Site technicians get involved with the general running and safety of the site. Your role would include hiring and buying materials and machinery, and organising people and equipment. It would be your responsibility to ensure budgets and plans are followed, and that everything reaches technical requirements.
Before becoming a technician, you will need to have a strong knowledge of building methods, materials and health and safety requirements, which you will have to teach workers on your site. You will need good communication and organisational skills, have a high level of competence in computing, and work well as part of a team.
There are no specific academic entry requirements to train as a site technician, although it is helpful to have GCSE/Standard Grade passes in Science, Maths and Technology for the measurements and planning.
It is helpful to be trained in an aspect of construction or building, to ensure you understand methods and processes, and how the whole job fits together. You will also need to have had some training in drawing production in order to supervise and approve technical plans and drawings.
There are apprenticeship schemes available, and employers are happy to offer work experience to young people hoping to get into the trade. You will usually begin your training as an assistant technician, and then progress on to more supervisory roles.
There are possibilities to work all over the country and abroad once you have qualified as a site technician, on a great variety of sites and projects. There is also the opportunity to progress to a higher professional-level job, in construction management, after gaining experience and qualifications. For information on salaries see professional institutions and industry press.
