Last Updated on February 6, 2023 by Admin
Is this your life aim to join the Construction industry? Are you eager to know what education you need to become a construction worker?
Construction workers perform numerous jobs that involve physical work on building sites. Most laborers and assistants in the construction industry work full-time and perform physically taxing tasks. Some people do their jobs in inclement weather or at tremendous heights.
Of all occupations, construction workers have one of the highest rates of diseases and injuries. Construction workers may provide a hand in erecting, rigging, or supporting structural frameworks to ensure the construction’s safe and efficient completion. What type of training do you need to be a construction worker? In this post, we have compiled all the information for your convenience. Let’s dive in without further ado.
What Type of Training Do You Need to be a Construction Worker?
There are numerous educational career choices available to construction workers. But what training do you need to become a construction worker? You can take on-the-job training. You can attend vocational school or get a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering technology.
Workers frequently begin as unskilled employees to learn the fundamentals of the job. Later, they hone their abilities by studying a particular construction specialty, such as installing floors and walls.
Do you need the experience to be a construction worker? No, you don’t need experience. Let’s check how?
How to Become a Construction Worker with No Experience?
Can you work in construction with no experience? Is it still possible to start without prior experience? Yes, many positions and opportunities are available in the construction field, regardless of your previous experience.
The construction field demands a variety of duties and working conditions. Many skills and personality traits are advantageous to employees in this field. However, each trade has unique desirable abilities in all construction roles.
Now we will discuss some hard construction jobs.
What’s the Hardest Construction Job?
Contractors and customers agreed that demolition and roofing are the two most physically taxing operations. Each needs a lot of strength, balance, and prudence to be completed safely and effectively.
Regarding physically demanding jobs, contractors ranked carpentry and drywall insulation in a tie for third place. However, consumers’ most popular choices were drywall insulation, excavation, and landscaping.
Electricians, painters, and carpet cleaners are all rated as the hardest construction jobs.
However, you can also perform easy jobs in the construction field.
What Are The Easiest Construction Jobs?
Many full-time and part-time construction positions available don’t require prior expertise. So, don’t worry if you don’t have any professional construction experience. Additionally, many skilled trades offer apprenticeship programs. They aim to develop and support employees who are new to the industry.
Here are the different types of easiest construction jobs you can get quickly without any experience.
- Traffic Controller or Construction Flagger
- Cleaning Crew
- General Laborer
- Sheet Metal Worker
- Flooring and Tile Installer
- Painter
- Insulation Installer
- Roofer
And much more.
What are the Most Dangerous Construction Jobs?
We have discussed here the five most dangerous construction jobs.
1. High-Rise Construction
The riskiest construction job is working at heights. Fall accidents account for 40% of fatalities and numerous injuries in construction-related incidents. The risk increases with building height. Other inherent risks include inclement weather, fire, and strong winds, particularly in the winter months. If you perform work in the air, it will also have an impact on danger levels as well. Concrete handling and crane operating are among the riskiest jobs.
2. Demolition Jobs
Demolition work ranks high on the danger list because it is the most unpredictable profession in construction. It is challenging to calculate how gravity and other variables will influence a piece of falling material. However, most dangers of demolition can be reduced or even eliminated with proper planning. Electrocution, for instance, is a typical demolition accident that safety precautions could stop.
3. Sewer and Duct Construction
While working in confined spaces, please ensure proper ventilation before sending any crew into a tight space. Additionally, in the case of an emergency, the administration should set up alternative exit routes to handle the situation. If not, only well-trained personnel and well-maintained equipment can help lessen the threat of suffocation.
4. Heavy Machinery Operators
Large machinery is present at many building sites. Equipment operators must receive extensive training in safe machine usage to prevent hazards. Site engineers should be aware of preventive measures and not place equipment in the wrong location. Additionally, machinery needs to undergo regular, thorough inspections to prevent failure.
5. Utilizing Power Tools
Employees use power tools in the majority of construction operations. Many times workers are exposed to risk while performing duties that are second nature to them. Employees will likely forget the safety precautions and develop careless usage habits over time. For instance, According to OSHA, 37,000 emergency department visits were caused alone by nail guns.
Highest Paying Jobs in Construction Industry
It is challenging to land a high-paying job in the construction industry. Read on to find the five of the Construction Industry’s highest-paying jobs.
1. Managers of Construction
Earnings on average: $98,990
Requirements: A bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a closely related profession.
Although there are many different working settings for construction managers, many also work for themselves. They spend the majority of the workday in a nearby field office. The project manager oversees work and gives direction and instruction on construction-related tasks.
2. Installers and Repairers of Elevators
Earning on average: $97,860
Requirements: Having a high school diploma or an equivalent, an apprenticeship, and the necessary state licenses.
In freshly constructed buildings, elevator installers often install elevators and escalators. On the other hand, the repairer’s job is to maintain and repair elevators and escalators installed in buildings.
