We’re wrapping up Careers in Construction month filled with hope for the future of the industry. And that’s exactly where we should be. After all, the construction industry is the industry of hope. Without hope, we couldn’t erect the buildings that house our businesses, pave the roadways that move our people and products, or build safe, sturdy homes for our community members. A hopeful industry is a forward-thinking industry. The construction industry isn’t stuck in the past, it’s constantly innovating and transitioning with the times to meet the ever-growing needs. All that is made possible with hope.
We hope that you feel the same, too. No matter if you are a high school student, just starting out in your career, or supporting someone in the industry as an educator, parent, or advisor, we encourage you all to shoot for the stars! Anything is possible if you put your mind to it, especially in a creative industry like construction.
If you’re interested in a skilled trade and are just starting to explore the potential opportunities available to you, we hope you know that you have the power to create the career path of your dreams. All it takes is an initial take-off to catapult you to your potential. Sure, you won’t get there right away. In fact, there will be hurdles to cross and paths to forge. But that first step will kick off a domino effect of opportunity.
Maybe you dream of working for yourself and being your own boss. Or maybe you desire the flexibility of contractual labor. Whatever your “pie in the sky” goals might be, we say “go for it!” Even if you’re fully immersed in another career or have found your interests shifting a bit, a career in construction allows you to change your mind along the way and get to your goals, no matter how many times the target moves.
After you take that first step, it’s important to move forward with purpose.
- Make short-term goals. Short-term goals will keep you moving forward every day. It’s these seemingly small steps that make a big impact for your career long-term.
- Your short-term goal might be, “I earn an apprenticeship” or “I complete my carpentry training at my local career technical center.”
- Set long-term goals. Long-term goals are the driving force that gives you purpose to meet these short-term goals every day. After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you get there?
- Your long-term goal might be, “I become a project manager in 5 years” or “I open my own construction firm in 10 years.”
- For both short- and long-term goals, always make them “SMART.”
- S – Specific
- Vague goals will lead to an uncertain future. Be clear on where you ideally see yourself and you’re sure to see it come to fruition.
- M – Measurable
- Be bold and set a goal to meet the salary of your dreams or the perfect position with a specific metric so you can celebrate the moment you meet it.
- A – Action-Oriented
- Clearly lay out what steps should be taken to get you there in meaningful, manageable steps.
- R – Relevant
- Forget the irrelevant details and stick with the steps that will move you forward, not backward.
- T – Time-based
- A deadline will drive you, not delay you.
- S – Specific
October may be over, but we hope you join us in this mission of supporting all careers in construction all year long. Let’s all “shoot for the stars” to move our industry forward, filled with hope for all we will create today.
