Construction Careers

Lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, inder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, sewers, and other structures.  Skills and Abilities  The most desired quality in Brickmasons is dependability and a strong work ethic. Knowledge of basic math including measurement, volume, mixing proportions, plane geometry, and mechanical drawing are important in this trade. Specific skills include: interpret blueprints and drawings to determine specifications; calculate the materials required; lay and align bricks, blocks, or tiles to build or repair structures; move or lift heavy objects; read blue prints and technical drawings.

Skills and Abilities
The most desired quality in Brickmasons is dependability and a strong work ethic. Knowledge of basic math including measurement, volume, mixing proportions, plane geometry, and mechanical drawing are important in this trade. Specific skills include: interpret blueprints and drawings to determine specifications; calculate the materials required; lay and align bricks, blocks, or tiles to build or repair structures; move or lift heavy objects; read blue prints and technical drawings.

Construct, erect, install, and repair structures and fixtures of wood, plywood, and wallboard, using carpenter's hand tools and power tools.

Skills and Abilities 
Carpenters need manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, physical fitness, and a good sense of balance. The ability to solve arithmetic problems quickly and accurately also is required. Specific skills include: construct, erect, or repair wooden frameworks or structures; read specifications in blueprints, sketches or building plans; prepare project layout and determine dimensions and materials required; shape or cut materials to specified measurements; use hand tools, machines, and/or power saws; install structures and fixtures, such as windows, frames, flooring, and trim, or hardware; climb ladders and scaffolding; follow safety procedures.

Lay and install carpet from rolls or blocks on floors. Install padding and trim flooring materials.

Skills and Abilities 
Some skills needed to become carpet installers and finishers include manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, physical fitness, and a good sense of balance and color. The ability to solve basic arithmetic problems quickly and accurately also is required. Specific skills include: join edges of carpet and seam edges where necessary, by sewing or by using tape with glue and heated carpet iron; take measurements and study floor sketches to calculate the area to be carpeted and the amount of material needed; cut carpet padding to size; install padding, following prescribed methods; use hand and power tools; follow safety procedures.

Masons smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. Align forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; use saws to cut expansion joints.

Skills and Abilities 
Job skills associated with Cement Masons include: prepare site or surfaces for concrete or masonry work; measure tile or masonry materials; cut or shape stone, tile, brick, or related material; mix and apply mortar, grout, concrete, or related masonry material; apply plaster, stucco or related material; use measuring or leveling devices in construction or extraction work read blueprints and technical drawings; use hand and power tools; repair or replace damaged bricks, tile, or related masonry; follow safety and signaling procedures.

Applies plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Applies or mounts acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. Materials may be of decorative quality.

Skills and Abilities 

• Following construction blueprints and plans
• Following written construction work orders
• Making large fixed structures and objects
• Using construction hand and power tools
• Working as a member of a construction team

Electrical contractors are among the most important and first-to-arrive contractors to enter new construction job sites to supply power for other construction operations.  Lighting, HVAC and a myriad of other activities rely on electrical power to be in place. In buildings, electrical connectivity is essential to many other activities including cooking, refrigeration, lighting, charging stations, integration with solar energy and the operation of elevators, escalators and personal computers.

Skills and Abilities 
In order to take the license exam to become a Journeyman electrician, an individual must have a combination of 4 years of apprentice experience (8,000 hours on-the-job training), and at least 288 hours of classroom training.

Primary skills include: analyze operation of malfunctioning electrical or electronic equipment; bend and install tubing and conduit; install electrical fixtures or components; install electronic power, communication, control, or security equipment or systems; install or replace meters, regulators, or related measuring or control devices; lay out, string and install electrical wiring for buildings, etc.; inspect electrical installation for code conformance; repair or replace electrical wiring, circuits, fixtures, or equipment; use low-voltage and high-voltage apparatus; follow safety procedures; read technical drawings and schematics, work with new building information modeling (BIM) or virtual reality (VR) applications. Other skills needed to become an electrician include manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, physical fitness, and a good sense of balance. They also need good color vision because workers frequently must identify electrical wires by color.

Assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.

Skills and Abilities
Good physical condition and mechanical aptitude are important. Primary skills include: assemble, install, repair, and maintain elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks, and dumbwaiters, using hand and power tools, and testing devices such as test lamps, ammeters, and voltmeters; Test newly installed equipment to ensure that it meets specifications; check that safety regulations and building codes are met, and complete service reports verifying conformance to standards; connect electrical wiring to control panels and electric motors; read and interpret blueprints to determine the layout of system components and to select installation equipment; maintain log books that detail all repairs and checks performed.

Glaziers install glass in windows, skylights, store fronts, and display cases, or on surfaces, such as building fronts, interior walls, ceilings, and tabletops.

Skills and Abilities 
Skills needed to become a glazier include manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, physical fitness, and a good sense of balance. The ability to solve arithmetic problems quickly and accurately also is required. Specific skills include: measure and mark reference points or cutting lines on workpieces; cut and shape glass; install or replace glass in windows, skylights, or other structural surfaces; make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects; use hand and power tools, as well as measuring and leveling equipment; use brazing and soldering equipment; follow safety procedures; read blueprints and technical drawings.