Career guide

Building Contractor

Enterprising

Runs building projects and a building business - pricing work, managing sites, subcontractors, materials and clients. Usually entered after years in a construction trade.

School subjects

Grade 12 with Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy; Technical subjects help.

How you qualify

Most contractors start as a qualified artisan (bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing) and build from there, or study a National Diploma in Building or Construction Management (NQF 6). To bid for public work you must register your business with the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), which grades contractors by capability, and register with the NHBRC for new home building. This is a business as much as a trade. Entry requirements differ - confirm directly with the institution.

Where to study

TVET colleges and Universities of Technology; cidb and NHBRC registration required to contract

Before you decide. Entry requirements change every year and differ between institutions. We do not publish admission point scores here, because a number that is right for one university in one year is wrong for another. Confirm the requirements directly with the institution before your subject selection form is signed. In KwaZulu-Natal, applications go through the Central Applications Office (cao.ac.za).

Last verified: 2026-08

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