CONSTRUCTION WORKER

The construction industry is divided into three parts. General building contractors are responsible for building things such as houses, schools, stores, and office buildings. Heavy construction contractors build roads, tunnels, sewers, and other “heavy” projects. Special trade contractors are people who specialize in one area of construction but are not responsible for the building as a whole. Plumbers, electricians, and carpenters are all special trade contractors, and their duties are discussed in other chapters throughout this book.

Contractors are people who oversee the building of a structure and hire people to perform different tasks. These people tend to be skilled and experienced construction workers. Their years in the business have given them the knowledge they need to manage the overall construction process. As a contractor, you'll need to know what duties need to be performed before a structure can be completed and hire the appropriate people to do different jobs.

As a construction worker, your job duties will vary, depending on which part of the construction industry you decide to get involved in. If you feel that your interests lie in the building of residential structures, you should try your hand as a house builder and work your way up to general building contractor. Or maybe you've seen a road being built and thought it was fascinating. If so, you may want to consider work on highway or street construction. Then you can work your way up to become a heavy construction contractor. Either way, you would be helping to erect a structure that will stand for many years.