Construction Worker: An Overview Of The Career

Construction Worker: An Overview Of The Career
For those people who are not interested in much education beyond high school level, a career as a construction worker is a good choice. A high school or GED certificate is enough to get a job doing physical labor at a construction site. If you want more specialized construction work, you should look into the possibility of apprenticeship training or skill classes at a community college, vocational or trade school.

If you are just out of high school and thinking about the type of career you want to pursue, you should consider applying for work as a common laborer at a construction site. In many instances jobs do not require belonging to a union; other types of work in construction go only to union members. About 14 percent of workers on construction sites belong to a union of some sort.

Workers are needed in every type of building site. They build houses and commercial buildings. Workers participate in building highways, bridges, tunnels and residential sites. High rise building construction is a totally different experience than building a spec house in a suburb, but workers are needed in both types of building.

Entry level jobs will vary depending on the type of construction site involved. A laborer may load or unload construction supplies and equipment. Site cleaning or preparation may be a part of the general duties. Tasks are usually low skill level, but may be physically demanding. In order to qualify for higher paying jobs, the worker needs to complete extra training. This is sometimes funded by the employer.

Workers participate in projects indoors or outdoors. They may work in all types of weather, although seriously inclement weather can result in shutting down the construction site for a period. Workers may or may not receive benefits such as health insurance. The work week usually is 40 hours with few if any paid holidays. Sometimes overnight travel is required such as when a highway crew is working at a distance from home base.

For those workers who want to advance, apprenticeships or trade school classes are typical. The worker may learn to operate specialized tools. Handling drills, jackhammers or more specialized construction tools is a way for the worker to improve skills. Some types of construction work require even more study and experience. Workers handling hazardous materials or those working underground must have special skills and training.

Wage expectations for construction personnel are related to the seniority or experience on the job and for the skill level required. In 2008, median wage levels were just under $14 per hour. Supervisory positions earn approximately twice as much on the average. Overtime work is not typical, but long hours may be needed if a project must be finished in a short time.

The job outlook for an entry level construction worker is better than average for the next decade. A combination of federally funded projects during attempts at economic recovery spending and green project jobs mean that about a twenty percent increase in jobs is projected. For the individual willing and able to do hard physical labor in all types of weather, this industry provides excellent opportunities.


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