Careers in the Preconstruction Phase
People with careers in the Preconstruction phase design and plan our future! They turn a concept into a set of plans. Their plans guide professionals during the Construction phase of the project.
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Architectural and Engineering Managers
plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these fields.
$158100
Bachelor's degree
High job satisfaction
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Civil Engineers
perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
$95440
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Transportation Engineers
develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy. Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities. Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.
$95440
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Architects
plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property.
$89470
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Landscape Architects
plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.
$75440
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Cost Estimators
prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.
$72960
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
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Surveyors
make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth's surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes.
$70260
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Geodetic Surveyors
measure large areas of the Earth's surface using satellite observations, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), light detection and ranging (LIDAR), or related sources.
$70260
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Mechanical Drafters
prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
$61490
Associate's degree
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Interior Designers
plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.
$61400
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Architectural Drafters
prepare detailed drawings of architectural designs and plans for buildings and structures according to specifications provided by architect.
$59120
Bachelor's degree
Personality Match
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Civil Drafters
prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewerage control systems.
$59120
Associate's degree
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Civil Engineering Technicians
apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
$56590
Post-secondary certificate
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Surveying Technicians
adjust and operate surveying instruments, such as the theodolite and electronic distance-measuring equipment, and compile notes, make sketches and enter data into computers.
$49770
Associate's degree
Strong job growth
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Mapping Technicians
calculate mapmaking information from field notes, and draw and verify accuracy of topographical maps.
$49770
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
Careers in the Construction Phase
People with careers in the Construction phase literally build our future! These are the people who build the houses we live in, the warehouses where we receive our Amazon orders from, the offices we work in, the schools we study at, and the recreational facilities we use. Let’s also not forget infrastructure projects that are less popular such as highways, bridges, airports, power stations, chemical plants, refineries and mills.
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Construction Managers
plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.
$107260
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
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Architecture Professors
teach courses in architecture and architectural design, such as architectural environmental design, interior architecture/design, and landscape architecture. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
$100820
Doctoral degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
Transportation Engineers
develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy. Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities. Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.
$95440
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
Civil Engineers
perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
$95440
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
Architects
plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property.
$89470
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Elevator Installers and Repairers
assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.
$86200
No degree required
Strong job growth
Personality Match
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Energy Auditors
conduct energy audits of buildings, building systems, or process systems. May also conduct investment grade audits of buildings or systems.
$84290
Post-secondary certificate
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
Landscape Architects
plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.
$75440
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Construction Workers Supervisors
directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.
$72990
No degree required
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
Personality Match
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Solar Energy Installation Managers
direct work crews installing residential or commercial solar photovoltaic or thermal systems.
$72990
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
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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.
$71880
No degree required
Strong job growth
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Fire Inspectors
inspect buildings and equipment to detect fire hazards and enforce state and local regulations.
$67680
Post-secondary certificate
High job satisfaction
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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.
$66470
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Crane and Tower Operators
operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.
$64010
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
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Hoist and Winch Operators
operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
$62730
No degree required
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Tapers
seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.
$62140
No degree required
Strong job growth
Personality Match
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Electricians
install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures and ensure that their work is in accordance with relevant codes.
$61550
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
Personality Match
Interior Designers
plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.
$61400
Bachelor's degree
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
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Pipe Fitters and Steamfitters
lay out, assemble, install, or maintain pipe systems, pipe supports, or related hydraulic or pneumatic equipment for steam, hot water, heating, cooling, lubricating, sprinkling, or industrial production or processing systems.
$61100
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
Personality Match
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Plumbers
assemble, install, or repair pipes, fittings, or fixtures of heating, water, or drainage systems, according to specifications or plumbing codes.
$61100
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
Civil Drafters
prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewerage control systems.
$59120
Associate's degree
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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.
$58650
No degree required
Strong job growth
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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.
$58420
No degree required
Strong job growth
Civil Engineering Technicians
apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
$56590
Post-secondary certificate
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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.
$56440
No degree required
Strong job growth
Personality Match
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Mechanical Insulation Workers
apply insulating materials to pipes or ductwork, or other mechanical systems in order to help control and maintain temperature.
$55470
No degree required
Strong job growth
Personality Match
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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; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.
$55320
No degree required
Strong job growth
Personality Match
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Construction Equipment Operators
operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
$55280
No degree required
Strong job growth
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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. Includes rod busters.
$54700
No degree required
Strong job growth
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Rough Carpenters
build rough wooden structures, such as concrete forms, scaffolds, tunnel, bridge, or sewer supports, billboard signs, and temporary frame shelters, according to sketches, blueprints, or oral instructions.
$54200
No degree required
Strong job growth
Careers in the Maintenance and Operations Phase
People with careers in the Maintenance and Operations phase keep our future intact! These are the people who make sure the house we live, the office we work in, and the roads we drive on are in good shape. They also maintain the smooth operation of industrial buildings such as refineries, power plants, chemical plants, and mills.
Elevator Installers and Repairers
assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.
$86200
No degree required
Strong job growth
Personality Match
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Electrical Power-Line Technicians
install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. May erect poles and light or heavy duty transmission towers.
$74410
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
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Commercial Divers
work below surface of water, using surface-supplied air or scuba equipment to inspect, repair, remove, or install equipment and structures. May use a variety of power and hand tools, such as drills, sledgehammers, torches, and welding equipment. May conduct tests or experiments, rig explosives, or photograph structures or marine life.
$71850
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
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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.
$67430
No degree required
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Control and Valve Technicians
install, repair, and maintain mechanical regulating and controlling devices, such as electric meters, gas regulators, thermostats, safety and flow valves, and other mechanical governors.
$62400
No degree required
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Millwrights
install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings.
$59080
No degree required
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
Civil Engineering Technicians
apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
$56590
Post-secondary certificate
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Refractory Materials Repairers
build or repair equipment such as furnaces, kilns, cupolas, boilers, converters, ladles, soaking pits, and ovens, using refractory materials.
$55080
No degree required
Personality Match
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Landscaping Supervisors
directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in landscaping or groundskeeping activities. Work may involve reviewing contracts to ascertain service, machine, and workforce requirements; answering inquiries from potential customers regarding methods, material, and price ranges; and preparing estimates according to labor, material, and machine costs.
$54040
Associate's degree
Strong job growth
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HVAC Installers
install, service, or repair heating and air conditioning systems in residences or commercial establishments.
$53410
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
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HVAC Technicians
install and repair industrial and commercial refrigerating systems.
$53410
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
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Solar Hot Water Installers
install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.
$44180
No degree required
Strong job growth
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Weatherization Technicians
perform a variety of activities to weatherize homes and make them more energy efficient. Duties include repairing windows, insulating ducts, and performing heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) work. May perform energy audits and advise clients on energy conservation measures.
$44180
No degree required
Strong job growth
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Septic Tank Servicers
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.
$43930
No degree required
Strong job growth
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Highway Maintenance Workers
maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement and repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road, or plow snow from roadway.
$43200
No degree required
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Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.
$33800
No degree required
Strong job growth
High job satisfaction
One Comment on “Careers in Construction”
As a cement mason with over 25 years of building experiences and I love to build things with my hands. I also have a level 2 certificate in general construction.