Why you don’t need a degree to be successful in the construction industry

Obviously, degree level qualifications play a big part in training some very important roles in our industry, such as architects and civil engineers. But when I left school, I was very sure that completing A-levels and attending university full time wasn’t the route for me. I feel I can highlight through my career path that you don’t necessarily need a degree to be very successful in the construction industry.  

When I left school just under 9 years ago, I joined the construction industry through the apprenticeship route, undertaking a carpentry and joinery apprenticeship with F. Parkinson Ltd. After completing this apprenticeship, I was employed by my still current employer as a full-time joiner. Whilst working as a joiner on site, I was afforded the opportunity from my employer at to also undertake an HNC level qualification, which would then help me to progress in the future to a professional role working in the office. 

After working for a short time in the office, my company offered me a role as a trainee estimator, where I was put on a training plan to hopefully progress into the role of an estimator. After completing this training plan back in 2019, I have since been working as an estimator for F. Parkinson; the same company where my journey started as an apprentice back when I was 16 years old.

Even though I completed a higher-level qualification following on from my apprenticeship, to this day I still haven’t and probably never will complete a full-time degree at university. Even though I don’t have a full degree to my name, I have formed a great career from being an apprentice joiner when I left school, all the way to now being a construction estimator where I price million pounds worth of work every year. 

Furthermore, if you speak to or look into many professional leaders within our industry, there will be many who have never completed a degree but are still filling some of the most important roles within the construction industry. I take great pride in knowing that the managing director of my company F. Parkinson came through the apprentice background himself, and that fills me with great confidence that if I keep working hard, that one day I may be able to take up a similar role.

I hope this highlights that you can be successful in the construction industry without always needing a degree. All you need is to do the simple things in the first instance; turning up on time, listening, and working hard every day. Do this, and I can guarantee you won’t go far wrong in creating a wonderful career for yourself in the construction industry. 

If anyone has any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  I am always happy to try and help inspire next generation through my role as an estimator and a G4C member.

Many thanks for reading, 

Jack Cook

Twitter – @jcook95 

LinkedIn – Jack Cook