Construction

Find Employers with Construction Careers

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Types of occupations, skills, abilities and training ideas for this career path: 

Boilermakers: Construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries. Align structures or plate sections to assemble boiler frame tanks or vats, following blueprints. Work involves use of hand and power tools, plumb bobs, levels, wedges, dogs, or turnbuckles. Assist in testing assembled vessels. Direct cleaning of boilers and boiler furnaces. Inspect and repair boiler fittings, such as safety valves, regulators, automatic-control mechanisms, water columns, and auxiliary machines.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; arm-hand steadiness; manual dexterity; critical thinking; active listening; reading comprehension; operation monitoring; operation and control; quality control analysis; mechanical; building and construction; mathematics
Training Program: Boilermaking 

Brickmasons and blockmasons: Lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, sewers, and other structures.
Important Abilities & Skills: Manual dexterity; static strength; trunk strength; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; coordination; time management; quality control analysis; building and construction;  mechanical; mathematics
Training Programs: Masonry

Cement masons and concrete finishers: Smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. Align forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; use saws to cut expansion joints.
Important Abilities & Skills: Manual dexterity; arm-hand steadiness; trunk strength; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; coordination; time management; judgment and decision making; building and construction;  administration and management; mathematics
Training Programs: Concrete finishing/concrete finisher  

Carpenters: Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood, such as concrete forms; building frameworks, including partitions, joists, studding, and rafters; wood stairways, window and door frames, and hardwood floors. May also install cabinets, siding, drywall and batt or roll insulation. Includes lattice builders who build doors or lattices (ventilation walls or partitions) in underground passageways to control the proper circulation of air through the passageways and to the working places.
Important Abilities & Skills: Manual dexterity; problem sensitivity; trunk strength; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; coordination; operation monitoring; judgment and decision making; building and construction;  mechanical; mathematics
Training Programs: Carpentry

Carpet installers: Lay and install carpet from rolls or blocks on floors. Install padding and trim flooring materials.
Important Abilities & Skills: Extent flexibility; static strength; near vision; critical thinking; mathematics; active listening; coordination; social perceptiveness; judgment and decision making; customer and personal service;  public safety and service; mechanical
Training Programs: Construction trades 

Construction and building inspectors: Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.
Important Abilities & Skills: Oral expression; oral comprehension; written comprehension; active listening; reading comprehension; critical thinking; complex problem solving; judgment and decision making; time management; building and construction; engineering and technology; English language
Training Programs: Building/home/construction inspection

Construction laborers: Perform tasks involving physical labor at building, highway, and heavy construction projects, tunnel and shaft excavations, and demolition sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, clean up rubble and debris, and remove asbestos, lead, and other hazardous waste materials. May assist other craft workers.
Important Abilities & Skills: Manual dexterity; multilimb coordination; arm-hand steadiness; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; coordination; operation monitoring; operation and control; building and construction;  design; mathematics
Training Programs: Construction trades 

Continuous mining machine operators: Operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the face and load it onto conveyors or into shuttle cars in a continuous operation.
Important Abilities & Skills: Control precision; multilimb coordination; reaction time; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; operation and control; operation monitoring; equipment maintenance; mechanical; production and processing; law and government
Training Programs: Construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation 

Derrick operators, oil and gas: Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud through drill hole.
Important Abilities & Skills: Multilimb coordination; control precision; reaction time; critical thinking; monitoring; speaking; operation monitoring; operation and control; repairing; mechanical; mathematics; English language
Training Programs: Well drilling

Drywall and ceiling tile installers: Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. Materials may be of decorative quality. Includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal, or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fire-proofing, or acoustical material.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; trunk strength; near vision; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; complex problem solving; judgment and decision making; operation management; building and construction;  design; mathematics
Training Programs: Drywall installation 

Earth drillers: Operate a variety of drills–such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic–to tap sub-surface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. May use explosives. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.
Important Abilities & Skills: Control precision; multilimb coordination; manual dexterity; monitoring; critical thinking; active listening; operation monitoring; operation and control; equipment maintenance; mechanical; public safety and security; administration and management
Training Programs: Well drilling; construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation

