In fact, construction jobs are among the most plentiful in the country, and you have to have a special talent to do them. That's right; talent. Although many jobs in construction don't require advanced education beyond a high school diploma, you do have to be very good at construction work itself; this means you have to have a strong attention to detail, like to build and repair things, be very responsible and mature, and be physically fit and strong.
That's a tall order, so there aren't a lot of people around who can actually fill the bill when it comes to construction jobs. Best of all, you can begin working in construction jobs as soon as you're old enough to work, which for most people is the age of 16. That is, while you're still in high school, you can begin work in construction jobs in the summer, and then if you like it, you can move on to jobs in construction full-time, as your career.
Finding construction jobs
If you decide you want to begin working jobs in construction while you're still in school, you can often begin by working in construction jobs as your summer employment between school years. It can be relatively easy to find this type of employment, depending on where you live. Check with your local employment agency or online to find entry-level construction jobs. Although these won't pay huge salaries, they'll usually pay better than many part-time summer jobs, and you can get some experience at the same time. If the economy is good and construction industry is booming, you may even be able to work full-time in construction jobs for the entire summer, thus giving you the ability to save some money for further education after high school, or for things you need.
Once you've graduated high school, if you still want to stay in construction jobs as a career, you can decide to simply work your way up in the construction industry itself; you can also decide to specialize as a construction electrician or some other type of specialization. These more specialized jobs do require extra education beyond "on-the-job" experience, and will usually require class work, perhaps an apprenticeship, certification, passing an exam as mandated by your state, and finally, licensure.
If you don't want to pursue these more specialized avenues, though, you can still begin in basic construction jobs and work your way up to supervisory positions, which will pay better than entry-level construction jobs.
What can you expect to make in construction jobs?
The amount of income you can expect to make with jobs in construction varies greatly and depends on the job in question, the level of experience you have, and any additional certification or licensing required. Nonetheless, you can expect to make about $12 an hour on average for basic construction jobs, as the current market supports.
Some considerations with jobs in construction
Most jobs in construction are seasonal, which means that you won't be working as much during the winter months, especially if you live in a colder climate. Therefore, expect to be "laid off" and unemployed for at least part of the year even during busy times of construction. There are also times when construction itself may take a hit as an industry; this usually happens, for example, when the economy is faltering and new buildings are not being built as a consequence. Many people who work at construction jobs also have other jobs they do during the "off-season," so that they can continue to bring in a paycheck. You can also often file for unemployment in the off-season, so that you have some money coming in even if you're not going to be working construction jobs.
In short, don't let a tough economy or the seasonal "on/off" cycle of the construction industry dissuade you if this is something you really enjoy doing. Construction jobs are an important need in society, and will always be available to some extent. If you're good at this type of work, do consider doing it as a part-time or full-time profession.
