The Ultimate Resource for Construction Workers
A job in construction can provide great money, reasonable hours, and flexibility to work in different areas depending on your personal requirements.
The requirements for an entry-level position are minimal.
If you’re physically fit and willing to work hard, then a construction job may be an excellent fit for you.
If your interest has piqued, then continue reading to get all the information you require for a potential job in construction.
Construction Worker Information Table
| Official Job Title | Construction Worker |
| Average Salary | $38,068 |
| Stress Level | Low |
| Work / Life Balance | Good |
| Job Satisfaction | Average |
| Career Advancement | Good |
Construction Worker Job Description
What Is A Construction Worker?
A construction worker is a general term for anybody working on a construction site that is performing physical labor to build the physical infrastructure as instructed by the foreman.
Unless given a specific job title, a construction worker would be considered a low-level manual laborer and not specialize in any task.
What Does A Construction Worker Do On A Daily Basis?
On a daily basis, general construction workers clean and prepare construction sites to remove hazards and waste material.
In addition, they assist skilled tradespeople, such as carpenters, plasterers, masons, electricians, and almost any skilled tradesperson.
A typical day for a general construction workers will involve the following:
- Discuss duties for the day with the foreman, who may assign them to a specific trade or general cleanup.
- Control traffic in and around the job site.
- Measure, mark, and record the layout of areas where construction work needs to happen.
- Dig or fill holes manually or with a digger.
- Backfill excavations or compress and level earth using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.
Responsibilities, Duties & Roles Of A Construction Worker
- Cleaning construction site, including removing debris and waste material.
- Loading and unloading of materials to be used during construction, such as wood or wire spools.
- Helping with setting up construction infrastructures, such as scaffolding, bridges, or barricades.
- Helping prepare the base for construction could involve digging or filling holes and flattening the earth.
- Operating general machinery as needed, such as diggers, bobcats, and concrete mixers.
- Helping skilled tradesmen, such as roofers, tilers, electricians, and anybody that needs help.
Construction Worker Salary
Average Salary
The average salary for a construction worker varies greatly depending on their skill set, experience, and the size of the project they are working on.
However, the average salary is around $38,068 per year.
Starting Salary
When starting in the construction industry, your salary will be relatively low, and your job requirements will be basic.
Your starting salary will be around $28,000 per year.
Senior Salary
Senior construction workers without a specialty will earn up to $48,040 per year.
However, if you specialize and get certification or training, your salary will greatly increase.
How to Become a Construction Worker
The Entry Level: Certification, Training & Degree
Starting as a construction worker can happen in several ways.
- You can walk up to a job site without training or experience and become a general laborer.
- Your requirements are likely going to be steel-toed boots, hardhat, and construction gloves.
- If you want to become a skilled tradesman, you will require vocational training in your chosen field and an apprenticeship.
- For example, you may need to complete electrician training at a vocational school to be an electrician.
- In addition, you will need to get an apprenticeship and then work under the supervision of a certified electrician.
- Once you have completed all of this, you can be fully certified and work independently.
Other Skill Sets, Requirements & Qualifications
You will pick up most skills required as a general construction worker on the job site.
When you initially start, you will likely not be given jobs with heavy equipment.
However, as you progress and gain more experience, you will be trusted and provided with some training.
This training could involve equipment for general cleanups, such as trucks, mixers, bobcats, and anything else that doesn’t require certification.
There are no specific requirements or qualifications for a general construction worker.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Construction Worker?
As a general construction worker, you can become one almost instantly.
If you are old enough and have your own essential equipment, then you can get a job.
Suppose you specialize as a tradesman instead of a general construction worker.
In that case, it can take many years until you can work by yourself.
It involves going to a vocational school and an apprenticeship that could take up to 4 years.
However, as an apprentice, you can earn money.
Is It Hard To Become A Construction Worker?
Becoming a general construction worker is easy.
There are no qualifications and no specific requirements to gain employment.
Suppose you specialize in a trade, such as an electrician, plumber, or roofer.
