You may be surprised by how little support you receive from a company early in your career.

When you join a construction company, most people don’t really know what to expect from their employer, or what the employer expects from them, to prepare them for the work ahead. Yes, most companies handle the basics: onboarding paperwork, OSHA training, PPE, and a laptop. But then what?

After that, you’re typically assigned to a project and introduced to the project lead. You may get a job walk, access to drawings and specifications, and a list of tasks you’re responsible for. This process is built on one major assumption: that you arrived on day one already prepared, with the skill sets needed to perform.

In reality, many companies expect you to figure it out on your own. Not necessarily because they don’t care, but because they often lack the time, resources, or personnel to properly train you. It becomes a classic sink-or-swim situation.

So, the real question is: do you truly have the skills to succeed, or are you about to find yourself just trying to survive instead?

We’ve been there. Some companies provide training in specific areas but overlook others, often delaying years before investing in your growth. Early in your career—when guidance is most needed—support is usually limited.

The unfortunate truth is that interns and young professionals often don’t realize this. When you’re unsure of what to expect, everything offered can seem like exactly what a company should provide—since you have nothing to compare it to. Safety practices are a good example. Many companies don’t provide what they should, but to inexperienced employees, it can appear as if they are doing everything correctly.

Construction culture hasn’t changed much in decades. It is still largely a sink-or-swim industry—and you don’t want to learn that the hard way.

That’s exactly why Scott Jennings and I wrote the Interactive Webbook on Heavy Civil Construction Materials and Methods. You may assume your company will provide the training and support you need at the point in your career when it matters most—but history shows that’s rarely the case.

Our advice is straightforward: take control of your future. Acquire the knowledge, grasp the fundamentals, and stay prepared regardless of which heavy civil construction company you work for. The jobsite will require it—whether your company trains you or not.