Professional Construction Worker
Construction work can be a rewarding and highly paid profession. It also involves a lot of back breaking labor and quite a bit of uncertainty.
Professional construction work is not for everybody. Many people who are drawn into the field by the high pay and independence often leave because of the uncertainty and hard labor. Others may dislike the physical danger and long hours.
Uncertainty
The main thing people entering the construction field should be aware of is the uncertainty of the industry. Most construction workers are hired for a particular project. This means that their job will disappear when the project is completed or ended.
It is very common for construction workers to have to wait, weeks, months or even longer to find another job. Many construction workers end up working at other jobs in order to pay the bills. In the United States is very common for construction workers to rely upon unemployment insurance to support themselves for long periods of time.
This means that construction workers will have to learn how to budget and save their money. This can be very difficult to do especially for younger people.
Construction work is also very vulnerable to economic downturns. Many construction workers find themselves unemployed when the economy is bad.
Long Hours
Another thing many people dislike about construction is the long hours. When they do work many construction workers may put in 10 hours a day or work six days a week. Quite a few people dislike this more than the uncertainty.
Nature of the Industry
The construction industry, especially in the United States, can be a very rough business. There is often no union representation for construction workers. There are also many unprofessional and unreliable contractors especially in the homebuilding and remodeling areas.
Salary
Salaries in the construction industry vary widely but those for laborers and entry level positions can be very low. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average salary for a construction laborer in the US in 2008 was $13.71 an hour.
Survival Tips for Professional Construction Work
- Get a skill. Skilled workers such as carpenters, pipe fitters, iron workers, etc. make quite a bit more money. A person interested in a construction career should definitely join a skilled trade. This can be done by going to trade school or through an apprenticeship.
- Join a union. In many areas individuals have to be members of unions to get the better paid construction jobs. Many government agencies and large companies will only hire union members. In some areas skilled workers have to be members of a union.
- Learn how to operate heavy equipment. More and more work in construction is done by heavy equipment. Heavy equipment operators are often very well paid. Indeed some crane operators can make $100,000 or more a year. Knowing how to operate heavy equipment and having the proper licenses can help get a job. Knowing how to operate several different kinds of equipment can land you a lot of jobs.
- Get licensed. In particular try and get heavy equipment licenses and a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Also try and get trade licenses like plumber and electrician. These can often help you get job.
- Work for large construction companies. The large construction companies often have plenty of work even when the economy is bad getting on with them can help you find work.
- Be willing to travel. Those who are willing to travel to other areas of the country or even other countries can often find construction work.
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