An Overview on Basic Construction Skills

The construction sector has become one of the most booming areas of business in every country - specially for developing countries. Philippines for example is one of the many developing countries that is seen with great potential for any business, which is why every year, there are a lot of investors that set up their business in many key areas of the county. Those businesses opens up a great opportunity for job generation - from the construction phase to the start of business operations.

Construction projects needs a lot of work force especially for the huge ones like skyscrapers, shopping malls, government buildings and other building and engineering projects. There is a great need for skilled workers that will take over several tasks to complete a construction project. A typical construction project needs various types of skilled workers - foremen, masons, machine operators, drivers, etc. Whether anyone wants to apply for any of the mentioned job titles, it is really important to have a great understanding about the basic construction skills. This will help the workers, regardless of their titles, become more proficient workers and also equip them with the new trends in construction which they can carry on throughout their careers.

The primary basic construction skills that a worker should possess is knowledge with safety and standards best practices. There are many risks that can cause danger to any worker in a construction site - this is why every worker should be cautious and understand every precaution and safety measures.

Another essential skill is being able to read blue prints. Blue Prints are basically a draft which contains the instructions on how everything should be done. Construction projects rely on blue prints in to ensure that a structure is built correctly and safely. It is very important for everyone, even for a helper in order to make every tasks go smoothly and more efficiently.

Finally, a general knowledge on the operation of a variety of tools and machine is a very important skill for everyone. Improper techniques of using such tools makes any work inefficient and dangerous that it may cause damage to structures, harm people and compromise the construction project.

Every contractors should provide trainings that will educate all employees about safety and standards, best practices and new trends in the field of construction. This will not only make them more effective but it will also contribute to the success of your construction firm.

Construction Industry in the Philippines

For a developing country like Philippines, the building and construction industry is surely one of the most booming business sectors. Every year, an increasing number of buildings, establishments, public works and whatnot are being built throughout the country. There are a lot of established construction firms that handles various civil engineering and architecture projects.

Civil engineering works deals with the design, construction and maintenance of a physical environment which includes buildings, infrastructures, public works, bridges, etc. Architecture works on the other hand is both the process and end result of planning, designing and building. Construction projects are usually faceted into many different aspects that is handled by a project manager, architect, structural engineer, construction manager, etc.

Construction is the process of building or assembling an infrastructure in a certain area or land. In general, there are different types of construction: Building Construction, Heavy/Civil Construction and Industrial Construction.

Building Construction is the process of adding a structure into a real property. It can be a commercial or a residential building. From small scale to large scale and from houses to condo units or hotels. Commercial building construction is procured privately or publicly. Construction projects can also be renovations or reconstruction of certain structures.

Heavy/Civil construction projects are mostly involves government agencies for big projects in national or local levels. These projects are commonly government buildings and public infrastructures.

Industrial Construction is the process of building infrastructures for industries like automotive plants, food and beverage plant, petroleum plant and other buildings for different industries.

TYPHOON SENDONG DAMAGING CONSTRUCTION SITES AND BUSINESSES

Photo: taken by hygienematters @ flickr.com

It was reported that the recent typhoon that hit the Philippines, particularly in Cagayand de Oro and some parts of Iligan, had reached an estimated amount of hundred million (Php 100M) worth of damages to the small and medium businesses, according to the DTI (or the Department of Trade and Industry).  That includes the a number of factory equipment and amenities. Also greatly affected by the typhoon Sendong were food manufacturing plants in the city.

The assistant director of DTI, Ms Linda Bonia, alleged that some construction service companies in Iligan city were washed away by the typhoon along with the vehicles in some parts of the city. A lot of buildings and infrastructures in both Iligan and CDO city were   heavily devastated, affecting the homes and the livelihood of the residents. The DTI immediately took an action and tapped up some government agencies to offer loans to the small businesses who were affected by Sendong.