with the skilled trades fall. These jobs
include carpenters, electricians, plumbers,
pipefitters, bricklayers and masons, HVAC
technicians, roofers, drywallers, cement and
concrete workers, window installers, and
other professionals who could feasibly be
lumped into the catchall of “builders.” The
people who built your home, your school,
your favorite restaurant, the office where
your parents work? They were all part of the
skilled trades—and of the construction trades
specifically.
Skilled trades professionals in the construc-
tion trades work on projects to build new
structures, renovate or remodel old ones,
repair or service existing buildings, and more.
Typically, workers in the construction trades
specialize in a specific type of construction,
such as residential (typically single-family
homes), commercial, or industrial.
Jobs in this segment of the skilled trades
are usually very hands-on and may include
significant heavy lifting or other elements of
manual labor. However, construction trades-
people are also expected to bring a variety of
high-level skills and knowledge to the table,
ranging from specific building techniques to safety protocols to
cost estimating to general mathematics.
Because of the diversity of skills that are required in different
construction jobs, there are degree programs at many tradi-
tional colleges and universities focused on the construction
trades—specifically on construction management. Not every job
in construction requires a high-level degree, though. In fact, many
construction tradespeople get their start in the industry by working
as apprentices or simply learning key skills on the job.