71
The growth of the construction trades was a common topic in the
news in the midst of and following the COVID-19 pandemic. For
instance, in Michigan, the state’s largest construction association,
the Home Builders Association of Michigan, predicted that 2021
production levels would reach 16,017 new single-family homes by
year end. They also noted the demand for remodeling activity had
increased as more consumers continued to work from home. All of
that extra demand caused significant price increases and project
wait times in the residential construction world—trends that only
served to highlight the need for students to enter these profes-
sional trades.
Major construction trades jobs to look at include:
Construction managers
The job: A construction manager takes on the top leadership role
for any construction project. The person in this position is in charge
of planning, coordinating, scheduling, budgeting, and otherwise
overseeing construction projects.
The pay: Median pay for construction manager jobs is $104,900 per
year.
The prospects: BLS is projecting 22,900 new construction manager
jobs between 2022 and 2032—a robust five percent growth rate.
The education: Many construction management jobs will require
a bachelor’s degree in construction management. However, some
employers may be willing to hire or promote construction managers
based on significant construction industry experience and
on-the-job training. Construction workers may also be able to work
themselves up from lower-level leadership roles in the industry—
such as foreman or site supervisor, jobs that typically report
directly to the construction manager—to construction management
jobs, even without a bachelor’s degree.