The type of experience you get and the company you do the experience with will depend on the area of the industry you are hoping to get into. It is the perfect way to really find out if your chosen career is right for you, and meet people who already work in it!

You may feel that a large company will be far more beneficial than a small firm, but there are advantages to both. A smaller establishment will show you the overall running of a business, as well as the skills of the particular trade you are interested in. In a larger one you will work with many types of people, in many different trades, pulling together to complete a project. You will get to see the 'ideas factory', building skills, management and surveying.

During your work experience you will probably be asked to carry out routine tasks and administrative duties, as well as attend site visits and accompany the professionals (such as architects, engineers or surveyors) on their jobs.

All work experience is worthwhile. Hopefully it will encourage you to follow a career in construction, but if you leave the placement feeling the job is not for you, at least you found out before it was too late!

Most schools and colleges run work experience schemes and will organise a suitable placement with a co-operating employer. ConstructionSkills is also able to help - we will do our best to find an employer to suit the line of work you are looking to get into. The web site http://www.designajob.co.uk/ offers work experience opportunities in the construction industry, and helps to find one which will suit you most. You could organise the experience yourself, by researching companies in your area that interest you, and contacting them explaining your situation. There's lots of work experience available for people wishing to get into construction, so get out there and find out what it's like to be part of the UK's fastest growing industry!