Construction Careers – Careers in Construction

building-construction majors

Construction Careers

Construction careers involve building projects revolving around the construction of buildings and homes, or infrastructure and utility engineering projects like highways, bridges, and dams.  This can include design, preparation of sites for building, and new construction, as well as addition, alterations, maintenance and repair of current structures.

Construction offers a wide range of positions, some of which require little to no prior education or skill, and some of which require a high skilled trade level. This is another career area where apprenticeships can be a great way to gain experience and learn the trade while working.

Jobs in this field include:

  • Construction manager
  • Construction laborer
  • Carpenter
  • Electrician
  • Equipment operator
  • Building inspector
  • Heating and air conditioning installers
  • Home improvement contractors
  • Architectural restoration and historic preservation

Other disciplines within the construction field include:

  • Riggers/hoisting engineers
  • Concrete workers and finishers
  • Building demolition
  • Heavy equipment operations
  • Iron and rebar workers
  • Waterproofing technicians
  • Millwork/finish carpenters
  • Interior painters and wallpaper hangers
  • Exterior painters
  • Roofers
  • Home inspectors
  • Steamfitters and pipefitters
  • Drywall and ceiling installers
  • Window and door installers
  • Sheet metal workers
  • Scaffolding contractors
  • Flooring installers
  • Iron workers
  • Hazardous material removal workers

 

Jobs and Experiences

There are many ways to learn about and get experience in construction jobs, starting in high school and moving forward.

  • Take courses in shop, carpentry, computer aided design, technical drawing and math.
  • Work part-time with a contractor or construction company to gain hands-on experience
  • Get an apprenticeship to learn with a master craftsperson
  • Learn the business as a salesperson, customer service representative or administrative assistant
  • Interview people who work in the field to learn about the best ways to train, day to day requirements of the job, and how they got to the position they currently hold.

Especially with carpentry, work on independent projects to improve your craftsmanship and learn tools of the trade.

 

Overview of construction positions:

Construction Management

Construction management involves the oversight of a construction project from beginning to end, including planning, materials, budgets, timeline, insuring progress on each project and being ultimately responsible for successful on-time, on-budget completion.

Construction managers represent the owner’s interests in a building project, working with all parties involved, with the intent to manage costs, mitigate problems and managing risk.  Construction managers have training in working with each of the parties involved:  architects, engineers, clients and general contractors.

Job titles along this career path include:

  • Construction supervisor
  • Construction manager
  • Site supervisor
  • Cost estimator
  • Project manager
  • Project engineer

Employers prefer construction managers with a college degree—a bachelor’s in civil engineering, construction science, construction management or construction technology.  Master’s degrees also exist in these disciplines. Often construction managers start as construction supervisors then working their way up with a lot of on the job training, and work-related experience.

Types of companies who employ construction managers:

  • Large multi-location corporations
  • Real estate developers
  • Federal government
  • Independent contracting companies

 

Construction laborer

Construction laborers are the “boots on the ground” people who do the physical work of construction projects. This includes preparation of the site, building, loading and loading materials, operating machinery, assisting skilled tradesmen and cleaning up the site at the end of the project.

 

Carpenter

A carpenter builds, assembles, installs and repairs fixtures and structures, working with materials like wood (their primary medium), fiberglass, drywall, and plastic. This is generally a physically demanding job, and can have long hours in extreme weather conditions, depending on the type of carpentry you do.

You must have a high school diploma or GED to become a carpenter, and it helps to have a driver’s license. Vocational training programs (ex. wood shop) exist in some secondary schools. Two-year technical school programs will help develop a foundational knowledge of the trade—reading blueprints, preparing estimates, understanding building codes and safety regulations.

Apprenticeships often run about 3-4 years in this vocation, and require an employer sponsor, qualifying aptitude test score and approval from a committee of master tradespeople. The ultimate education goal in carpentry is to become a master carpenter, which allows you to earn more money, hold supervisory positions, and can make it easier to own your own company (if you aren’t one, you have to have one on staff).

 

Electrician

Electricians install electrical wiring and lighting, rewire equipment and fixtures, troubleshoot electrical problems, and conduct electrical safety inspections. Education (after your high school diploma) is gained on-the-job, often through an apprenticeship program of 4-5 years.  Apprenticeships require 144 hours/year of technical training (blueprints, code requirements and safety procedures, math and electrical theory), and 2,000 hours of practical experience.

 

Building inspector

Building inspectors ensure that work done on a construction project meets the standards set out in building codes and ordnances, zoning regulations and contracts. These positions usually require at least a high school diploma and construction industry experience.  Some states require licensing.

  • Construction inspector
  • Building inspector
  • Electrical inspector
  • Home inspector
  • Coating inspector
  • Public works inspector

 

Heating and air conditioning (HVAC) installers

HVAC installers put in new heating, ventilation and cooling equipment, as well as corresponding ductwork, refrigerant lines and components and wiring.  A high school diploma is required, but HAVC/R training and multiple certifications exist which can make you more marketable.

  • Commercial installer
  • Residential service tech

 

Home improvement contractors

Home improvement contractors oversee the conceptualization and  logistics of home improvement construction projects, from turning client vision into a plan to budgets and timeline. As a management position, these jobs usually require a bachelor’s degree in Business administration, Construction engineering, Construction management or Operations management.

 

Architectural restoration and historic preservation

If you have an interest in historic buildings, architecture and conservation, architectural restoration and historic preservation might be a career to consider. Architectural restoration specializes in the conservation of historic buildings and other structures; renovation or restoration can help preserve them for the future.  Typical requirements ask for a master’s degree in conservation architecture or historic preservation with focus in building renovation and restoration, design and architecture.

  • Restoration architect
  • Historic preservationist

 

Certifications and Licensing

There are no nationally recognized required licensing certifications for construction management. However, they may indicate a level of experience or expertise to a future employer, which could give you a boost in the hiring process. Leading certifications in construction management are:

  • Certified Construction Manager (CCM)-- recognizes professionals who have chosen a career in construction management and voluntarily met the prescribed criteria of the construction management certification program with regards to formal education, field experience and demonstrated capability and understanding of the CMAA body of knowledge.
  • American Institute of Constructors Certificates(AIC):
    • Associate Constructor (AC)-- the first level of certification in the Constructor Certification Program.  This level of certification is ideal of recent graduates of 4-Year Construction Management Programs or those transitioning into construction management from other industries.
    • Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) - the highest level of certification in the Constructor Certification Program.  This level of certification is ideal for individuals with established constructors who have several years of project oversight experience and seek to take their career to the next level.

Both require a four-year degree and four years of direct experience, or 8 years of experience with no bachelor’s.

  • Journeyman’s license—indicative of completion of an apprenticeship qualification, this authorizes you to work as a master tradesperson in carpentry and plumbing.
  • Electrician’s license—most US states require electricians to be licensed, in addition to continuing education units (CEUs) required on an ongoing basis.
  • International Code Council-- offers 37 different certifications for certified code safety professionals.

 

Technology used in construction:

CAD software:  AutoCAD, Revit, Computer aided design and drafting software

Project management software:  HeavyBid, HeavyJob, SharePoint, Primavera Enterprise Project

Photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud, Drone image capturing, Visio,  SketchUp Pro

Database software: ISS Construction Manager, Yardi