Careers In Construction

The home building industry offers more than just another job — you can find a rewarding career and earn a great salary. The top 25% in most construction trades professions earn at least $60,000 annually. And you don’t need to follow the traditional college path to get there.

Your local home builder association has partnered with PBA and NAHB to connect you to the necessary training and industry members to get you started on your career path. Learn more below about the opportunities to start building your career in nine of the most popular trades.

To find a career and technical center in your area that offer specialized programs that are part of PBA’s Endorsed Trade Program, CLICK HERE

Please Note: Wages are the NATIONAL average and are supplied by NAHB.

Carpentry

Carpenters are needed in all areas of construction and are often employed through the entire construction process. Thus, it is one of the most secure jobs within the industry.

National Mean Salary and Hourly Wages:
$58,210 salary/$27.99 hourly

In the carpentry trade you will learn to:

  • Frame floors, walls, ceilings and roofs
  • Build concrete forms
  • Apply plywood, roof paper and shingles
  • Build and set cabinets and countertops
  • Install doors, windows, trim and siding
  • Install floor joists, rafters and trusses
  • Lay wood flooring
  • Operate table saws, power drills, routers, joiners, planers and nail guns

Once you complete training, you have a variety of employment options:

  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Home builders
  • Sub-contractors
  • Remodelers
  • Commercial builders

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Drywall installers and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile of interior rooms in buildings. On a daily basis, Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws. They read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements. Although specific duties may vary, many of them remove existing plaster, drywall, or paneling, using crowbars and hammers. It might also be their responsibility to install blanket insulation between studs and tack plastic moisture barriers over insulation.

National Mean Salary and Hourly Wages:
$57,880 salary/$27.83 hourly

In the drywall and ceiling tile installation trade you will learn to:

  • Measure, mark, and cut drywall panels according to design plans
  • Fasten panels and tiles to support structures
  • Measure and cut openings in panes or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures
  • Use keyhole saws and other cutting tools
  • Patch, trim, and smooth rough spots and edges

Important Qualities:

  • Ability to work at heights
  • Attention to detail
  • Balance
  • Dexterity
  • Math skills
  • Physical stamina
  • Physical strength

Once you complete training, you have a variety of employment opportunities:

  • Supervisor
  • General superintendent
  • Project manager
  • Estimator

Electrical

Modern life would not be possible without electricians. If you like to know how electric currents make things work, then this is the trade for you. Qualified electricians are always in demand.

National Mean Salary and Hourly Wages:
$63,280 salary/$31.39 hourly

In the electrical trade you will learn to:

  • Cut, bend and install metal conduits and wiring
  • Hook up electrical appliances
  • Install electrical switches and lighting fixtures
  • Wire door bells and fire alarms
  • Repair power cords and plugs
  • Use equipment for testing circuitry
  • Safely handle power tools
  • Ensure work is done according to relevant codes

Once you complete training, you have a variety of employment options:

  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Electrical contractors
  • Sub-contractors
  • Maintenance company

HVACR

Install or repair heating, ventilation, and central air conditioning or refrigeration (HVACR) systems, including oil burners, hot-air furnaces and heating stoves.

National Mean Salary and Hourly Wages:
$57,460 salary/$27.63 hourly

In the HVACR trade you will learn:

  • How to maintain, repair and diagnose equipment related to HVACR technology
  • Energy auditing Green alternatives
  • Air conditioning design and layout
  • Refrigerant systems
  • System charging and system evacuation
  • Water treatment
  • Boiler operation and safety

Once you complete training, you have a variety of employment options:

  • Commercial service technician
  • Heating system installer
  • Heating, air conditioning and plumbing contractors
  • HVACR mechanic
  • Maintain and repair climate control for businesses, schools and hospitals

Masonry

Laying brick is one of the oldest and most respected trades in the construction industry. Masonry construction uses brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone, cast stone, concrete block, glass block, stucco, and tile.

National Mean Salary and Hourly Wages:
$62,380 salary/$29.99 hourly

In the masonry trade you will learn to:

  • Mix mortar and lay brick
  • Lay out building lines and grades
  • Lay floors and stairs
  • Mix and place concrete
  • Create different textures
  • Apply various finishes to concrete

Once you complete training, you have a variety of employment options:

  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Masonry contractors
  • Sub-contractors
  • General contractors

Painting

Whenever a home is built, nearly all of the interior and some of the exterior surfaces need to be painted to protect them from damage by water, mold and corrosion. Painting and maintaining painted surfaces improves the appearance and increases the value of a house.

National Mean Salary and Hourly Wages:
$49,350 salary/$23.73 hourly

In the painting trade you will learn to:

  • Prepare all types of surfaces – wood, drywall, plaster and masonry
  • Mix colors and use a tint machine
  • Apply paint, stain, clear finishes, sealants and fillers
  • Sand or waterblast
  • Use typical and airless spray equipment

Once you complete training, you have a variety of employment options:

  • Drywall contractors
  • Painting contractors
  • Sub-contractors
  • Residential contractors

Plumbing

Nearly all areas of construction rely on plumbers. If you enjoy working with your hands and solving problems, then this is the trade for you. Plumbers install, repair, and maintain pipes in residential, commercial and/or industrial buildings.

National Mean Salary and Hourly Wages:
$65,190 salary/$31.34 hourly

In the plumbing trade you will learn to:

  • Identify hand and power tools
  • Cut and install pipes and fittings
  • Install fixtures and hot water heaters
  • Test water lines for leaks
  • Make underground pipe connections
  • Install sprinkler systems
  • Weld properly

Once you complete training, you have a variety of employment options:

  • Plumbing contractors
  • Remodelers
  • High-rise and apartment complexes
  • Sub-contractors

Welding

Welders working in residential construction typically enjoy more variety of projects within a year. They focus on joining steel beams for building support and pipes for carrying water or natural gas and use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

National Mean Salary and Hourly Wages:
$50,460 salary/$24.26 hourly

In the welding trade you will learn:

  • Safety
  • Structural welding
  • Applied mathematics
  • Ability to weld materials
  • Blueprint reading skills

Important qualities for welders:

  • Detail oriented
  • Manual dexterity
  • Problem-solving ability
  • Spatial-oriented skills
  • Technical skills

Once you complete training, you have a variety of employment opportunities:

  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Supervisor
  • Instructor
  • Project manager