Where would we be without the construction industry? Builders create everything around us, from roads to the walls of the room you’re sitting in right now. Although the construction industry has a monumental impact on our lives, many of us don’t spend much time thinking about the sheer number of roles that exist to create everything around us.
Construction is about more than manual labor roles. It’s a diverse industry with a great deal of variability. Here are some examples of construction jobs, and how to get them:
Construction Managers
According to a report from the U.S. News & World Report, construction management – the person in charge of coordinating all pieces of a construction project – is listed as one of the best jobs in the country. The requirements are experience in the industry partnered with a college degree, and the average Arizona salary is $85,360 per year.
Construction managers oversee all the parts of a project – from safety measures, to plumbing, to making sure deadlines are met.
Elevator Installer/Repair Person
This title is pretty self-explanatory, but there are some tasks that elevator installers complete that you might not be aware of. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they assemble, install, maintain and replace elevators, escalators, chairlifts, moving walkways. They’re the people who make sure you get from the first floor to the fiftieth without a hitch.
In the industry, you begin as an apprentice (with a high school diploma) that makes about 50% of what a full-fledged elevator installer/repair person makes. As time passes, and the apprentice learns more about the trade, pay increases with experience.
An elevator repair person‘s salary depends on what type of building they’re working inside, but the average salary is somewhere around $70,000 per year.
Electrician
One of the best things about being an electrician is that you have the ability to be your own boss. The union benefits aren’t bad, either.
Electricians take care of – you guessed it – the electricity and wiring within a facility. They must have a high school diploma and go through an apprenticeship before getting licensed – and licensing is a strict requirement of an electrician.
Though they typically set their own hours, electricians are typically people who get called after hours when there are power outages and emergencies due to severe weather. But with an Arizona salary anywhere from $37,000 – $59,000 per year, working overtime isn’t so bad.
Plumber
There will always be a need for plumbers, no matter what. If you’ve ever had a leaky faucet, bad pipes, or an unpleasant smell coming from an unknown source – there’s only one person you want to call, and that’s your plumber.
An apprenticeship is needed before becoming a licensed plumber, but a college degree is not necessary. Some of plumbers’ duties include installation, maintenance, and repair of pipes, inspecting plumbing systems, handling blueprints, and repairing HVAC systems.
In Arizona, they make anywhere from $37,000 – $58,000 per year.
Sheet Metal Worker
A sheet metal worker’s job is another that is pretty self-explanatory – they deal with anything that involves sheet metal; things such as roofs and walls on both commercial and residential buildings. But that’s not all they handle. Their job also extends to most everything else that consists of metal, like restaurant equipment, signs, and handrails – just to name a few.
Sheet metal workers learn the ropes by completing trade and vocational training that focuses heavily on welding. They qualify for jobs that fit their expertise with a high school diploma, not a college degree, and make up to $48,000 a year.
Carpenter
If there was a jack-of-all-trades of construction, then carpenters would easily take that title. They’re capable of doing everything from installing cabinets in a home to creating cement fillings for large, industrial complexes.
Being a carpenter isn’t as straightforward as it might seem – it’s not just about hammering nails and laying plywood. It involves geometry and subtle nuances, and a true, deep knowledge of technique that’s gained after trade school or an apprenticeship.
Carpenters earn an average salary of about $41,000 per year.
These are just a few of the top jobs in the construction industry in Arizona – also included on the higher-paying side are equipment operators, masons, glaziers, and solar installers.
Arizona ranks in the top 5 for construction job growth in the country. Pipeline AZ maintains an industry hub with news, events, and resources where Arizona construction employers and job seekers can connect.
