Construction Jobs Key Terms

Understanding the available job positions within the construction industry

By Michelle Cramer

The construction industry can include residential or commercial buildings, roads, bridges and every imaginable structure used within our daily lives. The pay for construction jobs is generally high due to the physical labor you may have to endure. If you're interested in obtaining a job in the construction industry, the following positions are some of the many possibilities.

Construction manager

The construction manager oversees all aspects of the construction project, serving as the supervisor for all of the subcontractors. The construction manager is also known as the constructor, production manager, superintendent or general contractor.
Try: Refer to Career Overview for more information on a construction manager position.

Laborer

A construction laborer does the actual building and construction work. Laborers do everything from clean the construction site to the actual dangerous physical labor and machine operation. They may be carpenters, plasterers, engineers, masons or assistants.
Try: Find more details about job descriptions, wages and education requirements for construction laborers from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Plasterer

A plasterer or stucco mason is the individual that installs the interior or exterior sheetrock, plaster or stucco. He may also apply decorative textures or designs with finishes or additions like sand, stone or pebbles.
Try: Visit Career Planner for more details on the tasks of a plasterer.

Inspector

The construction inspector inspects and approves virtually every aspect of the construction process. At the end of each phase, the inspector makes sure that every nail is in place and all the measurements are in order so that the structure is safe and meets design standards.
Try: The Dictionary of Occupational Titles gives more information on a construction inspector.

Electrical contractor

The electrical contractor installs all of the electrical wiring and fixtures within the construction project. It is important that electricians install these elements at the right time in the construction.
Try: Arne Electro-Tech provides full details for the position of electrical contractor.

Architect

Architects design the building structure. Whether it is a simple design for an industrial warehouse or an elaborate design for a beautiful church, museum or other public building, the architect plans each and every square inch of it.
Try: Visit StateUniversity or the Bureau of Labor Statistics for more details about this career choice.