Top 5 Reasons to Pursue a Career in Construction
Judie Docs, Executive Officer
CSP, CMP, CGP, MCSP, MIRM, GRI
North Coast Building Industry Association (NCBIA) ncbia.com
October is Careers in Construction Month, an opportunity for home builders, materials suppliers, and others to increase public awareness of the outstanding opportunities available in construction trades professions.
Here are the top five reasons to consider a rewarding career in residential construction:
Builders Across the Country Are Hiring
Home builders across the country and here in our area are seeking skilled workers — such as carpenters, framers, and roofers — to help them build the American Dream. This means there are many opportunities for motivated students seeking a rewarding career path.
In fact, the residential construction industry is one of the few sectors where demand for new workers is rising and there is a notable shortage of professionals. According to the analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Job Satisfaction and Competitive Salaries
Residential construction workers consistently express high job satisfaction. And average salaries in our area remain competitive with other industries in our area. For example:
Ohio Annual Wages in Construction Ohio Average Top 25% Earn at Least
First-Line Supervisors 69,490 79,690
Brick masons & Block masons 60,320 74,540
Carpenters 52,050 62,580
Tile & Marble Setters 57,050 62,650
Cement Masons & Concrete Finishers 52,460 61,240
Construction Laborers 48,580 61,160
Paving, Surfacing & Tamping Equip. Operators 50,270 60,680
Operating Engineers & Other Construction
Equipment Operators 64,150 77,820
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 53,450 60,360
Electricians 56,260 64,490
Glaziers 54,130 62,250
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall 48,550 61,670
Painters, Construction and Maintenance 44,870 49,470
Pipe layers 49,280 48,110
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 63,190 78,900
Plasterers and Stucco Masons 42,740 48,370
Roofers 46,290 49,630
Construction and Building Inspectors 69,830 93,470
Tapers 57,480 61,260
Source: Occupational Employment Statistics (OES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, and projections from all sources predict that construction jobs will see steady wage growth for at least the next five years.
A Career Ladder with No Limit
When people think of professions with great opportunities for advancement, construction might not immediately come to mind. But you should take another look at what a career in construction can, and often does, look like.
From an entry-level labor position, a home building worker has the opportunity to learn more highly skilled trades, serve as frontline management, grow into a company management role, and eventually, for those with an entrepreneurial spirit, even own their own home building firm. And this is just within one type of company; there is always the opportunity to take a job with a supplier, a specialty contractor, or any other of dozens of supporting companies essential to the residential construction industry.
Diversity of Skilled Trades to Consider
A home builder relies on a number of highly trained workers to get the job done right. This includes dozens of skilled artisans and professionals, including carpenters, architects, engineers, plumbers, electricians, painters, and landscapers. Analysis from NAHB shows that 70 percent of builders typically use between 11 and 30 subcontractors to build a single-family home. Indeed, there are many different trades you can pursue depending on your personal interests.
Rewarding Career without College Debt
At a time when countless college graduates are finding themselves underemployed and saddled with crushing student debt, it’s important to know that earning a college degree is not the only road to success. A vocational education is equally rewarding and can be obtained at a fraction of the cost.
HBI, a national leader in career training and NAHB’s workforce development arm, offers educational programs in 44 states, (including Ohio) and the District of Columbia, reaching more than 13,000 students each year. These include more than 10,000 students in HBI’s pre-apprenticeship programs and 3,500 students in 130 NAHB Student Chapters.
HBI Job Corps programs are located in 74 centers across the nation and offer pre-apprenticeship training in 10 residential construction trades. The training programs are national in scope, but implemented locally using proven models that can be customized to meet the workforce needs of communities across the nation. Those who graduate from the program enjoy an 80 percent job placement rate.
Visit our website – ncbia.com for a list of our reputable and dependable members, as well as our new For Consumer section and job posting (under the About Us tab). To learn more about job opportunities in our area, visit contact the NCBIA. Or give us a call Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 440-934-1090. Come build with us!