Dive Brief:
- Indeed's 2018 list of the 25 best jobs in the U.S. includes nine construction positions – the most of any industry – with commercial project manager taking the top spot.
- The other construction jobs on the online employment search site's list are preconstruction manager (No. 5), construction superintendent (6), chief estimator (9), construction estimator (12), plumbing engineer (14), project superintendent (15), construction manager (19) and project architect (20). The tech industry had the next highest number of positions on the list.
- Indeed made its selections based on a base salary of at least $75,000 a year and what kind of job opportunities were available for each position. According to Jed Kolko, Indeed's chief economist, the construction and mining sectors experienced the fastest year-over-year job growth last year, and the uptick in construction spending and contractors' plans to increase their payrolls contributed the industry's strong showing on this year's jobs list. Even so, Kolko said overall Indeed searches for construction jobs are declining, meaning that employers will have to increase their recruitment efforts.
Dive Insight:
Even though the Indeed list highlights how lucrative jobs in construction can be, the industry has had trouble making itself attractive to younger people. A National Association of Home Builders survey last year found that 75% of adults ages 18 to 25 had found a career path, but only 3% of that group had chosen construction. Like Indeed highlighted, a vast majority (80%) responding to the NAHB survey were attracted to the potential for high pay. Of the 25% who were undecided about a career, however, 63% said they wouldn't pursue a job in the construction industry no matter how high the pay was.
Because the U.S. may soon embark on a massive infrastructure program, there is concern about how contractors will fill new positions, particularly because they're already having a hard time filling vacancies. President Donald Trump did include provisions for construction worker training in his $1.5 trillion infrastructure proposal, but Congress still needs to come to a consensus on the plan.
Local government agencies and other groups have responded to the need for more construction workers by establishing training initiatives, the most recent of which will instruct residents of Washington, D.C., in various infrastructure-related jobs. The District of Columbia Infrastructure Academy (DCIA), which opened this month, will instruct trainees in subjects like commercial driver's licenses, energy, utilities, auto mechanics, safety and solar panel installation.
