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A career or further study in the construction and built environment sector is jam–packed with opportunities. The Diploma helps to prepare you for them by giving you the skills and experience you need to succeed. What's different about the Diploma is that businesses in the industry are investing their time to help you do this.

This is why you'll be learning about all types of construction projects, the stages involved and all the different specialists who work on them – from the people who know. What the sector can offer in return is an exciting and challenging career, with the chance to really make your mark.

So, what's it really like?

Construction is one of the UK's biggest industries. Thousands of people join the sector every year, but a massive 2 million people already work in it. They do more than 700 different types of jobs between them.

That's the thing about construction; it covers so many roles and specialist areas. There's designing, planning, materials, surveying, building and maintenance to name a few. But what's great about being in it is that whatever level you start at you can always go on to bigger and better things. If you put the hard work in, you can get a lot out. Even running your own company! More than 35% of people in the sector are their own boss.

The big buzz word at the moment is the Olympics. London 2012 will mean another 33,500 jobs for people in the industry. But it's not all about the big stuff; there are so many projects happening all over the country – from small kitchen fit–outs to building houses and whole estates. And that's just here, overseas there are many more.

That should give you an idea of how big an area this is to explore, whether you're thinking of working in it or studying more about it. By doing the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment, you'll get the chance to do just that: Explore everything.

Useful links

Check out the bContructive website. There's lots of info for young people thinking about getting into the sector, with profiles of different jobs and courses. You can find out what life is really like on the job with diaries from all types of professionals: bricklayers to architects and site managers to steeplejacks.

Also try the Construction Skills website (the sector skills council). And Prospect4U is a great place to find info on careers in building products, as well as loads of cool facts.