If you’re graduating high school, you know you must join the job market. You might also attend college. If you do, you must either borrow money or get a scholarship. Maybe your parents can help pay your tuition as well.
Once you graduate from college, though, you must find work. Whether you’re a high school or college graduate, you might look at the construction field. Maybe you like that option, and you decide you’ll pursue it.
Does construction make sense as a profession? We will discuss some cons and pros right now.
The Construction Profession Comes with Some Dangers
In 2018, falling objects caused 11.1% of construction fatalities. You can also sustain severe injuries working construction in other ways.
You can always fall if you work on the high steel. A vehicle like a cement mixer or bulldozer can crush you. Construction site accidents happen fairly often, especially if you work with careless individuals.
If you look into a construction company when you’re job hunting, you can check out their safety record. Have there been many injuries or deaths? If they have a clean safety record, you can apply and feel more confident that you’ll stay safe in that environment.
Lower-Level Construction Jobs Don’t Pay that Much
You should also realize that lower-level construction jobs don’t pay very much. If you start at the bottom, you should not expect that you’ll bring home top dollar and get rich through this profession.
On the other hand, you can work your way up and make more money if you learn more construction-related skills. For instance, if you learn about operating cement mixers and steamrollers, you can put that on your resume the next time you’re job hunting. You can also get a better position within the same company sometimes if you’re patient and show you’re a hard worker.
You Can Get a Union Job
Now, let’s discuss some positives if you get a construction industry job. You might notice that in some cities, such as New York, the construction industry still has some powerful unions. Though unions have declined across the country, some cities and states still have them.
If you get a union membership, you’ll get a higher base salary. You’ll make more money every week, month, and year. You must pay union dues, but you’ll probably feel it’s worth it.
You can also get a union pension when you retire. You will have a better healthcare plan than you’d get if you did not have that union membership. Unions can help workers, and getting into one in the construction industry probably sounds great.
If you have a family, you can also get them healthcare through your union membership. If you’re starting a family, that should come in handy.
You Can Enjoy a Fun Work Atmosphere
You might also love working with your hands. When you do construction, you’re doing that every day. You may like getting out in the elements and working. You are not stuck behind a desk. Instead, you are outside getting fresh air and exercise.
You’re also creating something tangible. If you help erect a building, you can pass by every day and admire your handiwork. You can show your kids and possibly your grandkids someday that you built this building. You might help erect an entire city block.
You will probably like your coworkers as well. Individuals who work construction have a camaraderie that you should enjoy. You might laugh and kid with your coworkers all day.
After work, you might have a drink at the bar or play some cards. Construction workers usually fall into the salt-of-the-earth category.
You Don’t Need a College Education
We mentioned college earlier. You can certainly attend college and get a construction job after graduating, but you can also usually land a construction position with just a high school diploma. In some cases, you might even get these jobs with just a GED.
If you finish high school and feel like you don’t want to attend college, you can get a construction job without a degree. If you show you have the work ethic and the requisite skill set, you can start working without delay.
If you do get a college degree, you might also look around and find higher-placed construction industry jobs. Maybe you’ll start by doing low-level work, but once you learn the ropes, you’ll get a higher-paying position. You might work as a site supervisor, or maybe you will get into engineering.
You will find many construction jobs that pay more and get you off your feet. If you start by doing low-level work, you’ll probably want this change eventually.
You Do Something Different Every Day
If you have some different construction industry skills, you may find that you can do something a little different every day. When you tackle a construction project, you might do something on Monday, and then you’ll have a completely different project on Tuesday or Wednesday.
If you don’t like monotony, you may like how the job changes daily. You can always expect something a little different, and you might enjoy learning the new skills that your fellow, more experienced construction workers teach you.
You might learn about pipe fitting or steam fitting. You can learn about installing elevator components or HVAC components. You can learn about jackhammering and erecting steel girders. Every day should bring something new.
Is This Industry for You?
You may find that if you try construction, you’ll love it. You may also learn that it’s not the best fit. You can never know till you try it, though.
The union benefits and advancement opportunities should make this a worthy choice for many individuals. Especially if you would prefer not to attend college, you can launch a successful career this way that should sustain you and help support your family.
The more skills you learn, the more cash you’ll make and the higher placed you’ll become within your company.
