The construction industry needs qualified people and a
high school diploma is a necessary first measure of quality. Stay in school,
get your diploma, then start a career.
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
Apprenticeship is a combination of paid on
the job training and related classroom instruction in which workers learn the
practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation.
Apprentices earn while they learn. Apprenticeship programs are operated on
a voluntary basis by employers, employer associations or management and labor
groups. The related classroom instruction is given in the program
sponsor's training facility or local technical school or junior college.
WHAT IS AN APPRENTICE?
An apprentice is a worker
who learns a craft skill through planned, supervised work on the job, plus
related classroom instruction. Moreover, when working on the job, an
apprentice is a regular part of the work force and earns wages while acquiring
important skills.
The apprenticeship-training
period for skilled occupations ranges from three to five years.
Apprentices are taught the proper use, care and safe handling of the tools and
equipment used in connection with their work. To round out their training,
classroom work is required in subjects related to the trade.
Men and women 17-1/2 or 18
years old (depending on the trade) are eligible to apply. Applicants must
be physically able to do work of the trade. Some trades require an entry
examination. Most trades require applicants to be a high school graduate
or possess a General Education Development (G.E.D.) certificate.
Apprenticeship programs provide employment opportunity to all persons,
regardless of race, sex, ethnic group or age.
For all trades, equal
opportunity in apprenticeship means that you will be considered for training
without regard to race, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, veteran
status, or disability.
It also means equal
treatment in pay, promotions, layoffs and evaluations. Women are strongly
encouraged to find out about the wide range of jobs that can be learned through
apprenticeships.
Apprenticeship in the
building trades offers women excellent opportunities for employment in jobs that
are both personally satisfying and well paid. The apprenticeship system
provides the opportunity for learning to become a highly skilled worker while
receiving wages during the training period.
It is a combination of
training and employment that makes apprenticeship an option the construction
industry would like to make more available to more women.
APPRENTICES EARN COLLEGE CREDIT
Some Northwest Ohio
apprenticeship programs now qualify for college credit. Owens Community
College and Northwest State Community College are some of the schools offering
such programs.
APPRENTICES GET REGULAR WAGE INCREASES
Apprentices earn while
learning; the more they learn, the higher the pay. Most apprentices are
paid 40% to 70% of a journeyperson's wage to start. As they climb the
ladder to the final qualifications, their wages are increased at regular
intervals. At the end of their terms of apprenticeship, they become a
journeyperson and draw full pay for their skill.
PICK A
TRADE AND BEGIN A REWARDING CAREER
The following trades are under the umbrella of the Northwestern
Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council. You can find a description
of each trade and where to apply to begin an apprenticeship program.
YOU CAN BEGIN
A CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION IN VARIOUS WAYS
High School combined with training in an Industry
Approved Career-Technical Program
Students who determine early on that they want a career in construction can
attend career-technical high school in carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing,
construction electricity, welding, and other trades. Graduates are provided
with lists of local employers and the employers are provided with names of
current graduates. Training in an approved program can make entrance into trade
apprenticeship programs easier.
High
School followed by training in a State Approved Apprenticeship Program
For those men and women who want to enter construction as a journeyperson, local
and state approved Apprenticeship Programs have been established. The programs
are normally three to five years and combine on-the-job training with related
instruction in a classroom environment. You will be learning much more about
the crafts and their related apprenticeship programs on this website.
High
School followed by Technical School or Associate’s Degree Program
There are many two-year programs available to people wishing to enter
construction at the management level. All of these programs provide a
background in general practices found in the industry and include courses in
surveying, drafting, blueprint reading, construction documents, estimating,
construction materials and management techniques.
High
School followed by College
College programs in construction management, civil engineering and other related
programs prepare graduates who are capable of entering corporate and project
management positions with a minimum of on-the-job training. Many college
programs have evolved from industry liaison groups and are tough yet practical.
Competition for these programs can be intense, and classroom space is limited.
Many college programs cover areas dealing with materials, mathematics,
surveying, construction methods, hydraulics, planning and scheduling,
estimating, cost control, accounting, construction law and labor relations.
CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES
Career opportunities in construction are nearly unlimited. There are many
different jobs for many different activities. Each job has its own advantages,
responsibilities and rewards for those who are qualified. Salaries are flexible
and depend on the person, his/her abilities, effort, initiative and dedication.
Let’s take a look at some of the many career positions available to you in the
construction industry. Some are available to you after specialized training;
others require a broad understanding of the total project, gained only after
years of preparation and experience. Remember, regardless of the career you’d
like to follow, your success will depend on your abilities, your effort, you
initiative and your dedication to the job.
SOME TYPICAL PROFESSIONALS/PATHWAYS
Shown here are some career paths that are open to you in the construction
industry. You can get an idea of how members of the construction team move up
their jobs from the following common career progressions.
High School Graduate - Apprentice, Journeyperson, Foreman, Superintendent,
General Superintendent.
Technical School Graduate - Assistant Expediter,
Expediter, Purchasing Agent, Vice President.
Community School Graduate - Assistant Engineer,
Engineer, Job Superintendent, General Superintendent, Vice President.
College Graduate - Junior Estimator, Estimator,
Construction Engineer, Marketing Manager, Partner.
College Graduate - Construction Engineer, Job
Superintendent, General Superintendent, Project Manager, President.
The following information gives you a little more detail on each
type of job
Journeyperson:
A member of one of the building trades who has successfully completed an
apprenticeship program, or one who has successfully completed the skills to
become a journeyperson.
Foreman:
Supervises all journeypersons and apprentices of a particular trade working on a
project and plans work, maintains schedules, ensures procedures as directed by
the superintendent.
Draftsman:
Prepares working plans, drawings, and diagrams for engineering and construction
purposes.
Construction
Engineer: Responsible for
technical aspects of a project including the design, testing and analysis of
specifications and materials, planning, surveying, research and other critical
factors in the building process.
Safety
Engineer: Responsible for setting
up job site safety operations, ensuring safety consciousness of employees,
ensuring that activities are conducted in accordance with federal and state
safety and health regulations and procedures, and provides professional advice
on safety of various construction activities.
Estimator:
Prepares basic data concerning a proposed construction project (usually from
plans and specifications) including quantities of materials, man-hours to
perform items of work, methods to be used, equipment required, and, with the
assistance of other members of the office staff, computes the cost of
construction which represents the contractor’s competitive bid for the job.
Expeditor:
Maintains construction schedules by reviewing deliveries, scheduling arrival of
materials and men at the job sites, establishing work priorities, and obtaining
necessary clearances.
Purchasing
Agent: Determines most economical
sources for materials, stores, supplies, equipment and parts, and ensures
purchase at lowest price consistent with required delivery schedule.
Inspector:
Inspects the work of contractors to ensure that the requirements of the
drawings, specifications and codes for the work are met.
Office Manager:
Performs or supervises the variety of support services required of a
construction business, such as keeping books, preparing payroll, billing
clients, and handling mail.
General
Superintendent: Directs all
construction functions for large projects according to established schedules,
specifications, methods, and procedures; supervises job superintendent on very
large projects or on a variety of smaller projects.
Project
Manager: Directs all construction
functions on very large projects, establishes and develops methods, procedures,
schedules, and policies, coordinates the work of all units and divisions,
performs such administrative duties as are required for proper completion of the
project.
General
Contractor: Often a company
owner, a businessperson and construction specialist in most cases, responsible
for all construction activities, deals with all key individuals on a project…the
architect, the owner, the subcontractors and company personnel.
CATEGORIES OF CONSTRUCTION
Contractors normally specialize in one or more of the following types of
construction:
