The Wide Range of Jobs in Construction

You may think that all construction jobs involve heavy equipment, working outdoors, and getting your hands dirty. While this is true for many, you do not necessarily have to be great with a jackhammer or big bulldozer to have a prosperous construction career.

If you’re interested in a career involving construction, but aren’t sure where your skills fit in the industry, consider some of these avenues.

Administration

If you’re more interested in a desk job, working behind the scenes and making sure a construction firm runs smoothly, these positions may be right for you:

• Estimator: Determines the schedule and budget for a project
• Finance: Handles all funds surrounding a construction project/business
• Human Resources: Oversees hiring, employee conduct, codes of conduct, etc.
• Marketing: Promotes and manages the brand of the construction firm
• Labor Relations: Oversees wage data, labor laws, collective bargaining, etc.
• Quality Control: Inspects sites to ensure everything is up to code

Health and Safety

Without proper oversight, a construction site can become a dangerous place. If you want to be one of the people preventing accidents and keeping other professionals out of harm’s way, look into these options:

• Safety Officer: Ensures workers are following proper safety procedures and regulations
• Home and Property Inspector: Inspects existing buildings to ensure they are still safe and up to code
• Occupational Health Officer: Develops and implements health and safety programs and procedures

Management/Supervisory

Leadership may be your strong suit. If so, you might want to be in charge of a construction site, overseeing the ins and outs throughout the project. Perhaps one of these roles is for you:

• Superintendent/ Foreperson: On-site person in charge of a construction crew
• Project Manager: Works with architect and engineers to ensure all goals and deadlines are met
• Supervisor: Involved in planning, organizing, and controlling projects. Oversees them on site

Training/Education

If you like the idea of passing important knowledge on to fellow construction professionals, training may be right up your alley. New guidelines are always being introduced, and many locations are requiring increased safety training. These positions may be of interest:

• Technical Instructor: Teaches professionals technical skills
• Training Director: Coordinates all training for professionals in a firm
• Apprenticeship Coordinator: Oversees apprenticeship programs for a firm

Engineering/Science

Science has a big role to play in construction, especially as more environmental projects become popular. If you want to find new methods of construction that decrease our carbon footprint, or make other advancements in the industry, maybe one of these jobs suits you:

• Civil Engineer: Designs roads, bridges, dams, and other structures
• Geologist: Examines raw sites to see if the section of earth is suitable for a construction project
• Environmental Engineer: Combines engineering, biology, and chemistry to find environmentally friendly procedures and practices
• Hydrologist: Manages water resources and determines if water plays an environmental factor in a build

This is not a comprehensive list. There are business owners, architects, and more talented professionals working in construction. Whatever your talents, you can find an opportunity in construction if you so choose.

If you’re looking for more information about construction, check out our advice page. You can also submit a resume, browse our job listings, or contact one of our expert recruitment consultants today.