Careers Brief - Built Environment Programme HNC

Pathways:

HNC Architectural Technology

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.

For an overview of the industry sector, go to National Guidance Research Forum for 'LMI Future trends' and 'Sectors covered'.

Go to the website links below to find out more.

Further Study

Progression may be available onto HND or degree courses, full or part-time, or Engineering Council Part 11 exams at Southampton Solent University. Go to www.solent.ac.uk/courses/ for information on progression routes designed for your pathway.

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

Top-up degree courses are designed as direct progression for HND level qualified (or equivalent) to achieve an Honours (or Ordinary) degree, though entry may be selective.

Institutions offering related Top-ups include:

Bradford College; University of West of England, Bristol; University of Cumbria; University of East London; University of Kent; Leeds Metropolitan University; University of Northampton.

To search 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 links for information on course costs and finance and to the Financial support section for additional help.

Alternatively, you could consider 'topping up' your HNC/HND to Honours through distance learning with the Open University. Go to www.open.ac.uk/ to search undergraduate courses and credit transfer.

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 postgraduate study, go to the national online directory at www.prospects.ac.uk/study.htm .

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

Useful Links

www.solent.ac.uk/student-life/careers-jobshop/careers.aspx

Southampton Solent University Careers and Employability Service:

E-mail: careers@solent.ac.uk

http://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/

Next Step careers site - go to sub-headings 'Planning your career' and 'Job Profiles' for useful summaries of related job roles within section link 'Construction'

www.prospects.ac.uk/starting_out.htm

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

Drop down 'Careers advice' for 'Options with your subject'

Drop down 'Jobs and work experience' for 'What job would suit me?' using Prospects Planner

www.ciob.org.uk/

CIOB The Chartered Institute of Building representing professionals in the industry - click on sub-heading 'Careers'

www.cskills.org/supportbusiness/routes/index.aspx

Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board - Construction Skills case studies

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

GTI Media publication - graduate jobs and careers advice

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

Jobcentre Plus - Jobs and Skills search