Construction Careers
and Apprenticeship Programs
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A Trades Man…
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.
A Day in the life of a ....
| Boilermaker | Bricklayer |
| Cement Mason & Plasterer | Electrician |
| Elevator Constructor | Glazier |
| Insulator | Ironworker |
| Laborer | Painter |
| Plumber/Pipefitter | Road Sprinkler Fitter |
| Roofer | Sheet Metal Worker |
| Sign Display & Allied Trade | Telecommunications |
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:
General Building Construction
Erecting office buildings, houses, apartments, plants, schools, hospitals, churches, government buildings.
Highway Construction
Building highways and bridges, doing grade separations and culverts, paving, earthmoving, and landscaping.
Heavy Construction
Building tunnels, airports, dams, military bases, railroads, and doing flood control projects.
Utilities Construction
Constructing power plants and transmission stations, doing pipeline installations, sanitation projects and waterworks.