Electricians: Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; manual dexterity; visual color discrimination; active listening; critical thinking; active learning; troubleshooting; repairing; quality control analysis; mechanical; building and construction; mathematics
Training Programs: Electrician

Elevator installers and repairers: Assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; deductive reasoning; oral comprehension; active listening; monitoring; critical thinking; complex problem solving; repairing; troubleshooting; equipment maintenance;  building and construction; mechanical; customer and personal service
Training Program: Industrial mechanics and maintenance technology 

Explosives workers: Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures. Includes seismograph shooters.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; manual dexterity; near vision; active listening; monitoring; critical thinking; judgment and decision making; operation monitoring; operation and control; public safety and security; law and government; mathematics
Training Program: Blasting 

Fence erectors: Erect and repair metal and wooden fences and fence gates around highways, industrial establishments, residences, or farms, using hand and power tools.
Important Abilities & Skills: Multilimb coordination; manual dexterity; trunk strength; active listening; critical thinking; speaking; operation and control; operation monitoring; coordination; building and construction; customer and personal service; sales and marketing
Training Programs: Construction trades 

First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; oral expression; oral comprehension; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; coordination; time management; management of personnel resources; building and construction;  administration and management; mathematics
Training Programs: Agricultural/biological engineering and bioengineering 

Floor layers, except carpet, wood and hard tiles: Apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors.
Important Abilities & Skills: Extent flexibility; near vision; arm-hand steadiness; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; judgment and decision making; social perceptiveness; coordination; building and construction; customer and personal service; mathematics
Training Programs: Construction trades 

Floor sanders and finishers: Scrape and sand wooden floors to smooth surfaces using floor scraper and floor sanding machine, and apply coats of finish.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; multi-limb coordination; manual dexterity; active listening; speaking; monitoring;  operation and control; mechanical; coordination; mechanical;  customer and personal service; building and construction
Training Programs: Construction trades 

Glaziers: Install glass in windows, skylights, store fronts, and display cases, or on surfaces, such as building fronts, interior walls, ceilings, and tabletops.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; near vision; trunk strength; reading comprehension; speaking; critical thinking; coordination; operation and control; operation monitoring; building and construction; customer and personal service; mathematics
Training Program: Glazier 

Hazardous materials removal workers: Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, contaminated soil, etc. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; deductive reasoning; control precision; active listening; monitoring; critical thinking; operation and control ; operation monitoring; coordination; chemistry;  mechanical; English language
Training Programs: Hazardous materials management and waste technology; construction trades; mechanic and repair technologies 

Highway maintenance workers: Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement, repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road or plow snow from roadway.
Important Abilities & Skills: Control precision; multi-limb coordination; arm-hand steadiness; active listening; speaking; monitoring; operation monitoring; operation and control; equipment maintenance; building and construction;  public safety and security; law and government
Training Programs: Construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation 

Helpers – brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble settlers: Help brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, or tile and marble setters by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; multi-limb coordination; static strength; active listening; monitoring; critical thinking; coordination; operation monitoring; operation and control; coordination; building and construction; mathematics; public safety and security
Training Programs: Masonry 

Helpers – carpenters: Help carpenters by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; near vision; static strength; active listening; monitoring; critical thinking; coordination; complex problem solving; social perceptiveness; coordination; building and construction; mathematics; engineering and technology
Training Programs: Carpentry 

Helpers – painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons: Help painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or stucco masons by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; manual dexterity; static strength; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; coordination; time management; social perceptiveness; building and construction;  administration and management; English language
Training Programs: Painting and wall coverer

Helpers -roofers: Help roofers by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
Important Abilities & Skills: Trunk strength; manual dexterity; gross body equilibrium; active listening; monitoring; critical thinking; coordination; quality control analysis; judgment and decision making; building and construction;  administration and management; customer and personal service
Training Programs: Roofer 

