Too often, women hesitate to apply for jobs unless they tick every box. But in construction, the skills you bring from other industries are incredibly valuable.
At its core, construction is about teamwork—like being part of a family working together to achieve something big. If you’ve ever juggled priorities, solved problems on the fly, managed people or stayed organised under pressure, you already have the key skills to thrive in this industry.
The fastest way to start a career in construction is as a ‘construction worker.’ This hands-on role gives you experience across the industry, helping you find what excites you most.
To make your first steps easier, we’ve outlined what a construction worker does and other key career paths you can take. The goal is to get you in the door—after that, the opportunities are endless.
Construction workers play a vital role in building and maintaining infrastructure. They contribute to projects that shape communities, offering a hands-on, fulfilling career with opportunities for skill development and advancement.
Adaptability
Attention to detail
Communication
Problem solving
Teamwork
Time management
Skills from industries like retail, hospitality, or fitness—such as customer service, communication, time management, and physical endurance—easily transition, making construction an accessible and rewarding career path.
If you enjoy the control and excitement of driving, operating plant will be a perfect fit. Plant refers to the heavy machinery and equipment used on construction sites, including excavators, cranes, loaders, and trucks. These machines are used for tasks such as excavation, transporting materials, crushing rocks, digging trenches and more.
Operating heavy machinery isn’t as physically demanding as some construction work, but it comes with significant responsibility to ensure a safe work environment for everyone on-site. As such, certain tickets and qualifications are required.
Adaptability
Attention to detail
Communication
Problem solving
Spatial awareness
Teamwork
Experience with equipment operation and mechanical knowledge from industries like agriculture, logistics, or manufacturing transitions well into this role. Skills from industries like retail, hospitality, or fitness—such as customer service, communication, time management, and physical endurance—transfer easily into various construction roles.
Site supervisors organise and coordinate daily work schedules, monitor progress and allocate resources effectively. A major role is safety oversight, enforcing workplace health and safety standards and procedures, conducting site inductions and toolbox talks for workers, and maintaining quality controls.
Adaptability
Communication
Conflict resolution
Leadership
Problem solving
Time management
Skills from industries like retail, hospitality, or fitness—such as customer service, communication, time management, and physical endurance—transfer easily into various construction roles.
A trades apprentice works under the guidance of qualified tradespeople to develop skills and knowledge in their chosen trade, such as carpentry, plumbing, or electrical work. This role offers a pathway to becoming a fully qualified tradesperson.
Attention to detail
Communication skills
Problem solving
Strong work ethic
Teamwork
Time management
Skills from industries like retail, hospitality, or fitness—such as customer service, communication, time management, and physical endurance—transfer easily into various construction roles.
Delivering a full-service airport offering domestic and international passenger services—as well as freight.
Delivering a 10-kilometre dual carriageway motorway extension between Black Hill and Tomago.
Building a new state-of-the-art health and research facility to transform paediatric care in NSW.
Building a sustainable, modern and purpose-built hospital to support the needs of the entire Eurobodalla Shire.
