Construction is one of the top and emerging industries in the Philippines. A file from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) cites construction having a 4.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).  Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported the industry as one of the top contributors to the economic growth of some Philippine regions. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte also initiated the “build, build, build” program which aims to complete projects in farm to market roads, road-widening, airports, healthcare centres and schools. 

CAD OPERATOR OR DRAFTSMAN

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An AutoCAD operator is a computer professional trained in using computer-aided design software such as Autodesk’s CAD, Catia, TurboCAD, FreeCAD and Solidworks. Your role here is vital to the construction business as your designs and custom blueprints will guide architects, civil and electrical engineers. You may or not need an engineering and architectural degree but a solid experience in CAD software will get you far in your job.

An engineering background will help in this job. Some companies will require you a short course certificate or vocational diploma; while others will prefer you to complete a 2-years associate degree from a college or technical institute.

ARCHITECT

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Aesthetically pleasing structures such as shopping malls and towers have their intricate interior and exterior designs - thanks to architects. Famous masterpieces include Musee du Louvre in Paris, France, the Roman colosseum in Italy,  the Cocoon Tower in Tokyo, Japan and the National Museum in Manila, Philippines.

Like draftsmen, you’ll use software to prepare scaled drawings and designs for indoor and outdoor spaces. You may tackle architectural software such as 3Ds Max, Revit, Sketchup, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and Rhino 6. Another is you may visit construction sites to make sure contractors are following your design; collaborate with civil engineers and other types of architects (landscape architects). 

Your final design will show up once you and other construction workers finish the building. To be an architect you need to finish a degree in BS Architecture and pass a Architectural Licensure Examination conducted by Board of Architecture and supervised by the Professional Regulations Commission.

 

CIVIL ENGINEER

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A civil engineer is a construction professional that oversees the construction phase. They are usually portrayed wearing a yellow hard and reading an unrolled blueprint paper. If you like the science of measurements and designing buildings, dams, bridges, roads, and airports then this career is for you.  

One of the best things about this job is - you’ll see the finished product of your planning and supervision along with foremen and other construction professionals. You may also enjoy a salary higher than the minimum wage depending on the company size, location and experience. 

To be a full-fledged civil engineer, you must finish a degree from a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recognized college or university and pass a licensure exam. Other specific vacancies may not require a license but may need a working experience. 
 

CRANE OPERATOR

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Maybe you have been to construction sites and saw that tower cranes move tons of steels, buckets of concrete and construction materials. Those guys manning the small control cabin are crane operators. You’ll move joysticks to control pulleys and lift, move and lower scaffolding materials, sheaves, hoist ropes, and wire ropes.  Wonder how cranes grow like a centipede? Watch this video.

A job like this is both rewarding and nerve-wracking. If your crane reaches the topmost deck or antenna-like part of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE then you may need a ball of steel to endure the fear of heights. 

DOCUMENT CONTROLLER

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Your office and organizing skills will be put to use in this job as your role is in the back-office department like in the call-centre industry. Most of your tasks will be in the site or administrative office helping engineers and architects get their blueprints and other documents efficiently. You’ll use software that stores and retrieves blueprints. Sort documents, make templates and safely keep such documents from unauthorized access. You’ll likely work in construction projects and in the oil and gas industry. 

Qualifications may include a degree in business administration, civil engineering, computer science, office administration and experience in managing records.
 

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay 

Structures don’t only provide a space to live but it also houses electronics, circuits and wires that power lighting, elevator, and HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air-conditioning). In this electrical niche is where Electrical engineers come into play. 

Your passion or interest in tinkering with circuits designs and electrical devices will be put to use in this profession. Your day in a job involves designing electrical circuits for LED lamps, infrared (IR) dryers, fire alarm systems, air conditioning systems for each floor and other electrical devices. You may also work in an office setting such as keeping files, presenting project plans and collaborating with other engineers and construction workers. This profession is regulated under the Republic Act no. 7920 and requires a licensure exam through the Professional Regulations Commission. 

HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR

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If you like driving big toys from CAT (a manufacturer of heavy equipment), then this job is for you. You’ll operate trucks and bulldozers and other machines to carry out daily construction work. If you drive an excavator vehicle, you’ll be inside its cabin and manipulate the joysticks to control a mechanical arm. Your machine can dig trenches, move rocks and soil to excavate and make an open space for building foundation or beam. To be in this role, you need to finish a technical education from a tech school or college recognized by TESDA and pass a certification labelled as NC-II. You might need a different license category for various types of heavy equipment (bulldozer vs road roller). You’ll go far in this profession if you can operate different types of vehicle.

Other heavy equipment you may drive include:

• Backhoe
• Cement mixer
• Dragline excavator
• Feller bunchers
• Forwarders
• Grader
• Loaders
• Road roller
• Telehandlers
• Trenchers

Your other tasks include: 

• Following safety standards for use of heavy equipment
• Maintaining log sheets of daily activities
• Cleaning of machines

MANUAL LABOURER

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Manual labourers are one of the front liners of the construction industry. They are also called unskilled manual labourers and have no formal or minimal training in trades such as carpentry, plumbing, welding, rigging etc. Educational and training requirements for this job aren’t stringent compared to skilled construction workers.

In this role, having physical strength and endurance in an outdoor environment will help you in these tasks:

• Carrying of bricks and hollow blocks
• Cutting and bending iron rods 
• Digging trenches
• Fitting windows
• Following safety standards
• Manual cement mixing
• Manual shallow digging
• Site sweeping

RIGGER

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A Rigger is a skilled tradesperson who is responsible for aligning, hoisting, anchoring construction materials. The term “rigger” originated from the same job title for people who work in ships where they tie ropes to hoist sails. Today riggers work in the construction, shipping and petroleum industry.  For this job, you’re going to use rigging tools to structures and cranes. Such tools include radio devices, chain hoists, capstans, wire rope slings, chain slings, spreader bars, clevis, jacks for cranes, pulleys, cables, and shackles. You may also work in ships and the navy. Your daily tasks will be:

• Attach ropes to the load.
• Follow with safety regulations.
• Figure out the load’s centre of gravity to stabilize it.
• Use different rigging tools such as chokers, shackles, slings and winches.
• Tilt, turn or dip suspended loads to prevent collision to obstacles such as power lines and other rigged loads.
• Use radios or walkie talkies to coordinate rigging to other construction workers.