Insulation workers, floor ceiling and wall: Line and cover structures with insulating materials. May work with batt, roll, or blown insulation materials.
Important Abilities & Skills: Extent flexibility; multilimb coordination; manual dexterity; monitoring; critical thinking; active listening; operation monitoring; operation and control; quality control analysis; building and construction; English language; production and processing
Training Programs: Construction trades 

Insulation workers, mechanical: Apply insulating materials to pipes or ductwork, or other mechanical systems in order to help control and maintain temperature.
Important Abilities & Skills: Oral comprehension; oral expression; arm-hand steadiness; critical thinking; active listening; speaking; coordination; social perceptiveness; time management; mathematics; mechanical; building and construction
Training Programs: Construction trades 

Mine cutting and channeling machine operators: Operate machinery–such as longwall shears, plows, and cutting machines–to cut or channel along the face or seams of coal mines, stone quarries, or other mining surfaces to facilitate blasting, separating, or removing minerals or materials from mines or from the earth’s surface.
Important Abilities & Skills: Control precision; multilimb coordination; arm-hand steadiness; critical thinking; active listening; monitoring; operation monitoring; operation and control; social perceptiveness; mechanical; public safety and security; law and government
Training Programs: Construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation 

Painters, construction and maintenance: Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces, using brushes, rollers, and spray guns. May remove old paint to prepare surface prior to painting. May mix colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; trunk strength;  gross body equilibrium; active listening; reading comprehension; critical thinking; social perceptiveness; time management; coordination; customer and personal service; English language; public safety and security
Training Programs: Painting and wall coverer

Pile-driver operators: Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures, such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
Important Abilities & Skills: Multilimb coordination; control precision; reaction time; active listening; monitoring; critical thinking; operation monitoring; operation and control; equipment maintenance; building and construction; mechanical; customer and personal service
Training Programs: Construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation 

Pipelayers: Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints.
Important Abilities & Skills: Oral comprehension; oral expression; arm-hand steadiness; active listening; critical thinking; monitoring; operation monitoring; operation and control; quality control analysis; mechanical; English language; building and construction
Training Programs: Plumbing technology 

Paperhangers: Cover interior walls and ceilings of rooms with decorative wallpaper or fabric, or attach advertising posters on surfaces, such as walls and billboards. Duties include removing old materials from surface to be papered.
Important Abilities & Skills: Manual dexterity; near vision; arm-hand steadiness; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; coordination; time management; complex problem solving; customer and personal service; building and construction; mathematical
Training Programs: Painting and wall coverer 

Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators: Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways, or equipment used for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; control precision; multilimb coordination; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; operation monitoring; operation and control; judgment and decision making; building and construction; mechanical; public safety and security
Training Programs: Construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation 

Plasters and stucco masons: Apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials. May also set ornamental plaster.
Important Abilities & Skills: Manual dexterity; arm-hand steadiness; static strength; speaking; critical thinking; monitoring; time management; quality control analysis; judgment and decision making; building and construction; English language; public safety and security
Training Programs: Construction trades

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters: Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases. May install heating and cooling equipment and mechanical control systems.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; finger dexterity; control precision; critical thinking; active listening; reading comprehension; coordination; operation monitoring; time management; mechanical; building and construction; English language
Training Programs: Plumbing technology; pipefitting and sprinkler fitter; plumbing and related water supply services

Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators: Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and road bed tamping machine operators.
Important Abilities & Skills: Manual dexterity; control precision; multilimb coordination; monitoring; critical thinking; active listening; operation monitoring; operation and control; equipment maintenance; mechanical; building and construction; public safety and security
Training Programs: Construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation

Reinforcing iron and rebar workers: Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Use a variety of fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, and hand tools.
Important Abilities & Skills: Multilimb coordination; static strength; trunk strength; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; coordination; operation and control; judgment and decision making; building and construction;  mathematics; pubic safety and security
Training Programs: Construction trades 

Rock splitters, quarry: Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammer and wedges.
Important Abilities & Skills: Arm-hand steadiness; multilimb coordination; control precision; active listening; monitoring; reading comprehension; operation and control; operation monitoring; coordination; production and processing; mechanical; mathematics

