We Asked and You Answered: Breaking Down Careers in Construction, Water and Property Management

And all the opportunities you might be overlooking 👀

This article is in partnership with BuildSkills.

When it comes to careers in construction, water or property management, most people have some pretty strong ideas about what the work actually involves. But how accurate are those assumptions?

We asked some of you what a role in the construction, water and property services industry could look like.

From hard hats to office desks, we’re here to break down your thoughtsand show you what these industries are like, the types of careers available and which industry would suit you best.

Working in construction.

In the construction industry, builders are faced with new problems to tackle every day. Working in construction  is fast-paced, creative, and endlessly rewarding. It’s an industry that offers unmatched job security, real-world impact, a variety of work and paid positions even when you’re just starting out.

“It’s mostly building houses or other infrastructure,” one Student Edge member said.

While a big part of working in the construction industry is building residential and commercial buildings, there are many other jobs like heavy and civil contractors for building bridges, roads and public utilities.

There are also subcontractor opportunities for people who want to specialise in one area, plus consultants who work in architectural, engineering and technical fields to ensure safety and that projects are completed on time.

“It involves surveying the property, checking measurements, work health and safety, safety hazards.”

Correct! It’s more than just building, it’s also about making sure it’s safe to build and ensuring the project goes smoothly.

Safety and surveying in construction involves a wide range of professionals including dedicated safety managers and officers who develop and enforce policies, but also general contractors, subcontractors and site managers who share the duty of care.

Check out a role in construction if you enjoy or you’re good at:

• Hands-on problem solving
• Leadership
• Coordination
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Seeing visible results from your effort every single day

Working in property services.

“It’s just selling houses and assessing the price and value of houses.”

Property services is about more than just selling and assessing the value of a property or house. It also includes cleaners, pest control and gardening as well as waste collection, treatment and disposal.

Depending on what area you want to work in, there’s jobs like being a property manager, leasing specialist, property inspector, facilities manager - the people who keep Australia’s homes, offices and public spaces running smoothly every day.

“It involves working with buying houses and land and managing them.”

Many people think that property services only mean real estate, but it also includes facilities management, asset planning, security, sustainability and maintenance.

While there is some admin work when working in property services, there’s also a lot of problem solving and coordinating to inspect sites, manage budgets and improve how buildings overall function.

Check out a role in property services if you’re good at or you enjoy:

• Working with people
• Solving practical problems
• Managing details
• Organisation
• Maintaining strong client relationships and negotiating
• You like being the person who makes things work

Working in water services.

“Water services means maintaining waterways (i.e. pipelines, waterways, sewage), water quality monitoring, reports,” A Student Edge member told us.

Correct! Working in water services is all about maintaining water supply, sewerage and drainage. Jobs in this field include water treatment operators, engineers, technicians, project managers - the backbone of every community’s health and sustainability.

“It means treating water and ensuring safe drinking water for everyone.”

There are careers in the water industry that focus on operating plants to store, distribute and treat water. This also includes purifying water for human consumption and removing waste from sewage.

Check out a role in water services if you’re good at or you enjoy:

• Working with systems that keep communities running
• Engineering
• Science
• Data analysis
• Protecting the environment/environmental science
• Solving technical challenges.

While people have a lot of assumptions about how the construction, property management and water industries work – there’s no denying their importance.

They're the industries that build our cities, protect our environment, and keep daily life moving.

Careers in these fields are hands-on, rewarding and needed now more than ever.

There is a high demand for qualified candidates in these industries with plenty of opportunity to upskill, move up in your career or even start your own business.

It's not just a job - it's a pathway to shaping Australia's future.

You can learn more about the water, construction and property management industries here.