Delivering advice and addressing misconceptions with Construction Lecturer Jeremy George

Unsure about a career in construction? Who better to ask than a Construction Multi Skills Lecturer with extensive industry experience.

Jeremy George is a Construction Multi Skills Lecturer at Capital City College (CCC). He teaches the Construction Skills Level 1 Diploma, which covers carpentry, electrical, painting, plumbing and brickwork.

Like many of our lecturers, Jeremy came to CCC after years of industry experience, bringing with him key practical insights and site-specific knowhow. We asked him to share his advice for those looking to start out in construction and address some of the common misconceptions about the industry.

What brought you to Capital City College?

I first came to CCC as part of a project between the college, Building Heroes (a charity supporting British Military leavers in accessing civilian construction employment opportunities), and Regal (a construction company, now known as Arada). I delivered short five-week courses in carpentry, plumbing, brickwork, plastering/rendering, painting and decorating, tiling and content for the CSCS Green Card, an essential health and safety qualification, to service leavers from the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force.

What do you like most about teaching at CCC?

I like the diverse nature of our students and I enjoy watching them develop their confidence, manual skills and their ability to complete tasks.

How did you get involved in the construction industry?

I left school at 16 and gained a Level 3 apprenticeship in Painting and Decorating and since then I’ve been both self-employed and employed by a company. Over my many years in the industry, I’ve learnt new skills to keep me employable and to keep my enthusiasm for construction alive.

What have been the highlights and challenges in your career?

One highlight was having the opportunity to work in Brazil retrofitting telecoms hubs. In terms of challenges, finding work when the industry has a downturn is often hard.

What advice would you give for anyone starting out in the construction industry?

I’ve had a lot of time in the industry so there’s a few things that I’ve learned that are helpful to share.

Master the basics before you move on to anything else. Having solid fundamentals makes everything else easier – learn accurate measuring, marking out, safe tool handling, and correct material selection. You should work to build good habits early as it’s harder to fix bad ones later.

You’ll also need to get the relevant qualifications – the CSCS Green Card (or equivalent) is essential, and it’s important to have up-to-date training in areas such as manual handling or working at height.

You’ve got to get comfortable with physical work. The job is demanding, especially at the start, so keep yourself fit, stay hydrated, learn how to lift and move materials correctly. Leading on from that, you must treat safety as non-negotiable. New starters often underestimate how dangerous construction can be and you have to follow PPE requirements every single time. It’s important to learn the “why” behind safety procedures, not just the rules – and always ask when unsure. In my experience, silence causes accidents. 

Building a strong work ethic is essential, as construction rewards reliability – so turn up on time, stay focused, and take pride in your work. These simple habits will set you apart more than you might think. It’s also important to respect everyone on site as construction is a team environment, with labourers, apprentices, skilled trades and supervisors all working together. A good attitude can get you recommended for future work faster than skills alone.

“A good attitude can get you recommended for future work faster than skills alone.”

Good tradespeople never stop learning so be curious and ask questions. If you ask more experienced workers why they do things a certain way and pay attention to how they solve problems, you’ll pick up smart techniques. It’s also good to branch out and learn about multiple skills as modern sites really value versatility, so knowing a bit of bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, or plumbing makes you employable across a wider range of roles.

Invest in your own tools- but you can do this slowly. Don’t rush out and buy everything at once, but start with quality essentials such as a tape measure, hammer, a level, and a decent cordless drill. You can then buy more tools as your skillset and responsibilities grow.

Developing construction skills takes time and repetition. Every expert bricklayer, carpenter, or plasterer once struggled to get a straight line or a clean finish, so remember to be patient with yourself.

What do you think are some of the misconceptions about working in the construction industry?

“Construction is just manual labour – anyone can do it.”

Construction requires a high level of technical skill as well as problem solving, maths, planning, and precision. From interpreting complex drawings to understanding building regulations, there’s a lot more brainwork involved than people realise.

“There’s no career progression.”

The industry has huge progression opportunities. You can go from being an apprentice to a skilled tradesperson, to a supervisor before becoming a site manager. This could lead to becoming a contracts manager or even having your own business. There are also lots of other interesting pathways into surveying, estimating, design and teaching.

“It’s unsafe and full of accidents.” 

In reality, modern construction is far safer than most people think thanks to improved safety standards, digital monitoring, better PPE, and strict regulations. The industry is continually reducing risks and most incidents happen due to people cutting corners rather than because the industry is inherently dangerous.

“It’s only for men.” 

This is something that’s changing – slowly but steadily. There are more women entering the industry across trades, engineering, management and leadership roles – and there’s a big push to bring more diversity into the sector.

“You can’t make good money in construction.” 

Skilled tradespeople often earn very competitive wages, which can be higher than many graduates. Over time, through self-employment or specialist skills, you can significantly increase earnings.

“Trades are only for people who didn’t do well in school.” 

This stereotype is completely outdated, and many of the best tradespeople are excellent with problem-solving, maths, spatial awareness, and precision. It’s a skilled profession, not a fallback option.

What are the benefits of working in the UK construction industry?

Well, to start with – there’s high job security due to major skill shortages, as well as competitive wages and a huge variety in roles and specialisms. If you stay in the industry, there’s also clear progression and a number of training pathways. I think that the UK construction industry is a rapidly modernising, tech-driven work environment and industry growth forecasts remain positive – so it’s a great option for those entering the workforce.

Considering a career in construction? Take a look at our extensive range of expert-led Construction and Plumbing Courses.

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