3. Electrician
Earning on average: $60,040
Requirements: High school certificate or equivalent, apprenticeships, and state licensing requirements
In general, electricians deal with anything regarding the use of electricity in homes and structures. They also cover installing, maintaining, and fixing power, communication, lighting, and control system-related electrical equipment. Additionally, they also check circuit breakers and transformers.
4. Plumber
Earning on average: $59,880
Requirements: High school graduation or equivalent is necessary. Apprenticeships, vocational training, and state licensure are typically needed.
Plumbers can work on both new buildings and repairs. In newly constructed structures, the plumber installed pipes and water-related equipment. They will maintain and fix current plumbing systems on the repair side. Plumbers must be able to read blueprints and adhere to regional and national building regulations.
5. Operators of Construction Equipment
Salary on average: $48,920
Requirements: A high school graduation or equivalent is required. Apprenticeship or other types of vocational training are also needed.
On most construction sites, you’ll find operators of construction equipment. They are the ones who control the large machinery required for building construction. Examples include pile drivers, crane operators, bulldozers, backhoe operators, and those who operate industrial trucks or tractors.
Construction Jobs for Beginners
Are you looking for a construction job as a beginner? This post is for you. It’s crucial to realize that all of the positions we’ll be describing in this post are “laborer” or “worker” positions. To advance in any profession, you first need to work as a worker, laborer, or assistant.
In other words, there aren’t any prominent construction positions where you can start without experience. You can’t expect to enter the construction sector without the expertise and pick up a higher-level job. In actuality, knowledge of that work is necessary for all well-paying, higher-level occupations.
Therefore, it’s crucial to emphasize that you cannot start as a carpenter without experience and earn $30 daily. Reaching the skill level where an organization offers you high wages will take effort, time, and practice.
Below is a list of construction jobs you can join as a beginner.
- Carpentry Laborer
- General Contractor’s Laborer
- Landscape Laborer
- Painting Laborer
- Commercial Construction Laborer
- Flooring and Tile Laborer
- Masonry Worker
- Roofing Laborer
How to Get into Construction As a Woman?
A trade school is a good option for women interested in getting into construction. Students can learn crucial fundamentals from these institutions. They gain knowledge about installation methods, building materials, and more. Students will learn the use of various power and hand tools. Also, they get an understanding of blueprints.
It’s difficult for women to get a career as construction workers. Women have a few options for a career in construction after completing a trade school program. They can pick the possibility of starting their jobs immediately or enrolling in a paid apprenticeship.
Female Construction Workers’ Salary
Female construction workers’ salaries are low compared to male workers. On average, women in the construction industry make 38% less money than men.
In this post, we have put together high-paying construction professions that offer high salaries to females. Let’s see.
Carpenter: $48,2609 per year
Construction Equipment Operator: $48,290 per year
Construction Manager: $98,89011 per year
Elevator Installer and Repairer: $97,86012 per year
Electrician: $60,04013 per year
Plumber: $59,88014 per year
Solar Photovoltaic Installer: $47,67015 per year
Male to Female Ratio in Construction
In the United States, there are now around 808,891 construction workers employed.
While 93.8% of construction employees are men, 6.2% are women.
An employed construction worker is 38 years old on average.
Male-to-Female Ratio
Male – 94%
Female – 6%
Why is Construction Male-Dominated?
Because blue-collar work is often not viewed as something women can accomplish. Men have long outnumbered women in the construction business. Even if they are interested, many women never enter the market because of unequal access to the sector.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 8.6% of construction managers were women in 2021. Companies all around the United States have stepped up workforce development initiatives. This step will help to expand the number of workers in construction and other industries, including women.
What Skills Do You Need for a Construction Job?
Here is our list of the top skills that construction workers and contractors need to be successful in the field.
- Physical stamina and strength
- Hand-eye coordination and dexterity
- Engineering and construction expertise
- Strong math and reading abilities
- Memory
- Exchange of information
- Knowledge of technology
Summing Up
We hope you know what education you need to become a construction worker. In short, if you want to work as a construction worker, you must get a wide range of credentials and certificates. The majority of businesses, however, will either pay for you to take these courses.
The construction industry is male-dominated. Women need to work hard to make their place in this field. If you are strong and hard-working, the construction industry is the right choice for you.
Lastly, every employee must be able to work in a risk-free and secure setting. To safeguard themselves and others, construction workers should have access to appropriate safety training. They should be aware of what to do in an emergency.
FAQs
While there is no formal education requirement to become a construction worker, many employers prefer workers who have a high school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training and vocational programs can provide the necessary skills and knowledge for entry-level positions.
Some construction trades require certification, such as electricians and plumbers. However, certification is not required for all construction trades and may depend on the state or municipality in which you work.
Yes, on-the-job training is a common way for construction workers to learn the skills and knowledge necessary for their job. Many employers offer training programs for their workers, and some workers also receive training through apprenticeships.
Yes, there are online courses and programs available for aspiring construction workers. These programs can provide a broad overview of the construction industry, as well as specific skills and knowledge related to different construction trades. Online courses and programs can be a convenient way to start learning about the field and to gain additional knowledge, but they are generally not sufficient to prepare someone for a construction job without hands-on training and experience.