In that case, it’s not difficult, but it is time-consuming.
Construction Worker Career Paths
The Construction Worker Roadmap
As a general construction worker, your roadmap is relatively limited unless you decide to specialize and go back to school.
Your earning potential is still high, and you may take on more responsibilities.
Still, career advancement is not really possible without switching to a specialization.
Your job options without training would not change a lot the longer you stay in the job.
You would need to switch to becoming a skilled tradesman for a full career path, though this would mean returning to school and starting an apprenticeship.
So, it wouldn’t make sense to start as a general laborer unless you didn’t have the money for school.
Projections For Growth In Construction Worker Jobs
Growth in construction worker jobs is expected to grow by 4% through 2031.
This growth has increased since 2019, which had a growth rate of 5.6%.
In Summary: Is Construction Worker A Good Career?
Being a general construction worker is an excellent way to make money, though it is not a good career choice.
You are limited in growth and career advancement without a complete reset into a skilled trade.
If you plan to advance in the construction industry and build a career, it would be better to start as an apprentice in a trade and move up from there.
Construction Worker Working Conditions
Can A Construction Worker Work Remotely From Home?
There is no way a construction worker can work from home.
You are physically building something at a remote location.
If you are working from home, there is nothing for you to do.
How Many Hours Does A Construction Worker Work?
In general, you will work from 8 am to 5 pm and have a 40-hour workweek.
However, you may have the opportunity to work extra hours, which means you will be paid extra.
Can A Construction Worker Work Part-Time?
Often general construction workers will work hourly instead of receiving a salary.
Working hourly means during busy times, you could work 40 hours or more.
Other times you may only work mornings or not work at all. So working part-time is a possibility.
What Are The Average Vacation Days Of A Construction Worker?
General construction workers may receive no vacation days if they are not employees.
Otherwise, they would receive a standard ten-day PTO allowance to use as they see fit.
This PTO will often not start until they have worked 90 days and will accrue throughout the year.
Alternative Careers & Similar Jobs to a Construction Worker
- Surveyor
- Cost Estimator
- Ironworker
- Safety Engineer
- Supervisor
- Heavy Equipment Operator
- Electrical Engineer
- Drafter
- Maintenance Engineer
- Engineering Technician
Construction Worker Resume Tips
As a general construction worker, you may not even need a resume.
The tips for getting a job would be to show up to a job site with your own essential equipment and be ready to work.
You would likely need the following:
- Steel-toed boots
- Hardhat
- Construction gloves
If you have previous experience, you can create a basic resume that details which you worked for, the project, and what you did, all in bullet point form for an easy read.
Construction Worker Interview Questions
Some common questions asked of construction workers during the interview process are listed below.
Ensure you understand them and have a good answer.
Q1: What construction equipment have you worked on before?
Why it works: This will provide a quick understanding of your experience level and what equipment you can use for the current job without any training.
Q2: Do you have any certifications?
Why it works: This gives the employer an understanding of whether you can work on specialized equipment or perform specific tasks that would benefit them.
Certifications they may be asking about could even just be your truck driving license or forklift operator license.
Jobs Related to Construction Workers
The construction industry has a wide variety of jobs, and a general construction worker will interact with most of the tradespeople, including:
- Carpenters
- Electricians
- Pipefitters
- Foreman
- Masons
- Painters
For HR Managers: Tips for Hiring a Construction Worker
Key Characteristics To Look For In A Construction Worker
When looking to hire a construction worker, some of the key characteristics would be:
- Physically fit as it can be a physically demanding job.
- Ability to follow instructions as you don’t want to supervise someone all day.
- Quick learner. You will want to show them many different tasks and want them to pick them up quickly without the need to review them often.
Minimum Level Of Education & Experience
Often no education or experience is required if you are hiring for a starting position as a general construction worker.
However, you may want to ensure the candidate has a high school diploma or experience working in construction before.
Previous experience will always be a benefit but shouldn’t be specifically required.