Careers in Construction - Craft Careers
When you think of careers in the construction industry, what comes to mind? Welding? Excavating? Or perhaps project management? The truth is all of these answers are correct. According to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), there are over 919,000 construction establishments employing more than 8 million people. That’s a significant number of companies – and job opportunities.
To celebrate Careers in Construction Month this October, we’ll be exploring various career paths within the industry. This week, we’re starting with craft careers. Read on to discover more!
Civil construction plays a crucial role in the design, development and maintenance of both natural and built environments. Civil site work involves preparing and developing land for construction and includes surveying, excavation and grading, site utilities, concrete and paving and more.
- Surveyors – Field Engineers use complex equipment, measure land, trace contours, determine elevation and location, prepare documents, and determine land features.
- Operators operate heavy equipment such as bulldozers, backhoes, forklifts, and cranes to move building supplies, earth, and other heavy materials at construction sites.
- Carpenters, Rod Busters & Cement Finishers are responsible for constructing, erecting, repairing, and dismantling built-in-place or prefabricated forms for concrete structures or foundations and installing rebar and pouring and finishing of concrete.
Mechanical industrial construction is the process of designing, building, and maintaining large industrial facilities, such as factories and refineries. It involves the installation and maintenance of mechanical and structural components such as process piping, heating and cooling systems, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection and refrigeration systems.
- Pipe Fitters install, repair, and maintain piping systems.
- Pipe Welders build and repair piping systems using welding equipment to join and alter metal pipes and fittings.
- Millwrights install, align, maintain, and repair industrial machinery and equipment. They’re also known as Industrial Machinist and Industrial Mechanics.
- Boilermakers are responsible for the fabrication, installation, maintenance, and repair of boilers, tanks, and other heavy-metal structures.
Structural, in construction, refers to the load bearing components of a building that are essential for its stability. Structural components include foundations, floors, walls, roofs, columns, and beams.
- Structural Fitters are metal workers who assemble, fabricate, align, and install structural components for buildings, bridges, and other structures.
- Structural Welders weld and fabricates metal components for building structures.
- Iron Workers erect and connect structural framework of buildings, process units, bridges, and roads using iron and steel.
Electrical industrial construction is the installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical systems in large-scale industrial facilities, such as factories, plants, and manufacturing facilities. Electrical work involves power distribution systems, PLCs, low and medium voltage installations of conduit and cabling, switch gears and more.
- Industrial Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical systems and equipment in industrial settings. They ensure that these systems run safely and efficiently, as they power large, complex facilities.
- Instrumentation Technicians perform a variety of tasks to maintain and repair electrical and instrumentation systems in industrial settings. They assemble, test, calibrate, and maintain circuitry or electronic components according to engineering instructions, knowledge of electronics, and technical manuals.
- Instrument Fitters install and tube various instruments, such as pressure, level, and temperature transmitters, and repair control valves to enhance operational efficiency.
General trades include Insulators, Industrial Painters, Scaffold Builders, Sheet Metal Workers, Laborers, Tool Room Clerks and more.
To start a craft career in the construction industry, you can begin as a helper, gain hands on working experience, and work your way up or join an apprenticeship which is training program that helps young workers gain on the job training and instruction.