Construction jobs encompass a wide range of opportunities in the industry, ranging from carpenters and electricians to project managers and civil engineers. Construction professionals participate in a wide range of projects. There are residential projects, such as single-family homes, small lot developments, or apartment buildings, commercial projects, such as building strip malls, industrial facilities or office buildings, and a range of infrastructure projects, such as public transit construction or building bridges. Your duties and responsibilities depend on the type of project and your role in the construction industry.
The skills you need to be a construction worker depend primarily on the type of job you have. For example, an electrician needs to have an aptitude for installing and testing electrical systems and wiring, while a carpenter or framer needs to have experience building the wood frames of houses or buildings. For more labor-intensive jobs, physical aptitude may be your most important quality. However, you need experience operating power tools and heavy equipment as well. If you work on the engineering side, you need design, math, and analytical skills. No matter what type of construction worker you are, there are some essential skills you must all possess. These include strong verbal communication, the ability to read and interpret blueprints, an aptitude for adhering to all safety codes and regulations.
There are several paths to getting a construction job. For an engineer position, you need a bachelor’s degree in engineering and experience with design software. To be a project manager, you may need a degree as well. However, experience with budgeting and team leadership is more important. Many construction workers on the labor side enter apprenticeship programs, often sponsored by unions. In these programs, you get both formal training and hands-on experience on a construction site. You also learn how to use a wide range of industrial equipment and materials from more experienced contractors and journeymen workers. You then take a licensing exam which allows you to work independently. Your labor union can also help you find work after completing the program.
Construction can be a satisfying career. You often get to work outside with many other people, and you get to see the fruits of your labor. There is a collaborative element to the work, so if you enjoy working as part of a large team on a project, construction work might be a good fit. Additionally, if you have mechanical aptitude, enjoy engineering and design problems, and have an interest in advancing to managerial positions, such as being a foreman or head contractor, construction work is a good career. Depending on your state, you may have a strong union as well, which means construction can be a secure and well-paying career field.