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The construction industry builds, maintains, and improves homes, factories, schools, bridges, roads, and more.

People who work in construction usually work in one of these three segments of the industry:

• Building construction: Construction of residences and commercial buildings
• Civil engineering construction: Construction of large projects including highways, sewers, tunnels, and bridges
• Specialty construction trades: Workers who are highly skilled in particular areas, such as plumbing, painting, or carpentry

Construction is a unique environment in which to work. Many people in the construction industry are self-employed or work for small firms with just a handful of employees. Many skilled workers learn their jobs through apprenticeships combined with other job training. Work may be seasonal and working conditions can be physically demanding, resulting in a higher injury rate than in other industries. On the other hand, construction workers typically make more money than workers in most other industries.

Skilled trades in construction include:

• Electrician
• HVACR (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, & Refrigeration) Technician
• Plumber
• Surveyor
• Welder (also a manufacturing trade)

The stability of the construction industry is linked primarily to the demand for new homes. When the housing market slows down, so does new home construction. The renovation and restoration sector of construction may actually pick up, however, as homeowners opt to remodel their existing homes rather than attempting to sell them. Over all, it appears that future job opportunities in the construction trades may be greater in the south and west of the U.S., where populations are growing fastest.

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