Pub. 1 2018-2019 Issue 3

26 CONSTRUCTION AS A CAREER: T here’s a lot of reasons to consider going into the construction field. It’s a field that pays well (for college graduates and technical school gradu- ates alike) and offers almost unlimited opportunities for advancement. It’s a creative field – it’s a rare job site that doesn’t need creative thinking and problem solving skills. There aremore than 50 trades and occu- pations within the construction industry, so there are ongoing opportunities to learn fromother profession- als in related fields, or to move into another area of the field if your skillset is a better fit in another area. It’s an exciting industry, one that is constantly changing as new technologies emerge. It’s also an industry that offers those working in it with a deep satisfaction level: you can see that you built something new, something that in many cases didn’t exist before. It’s no wonder that the reasons for construction careers are as varied as the people in it. “The most compelling reason to consider the trades is that there is a basic human satisfaction to be had from taking a tool in hand, and seeing the direct effect of your actions in the world.” — Matthew B. Crawford