Construction Laborer

Explore This Path

Ideal for those who enjoy hands-on work and building the world around them.
Essential role in shaping infrastructure and supporting construction projects.
Operate diverse tools and equipment, ensuring dynamic and varied tasks daily.

💰 Earn $46K-$76K

📚 NO DEGREE REQUIRED

⏱️ 6–12 MONTH TRAINING

📈 8.2% JOB GROWTH

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What You’ll Do

Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.

Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.

Scoop

Minimum Education

None

Career Prospects

Excellent (Increasing by 5% or more)

Training Time

6 months to 1 year

Job Openings

133,100 Annually

Median Earnings

$56,720 in California

$45,300 Nationally

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Real Talk Reel

Want to see what it's like to be a Construction Laborer? We've curated a playlist for you to get a glimpse into a day in the life.

@jessehare/ Jesse Hare

Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

You are skilled in 💫

Coordination
Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Monitoring
Operation and Control

You value 🙏

Having support
Job security
Personal relationships

Deep Dive

Construction Laborer

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Workforce Development Program

A workforce development program typically enhances participants' opportunities to succeed in the workforce through employment skill-building, career counseling, connections to employers, and pathways to high-demand and high-wage jobs.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ FINISH IN 2-5 years

Vocational School

A vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years