Career Progression in the Construction Industry

The construction industry is vast and the opportunities it offers are plentiful. With a lot of construction work do be done and not enough skilled professionals to execute those tasks, the industry is left with a talent gap to fill.

In order to help encourage more people to join the construction industry, we’ve laid out the potential paths ahead of aspiring professionals. The career progression of this profession is not always set, as you have a lot of options to consider. So, if you’re interested in pursuing a path in construction, here are just some of the ways you can advance your career.

Education and Training

While some careers such as engineering and architecture require a degree, many other paths do not. While two-year degrees in math, engineering, and other related areas can certainly help construction professionals, they are not necessarily required for all jobs.

Alternatively, certifications and apprenticeships are the more popular options. Apprenticeships can start as early as high school, and they typically last anywhere from 1-4 years. These programs are often organized by local businesses and unions. They will give aspiring professionals valuable experience, such as working with blueprints, visiting sites, honing their craft, and otherwise seeing what goes into a construction job.

After they’ve gained the required hands-on experience, aspiring professionals will have to obtain certifications. The requirements vary by location and specialization, but every person working in construction has to have certification of some kind. Safety training is also required.

Entry-Level to Management

After apprenticeship and certification, a construction professional becomes a journeyperson. A journeyperson is regarded as a skilled, licensed professional in their field of construction. This is often the step before master craftsperson, if that is the route they wish to take.

After years on the job, a journeyperson can choose to pursue jobs as a superintendent, project manager, estimator, planner, or scheduler. Sometimes, professionals choose to gain further education before making this move. For example, you may want to earn an MBA before moving into a management role. However, as talent and experience hold more weight in this industry, an MBA is not always required.

There are also jobs in safety, human resources, procurement, and warehousing that a journeyperson may want to pursue instead.

The true career progression of a talented construction professional is up to them. They can choose their own path to acquire the necessary skills to move to the next level, but experience and talent are the most important things in the construction career path. From there, a talented professional can forge their own way.

If you are interested in a career in construction, browse our job listings. You can also get in contact with one of our expert recruitment consultants today to learn more about the opportunities that exist.