physical construction takes place – but it takes a lot of planning and a variety of roles to get to that stage, as well as to see a project through to completion. This includes surveying and inspecting the initial site, to designing and planning, transporting materials and putting it all together, ensuring everyone stays safe, and finally selling the finished property.
While all building sites are different, here are some common things you can expect:
Key Outcome – construct and repair buildings and amenities
The focus of building sites is to construct all different kinds of buildings and amenities efficiently and safely, from stadiums and shopping centres to houses, roads, and bridges.
Key Tasks –
Industry – you can find building sites in the construction industry
Building sites are exclusively found in the construction industry. They can vary in size from the site of a small home all the way through to massive skyscrapers and long stretches of highway.
Work Environment – You can expect long hours and on-site work
Long work hours | Work on-site | Jobs in all locations, including metro, regional, and rural | Strong job growth
If you work on a building site you’ll probably be expected to start early in the morning, and if a deadline is coming up you might need to put in some overtime to get the work done. You’ll probably need to work on some holidays and occasionally on weekends.
Most of the work on a building site needs to be done on-site, so there is little opportunity to work from home.
Wherever infrastructure exists, you’ll need people to design and build it, so you can find building sites all across the country. Generally, the more densely populated a place is the more buildings you need, so you might find it easier to find roles in larger cities.
The Career Clusters you’ll find in a building site
People from all Clusters are needed for a building site to run effectively, but the most common Clusters you’ll find are Makers and Innovators.
The role of Makers on a building site
The Makers are out there on building sites getting their hands dirty and doing a lot of manual labour. This includes tradespeople, who physically construct the buildings and use a variety of tools to assist with the job. There are also people who operate heavy machinery, like diggers and cranes, and drive trucks to transport materials to and from site.
What do Linkers do on a building site?
The Linkers are the people who help sell the finished property, such as real estate and property agents. Construction companies will also often have receptionists to act as a first point of contact for people to make inquiries.
Where do Coordinators work on a building site?
Coordinators are responsible for managing and supervising workers on-site, ensuring things are running smoothly and people are working up to standard. They might also be in charge of managing project timelines and budgets, and assessing and managing any potential risks.
What kinds of Informers work on building sites?
Some Informers on building sites include surveyors, who take measurements and provide site specifications before construction can begin. Other Informers can advise on regulatory and legal requirements, while environmental specialists might also come in and advise on whether there are any native flora or fauna that need to be protected before construction can begin.
How do Innovators work on a building site?
The Innovators are the people who put in a lot of the work before construction can begin, developing plans, designs and specifications. They will often make site visits and work with Informers to finalise plans, before passing them on to and working with Makers to see a project through to completion.
The role of Guardians on a building site
Guardians are responsible for keeping people on building sites safe and minimising risks. They might advise on which personal protective equipment is necessary and write up reports of any incidents. They can also make unannounced site visits to ensure safety measures are up to scratch and workers are informed of rules and procedures.
How do we expect working on a building site to change in the future?
The way we build and construct things has changed greatly since the industrial revolution, with machines and tools becoming more and more sophisticated. Today, there are even machines that have completely automated some of the processes.
Into the future, we can expect that more of the physical labour on building sites will be done by machines instead of by people, or at least assisted by machines. This not only increases the efficiency of the process, it also makes it much safer. People will still be needed to design, maintain, and in some cases operate these machines – some machines may even be operated remotely, meaning people no longer need to be on-site.