Roof bolters, mining: Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.
Important Abilities & Skills: Control precision; reaction time; multilimb coordination; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; operation and control; operation monitoring; coordination; mechanical; law and government; production and processing

Roofers: Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, and related materials. May spray roofs, sidings, and walls with material to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures.
Important Abilities & Skills: Gross body equilibrium; arm-hand steadiness; trunk strength; active listening; critical thinking; speaking; coordination; operation and control; time management; building and construction; design; mathematics
Training Programs: Roofer

Rotary drill operators, oil and gas: Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove petroleum products from the earth and to find and remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; control precision; near vision; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; operation monitoring; operation and control; instructing; mechanical; mathematics; administration and management
Training Program: Well drilling

Roustabouts, oil and gas: Assemble or repair oil field equipment using hand and power tools. Perform other tasks as needed.
Important Abilities & Skills: Control precision; multilimb coordination; near vision; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; operation monitoring; operation and control; repairing; mechanical; public safety and security; production and processing
Training Programs: Heavy/industrial equipment maintenance technologies 

Segmental pavers: Lay out, cut, and paste segmental paving units. Includes installers of bedding and restraining materials for the paving units.
Important Abilities & Skills: Oral expression; oral comprehension; multilimb coordination; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; coordination; social perceptiveness; operation and control; mechanical; building and construction; administration and management
Training Program: Concrete finishing  

Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners: Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. May patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping.
Important Abilities & Skills: Manual dexterity; control precision; multilimb coordination; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; operation monitoring; operation and control; troubleshooting; customer and personal service; mechanical; sales and marketing
Training Programs: Plumbing technology

Service unit operators, oil, gas and mining: Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. May also perform similar services in mining exploration operations.
Important Abilities & Skills: Problem sensitivity; control precision; multilimb coordination; critical thinking; monitoring; active listening; operation monitoring; operation and control; social perceptiveness; mechanical; customer and personal service; English language
Training Programs: Mining technology

Sheet metal workers: Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces.
Important Abilities & Skills: Near vision; information ordering; visualization; critical thinking; mathematics; reading comprehension; judgment and decision making; time management; coordination; mechanical; building and construction; mathematics
Training Programs: Sheet metal technology/sheetworking

Stonemasons: Build stone structures, such as piers, walls, and abutments. Lay walks, curbstones, or special types of masonry for vats, tanks, and floors.
Important Abilities & Skills: Static strength; trunk strength; arm-hand steadiness; critical thinking; active learning; monitoring; coordination; time management; complex problem solving; mathematics; building and construction; public safety and security
Training Programs: Masonry

Structural iron and steel workers: Raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. May erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings.
Important Abilities & Skills: Multilimb coordination; arm-hand steadiness; static strength; operation monitoring; operation and control; coordination; building and construction; production and processing; mechanical, mathematics;
Training Programs: Metal building assembly; construction trades

Tapers: Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.
Important Abilities & Skills: Near vision; oral comprehension; arm-hand steadiness; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; social perceptiveness; coordination; time management; building and construction; public safety and security; administration and management
Training Programs: Construction trades

Terrazzo workers and finishers: Apply a mixture of cement, sand, pigment, or marble chips to floors, stairways, and cabinet fixtures to fashion durable and decorative surfaces.
Important Abilities & Skills: Multi-limb coordination; manual dexterity; arm-hand steadiness; critical thinking; monitoring; speaking; coordination; time management; building and construction;  mathematics; mechanical
Training Programs: Building/construction finishing, management, and inspection 

Tile and marble settlers: Apply hard tile, marble, and wood tile to walls, floors, ceilings, and roof decks.
Important Abilities & Skills: Visualization; trunk strength; extent flexibility; critical thinking; active listening; speaking; coordination; judgment and decision making; time management;  building and construction; mathematics; English language
Training Programs: Masonry 

Education and training for this career path:
Construction Trades ; Engineering Related Technology ; Mechanical Engineering Technology ; Production Trades