The Best Construction Jobs You Haven’t Heard Of

Some of the Best Jobs in Construction  to Consider

When most people think about working in construction, they think about Construction Laborers. A Construction Laborer is largely an entry-level position and can be a great way to begin a career in the construction field. But as individuals learn more about the construction industry, they are often shocked at the many types of jobs that exist, with a wide range of experience and educational requirements.

Below are just a few of the jobs in the construction industry that you probably haven’t thought about:

Construction Manager

This is one of the most demanding jobs in the construction industry and means juggling many tasks and responsibilities. Construction Managers are involved in every stage of the project including planning, budgeting, and production. They also ensure the construction site is free of safety hazards.

Many Construction Managers are independent contractors that are hired for specific projects. Good ones are knowledgeable about the latest standards in construction and adept with industry-specific software. In this position, you must be an excellent communicator. Construction Managers lead a diverse team and need to communicate constantly with the client, vendors, and designers.

A bachelor’s degree isn’t required, but it’s becoming increasingly important to have a college education. Civil engineering and construction science are both great degrees to pursue. You can expect to study subjects like statistics, mathematics, architecture, information technology, design and planning, scheduling, and cost estimation. The average annual salary is about $84,000.

Heavy Equipment Operator

Equipment Operators create and maintain structures like highways and bridges. These workers specialize in the operation of bulldozers, graders, pavers, and rollers.

In addition to operating these machines, these workers are often tasked with cleaning and repairing the equipment. Paying attention to safety standards is critical, and because much of the equipment is loud, operators must be able to communicate clearly and effectively to those working around them. Due to advances in technology, some heavy equipment now requires computer systems to operate.

A high school diploma and driver’s license are required. Vocational schools and apprenticeships can give you an edge in getting hired for this position. You can expect an average salary of nearly $57,000.

Construction Estimator

In this position, Construction Estimators are responsible for gathering proposals, blueprints, and project specifications. Estimators must have outstanding project management skills.

As a Construction Estimator, you must be very detailed oriented and knowledgeable about project requirements. You’ll communicate with clients, vendors, and Construction Managers. Construction Estimators are extremely analytical and will need to perform complex analyses of data, prepare forecasts, and conduct risk analysis activities.

A bachelor’s degree in engineering or construction science is required in most cases. You can expect an average salary of around $78,000.

Construction Company Owner

As an owner, you need to understand the construction industry and have business skills. Successful business owners set goals, create plans, and execute strategies for growing their businesses.

Day-to-day activities include working to secure new contracts, managing employees, and managing projects. You’ll have to secure licenses, and insurance, and deal with a lot of paperwork. Many owners are also involved in the sales and marketing piece of the business. People’s livelihoods rest on your shoulders, so it’s a big task to own a business. But, with more responsibility and risk, comes great reward.

Degrees related to construction, management, and entrepreneurship can be extremely helpful to a Construction Company Owner. Salaries can vary greatly depending on the type of work and size of the company. Many Construction Company Owners can expect to earn more than $100,000 annually.

The construction industry is growing quickly and the number of people entering the workforce is not keeping up with demand. New positions are being created each day – and many with salaries well above the national average.

*Salary information provided by Glassdoor.com and is current as of 11/16/2022.

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