Editor's comment: Build a better image

Construction struggles to attract top quality graduates thanks to its poor image in comparison with other more lucrative and less hazardous career options.

Whether that poor image is deserved is another matter, but that’s the point about an image – perception is all too often reality. But if students are interested in working in the construction industry, which firms have a good image as the best employers?

The latest GTI Employer of Choice Graduate Survey attempts to answer this question with over 500 students minded to work in the industry giving their views on the most attractive places to work.

What it doesn’t give is the reasons why students picked certain companies and not others.

We can hazard a few guesses – size clearly matters. Most of the companies topping the various surveys are big national organisations. Their presence will be noticed around the country and in the media, and naturally, they also tend to be the firms who can most afford to target universities in their recruitment drives.

But what do we learn, for example, about Balfour Beatty? Some 8% of students picked it as a first choice place to work, but equally 8% would not consider working there.

That must present a pretty confusing picture about its image to Balfour Beatty.

That said, the survey does offer some general pointers on what’s important to students in choosing an employer. Training and development opportunities are very important to 60.5% of respondents, salary and benefits to 40% and organisational reputation to 33.2%.

Image is an ephemeral thing, difficult to pin down and even harder to change, but construction organisations really ought to invest some time and money in trying to establish what their image is. In the struggle to attract the best employees, it must be worth it.

[Contract Journal, 30 August 2006, p 44]