Careers in Construction | BOLT Charitable Foundation

Did you know that there are hundreds of different careers in the construction industry? Have you ever wondered what a skilled trades person like a taper, glazier, steamfitter, or a rodworker actually does? What about a site coordinator, project manager, or the health and safety specialist?

The Careers in Construction video series features the most in-demand professions in the industry and provides an overview of their critical role in building a high-rise residential building. Below each video you’ll find additional resources on the featured careers, including their average wages and where to access required training.

Whether you’re just curious about how a building comes together or interested in a career in construction, these videos are an excellent resource for youth, students, parents, teachers, guidance counsellors, and case workers.

In this series:

Why a career in construction?

Need to hire, train, and retain 115,000+ construction workers
55% will be in new housing, renovation and maintenance
Average starting salary is $45,000 to $55,000
Career options are diverse with clear advancement
Feeling of fulfillment, accomplishment, and pride

For an overview of the skilled trades, you can visit Ontario trades and the Skilled Trades Ontario. You can also find more information on how to start your apprenticeship.

Structural and Exterior Trades

Careers 101

The structural and exterior trades are responsible for building the foundational elements of the building, such as the external walls, floors, ceilings, and internal supporting columns and walls. The forming crew includes cement or concrete finishers, construction craft workers, concrete pump operators, ironworkers, rod workers, and precast concrete erector/finishers, among others. Crane operators and on-the-ground spotters or swampers are also critical in this process as they carefully and safely move equipment and supplies where they are needed.

The Brick and Stone Masons or bricklayers build the internal walls and columns, as well as the decorative elements on the external walls, like stone or brick. The Architectural Glass and Metal Technicians or glaziers install the windows or window walls that close in the building.

Crane operators are the only compulsory trade out of this list of careers, but many are Red Seal Trades.

Salary

Average starting wage: $24/hour or $50,000/year | Earning Potential: $45/hour or $93,000+/year

Relevant Unions and Training Centres

Interior Wall Trades

Careers 101

Common drywall careers include framers, insulators, boarders, tapers, finisher and plasterer, acoustic mechanic and latherer, estimator, and hazardous materials worker, among others. Common painter trades include painter decorator in commercial, residential and industrial sectors, and architectural glass and metal technician.

The drywall and painter trades are voluntary trades, meaning that certification are not legally required to practice the trade. The Drywall Acoustic Mechanic & Latherer, the Drywall Finisher & Plasterer, and the Painter & Decorator trades are Red Seal Trades, which means that once your training is completed and you’ve received your full certification, you can work across Canada.

Salary

Average starting wage: $22/hour or $45,000/year | Earning Potential: $51/hour or $106,000+/year

Relevant Unions and Training Centres

Mechanical Trades

Careers 101

The mechanical trades include electricians, plumbers and steamfitters, sprinkler installers, sheet metal workers, HVAC and fire protection technicians, network cabling, and millwrights. The mechanical trades are responsible for implementing all the building internal systems, including plumbing, electrical, cooling and heating. They are some of the first trades on site to set up each system during the forming process, and some of the last trades out as finishings, like light switches, faucets, and thermostats, are installed.

These are all compulsory trades meaning that you must be registered as an apprentice with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and hold a Registered Training Agreement to legally work in these trades. Union training centres also require the passing (e.g. 70% or more) of a mechanical aptitude test as part of the apprentice intake process. Majority are also Red Seal Trades.

Salary

Average starting wage: $22/hour or $45,000/year | Earning Potential: $65/hour or $135,000+/year

Relevant Unions and Training Centres

Relevant College and University Programs:

The Finishing Trades

Careers 101

The finishing trades are the final professionals that complete a residential suite. Careers include trim carpenter, tile setter, cabinet maker and cabinet installer, and the floor installer. Other industry professionals are the decor representative, pre-delivery installation specialist, service technician, and the client care team that ensures all of the finishings are done to the home buyer’s specifications.

Finishing trades are voluntary trades, meaning that certification are not legally required to practice the trade. The many of the trades listed above are also Red Seal Trades, which means that once your training is completed and you’ve received your full certification, you can work across Canada.

Salary

Average starting wage: $22/hour or $45,000/year | Earning Potential: $43/hour or $95,000+/year

Relevant Unions and Training Centres

Relevant College Programs:

Site Management

Careers 101

While the skilled trades are responsible for the physical construction of the different building components, site management oversees the overall construction project. For example, site coordinators, assistant, structural, finishing and senior superintendents are on site every day to monitor building quality and progress, manage suppliers, product deliveries and installation, as well as overall staffing and budget, among many other responsibilities.

On the other hand, project managers create the overall project and work with consultant teams on design development. They also tender all the contracts to subcontractors and suppliers and manage the schedule, payments, and cash flow for each project. Once construction has started, they spend on average one day on-site every week to make sure problems are dealt with in a timely manner.

Lastly, the health and safety specialist is tasked with setting up and maintaining a safe work environment for all workers on site. They create a safety plan, educate workers on safety procedures, and set up policies for the prevention of violence, discrimination, and harassment.

It is increasingly more common for employers to require a post-secondary diploma or certificate for new grads entering these careers.

Salary

Average starting wage: $31/hour or $65,000/year | Earning Potential: $96/hour or $200,000+/year

Relevant College Programs & Training:

Relevant University Programs:

Thank you to our Sponsors!

This initiative would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors.

The BOLT Foundation commissioned Bill Hawryschuk to film and narrate the Careers in Construction videos. Bill is a Professor at the Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies at George Brown College and has more than 30 years’ experience working in the construction industry and creating films.

Filming of these videos took place throughout various phases of the COVID-19 pandemic with the associated variances in PPE requirements on site.