Is Construction a Good Career Path?

If you’re searching for a new career, it’s important to know that you have options beyond a four-year degree or a traditional 9-to-5 office job. Whether you are a new high school graduate, a veteran, an unemployed worker, or a disabled worker, you should consider a career in the construction industry. Construction, as a whole, is a booming industry:

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction added 27,000 jobs in June 2024, which was higher than the average monthly gain of 20,000 over the prior 12 months.
• The construction industry has also bounced back significantly in spite of recent pandemic challenges.
• While other sectors have faced severe decreases in employment, the construction industry’s employment rate has grown from 5.0% of total employment in February 2020 to 5.2% in March 2024.

Construction jobs are continuing to be on the rise, and if you’re looking for a new career, you need to take advantage of this opportunity. Let’s dive into why a career in construction might be right for you.

What Does a Construction Career Look Like?

First, it’s important to understand that the construction industry is very large. You can work within residential or commercial construction, and so many different roles are included within the industry. You might look into construction management, carpentry, drywall installation, roofing, and much more. There are two specific construction jobs that are showing immense growth and high earning potential: heavy equipment operators and mobile crane operators. Let’s take a look at both of these roles.

Heavy Equipment Operator Careers

As a heavy equipment operator, you can operate bulldozers, skid steers, backhoes, excavators, scrapers and more. These types of equipment are in-demand in the construction, energy, and mining industries. You will also be working in both the commercial and residential sectors, using equipment to move heavy objects, like construction materials or soil. You might work on repairing bridges or constructing commercial buildings. While the day-to-day of each project may look different, you will always be responsible for operating and maintaining the heavy equipment and machinery on each construction site.

According to the 2024 Construction Craft Salary Survey Results published by the National Center for Construction Education and Research, the average salary for a heavy equipment operator is $70,797. This is far above many of the other salaries in this industry, which shows that a career as a heavy equipment operator is high-paying. This is the type of salary that can help you sustain your family. There are plenty of careers out there that require a four-year degree, and yet they don’t offer salaries like this. Consider becoming a heavy equipment operator and see how many amazing opportunities come your way.

Mobile Crane Operator Careers

Becoming a mobile crane operator is another career option to think about. With the increase in urbanization and industrial projects, there is a high demand for cranes and advanced lifting solutions. As of 2023, the U.S. crane market was worth 26.3 billion dollars. By 2032, the market is projected to be worth 46.7 billion dollars. As the number of construction projects continues to rise, crane operators are needed now more than ever.

As a mobile crane operator, you are expected to operate various types of cranes, like the Mobile Hydraulic Telescopic Boom Swing-Cab and Telescopic Boom Fixed-Cab cranes, as well as know key principles of crane safety, preventative maintenance, wire rope and basic rigging practices.

You’ll need NCCCO Crane Operator certification, which is an in-demand certification in the construction industry. It’s worth it though because according to the NCCER 2024 Construction Craft Salary Survey Results, the average salary of a mobile crane operator is $80,674. That shows that your salary as a mobile crane operator is in the top 5 salaries of construction jobs.

These are the types of wages that can truly change your family’s life. And in an industry that is always growing, the only place to go is up. For more information about becoming a crane operator, check out this article: How Long Does it Take to Become a Crane Operator? 

How to Start a Career in Construction

Now that you’ve learned about different jobs in the construction industry, you might be wondering where to begin if you’re interested in a new career.

First, you’ll need to determine what kind of training or certifications you may need. For most construction jobs, like heavy equipment operators, you will not need higher education like a four-year degree. However, you will need certain training in order to ensure you have knowledge of proper safety, maintenance, and operational procedures. As already mentioned, NCCCO certification will ensure that you are qualified to operate cranes. There is both a written and practical exam requirement for this certification.

You may also want to consider specialized heavy equipment training that provides an NCCER equipment-specific credential. Here, you can become certified in operating skid steers, articulated off-road dump trucks, dozers, excavators, and more.

No matter what type of certification you choose, however, hands-on training is the most valuable way to start your career in construction. This is where we excel, so let’s learn more about the PTS difference.

How PTS Can Help You with a Career in Construction

At PTS, we are committed to helping you succeed. A heavy equipment and mobile crane operator school, we offer numerous training programs at our state-of-the-art facility in Ohio. With small class sizes, our experienced instructors use a nationally recognized standardized NCCER curriculum so you can earn your NCCER or NCCCO certifications. We combine classroom learning with in-the-seat field experience to make sure that in as little as three or six weeks, you are ready for a job in the real world.

Our facility in Thornville, Ohio has 5,400 square feet of space for classroom training, while also offering 10+ acres of training grounds for the hands-on experience that makes PTS graduates so successful. In fact, our students have a 85% job placement rate after graduation. We serve veterans, new high school graduates, unemployed workers and more.

PTS knows what it takes to be successful in the construction industry, and we want to help you provide for your family so we offer career assistance for our students even after they’ve graduated from our programs. At PTS, we also understand that you may need a refresher every now and then, so feel free to come back for a brief re-training on any piece of equipment on which you have been trained and credentialed.

That is truly the PTS difference — you are more than just a name to us. Long after you’ve graduated from our program, you can expect support from PTS. You want to have a long-lasting career in the construction industry and we can help you not just survive but thrive. Partner with us and expect your career prospects to soar. Get started today by scheduling a tour of our facility and learn about our $500 tuition reduction scholarship.