Finishing school or university is an exciting time for most students. However, it’s also a time where students face life decisions that can be incredibly overwhelming and leave one wondering what to possibly do next. One of these decisions will likely be whether or not to pursue university studies, or whether perhaps an apprenticeship or a jump into the world of work would be a better fit. There’s no easy way to wrestle with making these decisions, just as there’s no right or wrong answer as to which path you choose.

One thing to think about, though, is what course of action will be likely to provide you with long-term job satisfaction.

Now, job satisfaction is one of those tricky areas where everyone has different requirements. For some people, the opportunity to helping people is the ultimate goal, while for others it’s to find a position of management or have the opportunity to travel. And, of course, some people just want to make heaps of cash.

One thing that you may not have thought about is when considering how to achieve job satisfaction is the gratification that you might get from making something. Many people involved in different industries have found the simple (obviously it’s never that simple in practice) act of being involved in the making of something like a building or software programme can provide them with the ultimate job satisfaction. As you may have experience yourself, there are few more gratifying things than taking a step back from your hard work and saying “I made that.” So today we’ll highlight a few industries where making things is at the heart of what they do.

Computers and IT

Given that computers are the defining technology of the twenty-first century, it’s unsurprising that there are so many opportunities to be involved in making things in this field, from designing and writing software programmes to being involved in the development of new devices such as tablets. Programme developers, scriptwriters and computer engineers are just a few of the job titles out there. There are plenty of apprenticeship opportunities available, and many develop their careers through getting into the industry, learning the ropes and working their way up. If conventional study is more your style, most universities offer programmes in computer science or engineering that would give you invaluable insight into the industry as well.

Energy and natural resources

This is another huge field and ever-more important field, which includes jobs and industries ranging from oil to renewable energy. This field may offer you not only the opportunity to be involved in the development and production of energy, but also great chances to work elsewhere and discover how other countries around the world are approaching energy production. Petroleum engineer or environmental scientist are potential job titles within this area, and there are many more. And energy has links to everything from the car industry to health and safety initiatives. Depending on whether you’re interested in the theoretical development and engineering side of this industry or getting into doing more of the physical development and implementation, you’ll again find that there are various entries into the field through academic studies or apprenticeships.

Construction

This is perhaps one of the more obvious fields that can lead you to point at something, for example a bridge or building, and say “I was a part of making that”. But, like the others, this might be from the viewpoint of a number of different job roles. Many people enjoy the physical elements of being involved in the construction process, but there are also numerous roles involved in designing buildings such as an architect, and determining how to actually safely construct a building, such as a structural engineer. If you’re more interested in determining how to make a building, then university is the way forward. Otherwise, consider what element of construction interests you the most and check out what apprenticeship or technical programmes are available to get involved.

There are so many interesting jobs out there that are not obvious at first thought. If you’re a bit unsure as to your next steps in life, why not think about a few broad industries that you’ve got an interest in and check out some of the jobs that may fit in – while some may be obvious, there are likely to be a few that you’ve not thought of but might give you the ultimate job satisfaction.