PARENTS

Do your parents have questions about your choice to enter a skilled trade?

Here are a few facts about careers in construction that might help you when you're having "that" talk. 

Why would you want to work in construction? 

• With an apprenticeship I can start working right out of high school and get my training at the same time, so I won't need to go into a lot of debt. 

• In a few years I'll be certified, and I have opportunities to be my own boss and have employees of my own down the road.

• It's interesting work - I won't be doing the same thing day in and day out; I'll always be learning new things - and the industry is looking for smart people like me to take on this work.

What are you going to do with a job in construction?

• It’s not a job–it is a long-term career.

• It’s a flexible career that I can take with me wherever I go. So whether I want to stay here or experience another part of the US or live somewhere else completely different, I can find interesting work that pays well, no matter where I’m based.

• I’m looking forward to the challenges that a career in construction brings. It will allow me to use my hands and my mind to solve problems, work on teams with other trades people, and build something tangible and useful for society.

Construction jobs don’t pay well. How will you survive?

• Even starting out as an apprentice I'll get paid well from day one and have little to no debt. In just my first year as an apprentice, I'll earn anywhere from 30%-50% of what a fully qualified tradesperson makes, and my wage will increase each year until I'm certified.

• Like other careers, my pay continues to increase with my experience throughout my career.

• Depending on what career path I choose, my pay can be on par with the salary of an accountant, engineer or many other traditional university-degreed careers.

You’re smart. Construction is for people who don’t do well in school.

• Construction trades require strong math and science skills, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Depending on what career path I choose, I may take on new skills and responsibilities like project management, people management and business management, offering opportunities for ongoing training and new experiences.

• Becoming a skilled tradesperson requires thousands of hours of training and schooling, including a final exam to receive certification.

• It's a career that requires life-long learning to hone my craft and keep up to date on the latest technology and equipment.

Construction is a dead-end job. You’ll be doing the same thing for the rest of your life. 

• A career in construction offers many opportunities. For example:

• I can work for a construction company, developing my skills and gaining new experiences with each new project, and even move into different areas such as training, or health and safety.

• I can advance into higher management positions - like foreman, superintendent, supervisor, project manager and construction manager - in established companies.

• Or I can run my own company, winning my own clients and managing the business side of things.

You can’t build a good life for yourself with a construction job.

• A career as a tradesperson provides a good quality of life. Like other careers, I'll earn a competitive salary that continually increases with my experience, and I'll get solid benefits.

• Every day I'll get the opportunity to combine my training and talent - use my hands and my brain - to build something amazing. Something I can be proud of. Something you can be proud of.

• I'll be working in an industry that is stable and in demand.

• I'll work regular hours and have plenty of downtime to enjoy myself, have a family and build a life.

Construction is hard, back-breaking work – you could get hurt.

• There are some high-risk jobs in construction, but part of my training involves ensuring workplace safety standards are maintained for everyone on the site, including me.

• Modern equipment today is safer, easier to use and more technical. I need to have technical skills to operate today's construction machinery. It's not just manual labor any more.

• I'll be helping families build homes, cities build infrastructure, businesses build skyscrapers. I'll be contributing to my community and helping to strengthen the economy.

Construction isn’t a respected job. You should pursue a “better” career.

• Careers in construction are respected. Construction is a huge part of ensuring a healthy economy. It provides infrastructure, ensures we have power, clean water and telecommunications lines, creates the places where we work and live, and gives us parks, hospitals, libraries and schools.

• In today's economic environment, a college degree doesn't guarantee you a job once you graduate. In fact, many young people today are pursuing careers in construction AFTER they have earned their college degrees because certified tradespeople have better chances of finding work in their chosen careers.

What do I tell family and friends about your career choice?

• I don't have to go into debt for my education. I get paid during my apprenticeship.

• These are VERY technical jobs -it's as complicated as engineering in many cases.

• There are jobs in this sector-other jobs are hard to get because everyone is trying to get the same ones.

• I'll have work-there's a talent shortage of skilled tradespeople.

• I'll build things that are important.

• The views about "good jobs" are shifting -this isn't a class issue. The smartest kids from the best families are going into this industry.