Free Blue Collar and Proud of It: The All-In-One Resource for Finding Freedom, Financial Success, and Security Outside the Cubicle by Joe Lamacchia, Bridget Samburg Page B

other applicants. As a laborer, there is almost always room to advance and become more specialized, assuming you are a hard worker. Starting off in one job does not mean you’ll be doing the same thing in five years or even five months.
    Construction laborers can be found on almost all construction sites performing a wide range of tasks from the very easy to the potentially hazardous. These men and women make the small jobs happen so that the big projects are completed. Laborers typically work at building, highway, and heavy construction sites as well as on residential and commercial projects and demolition sites. Many of the jobs require physical strength, training, and experience. Other jobs require little skill and can be learned in a short amount of time.Road work and construction work entail somany different aspects, and as a laborer you will have an opportunity to try onmany hats and test thewaters ofmany different jobswith-out having to commit to a lifetime of the same thing.
    Construction laborers clean and prepare construction sites. They remove trees and debris, monitor pumps or compressors, and build forms for pouring concrete.They load, unload, identify, and distribute building materials on a job site. They build and disassemble scaffolding, and they often assist others such as carpenters, plasterers, andmasons.Theymay dig trenches; install sewer, water, or stormdrainpipes; and place concrete and asphalt on roads. There are no shortages of jobs, and rarely is the work monotonous.
    Work Setting
    You have to be prepared for physically demanding work that requires multiple tools and equipment. Some computer knowledge is helpful as well, since you’re bound to come across technology on these jobs. To be effective you should also be familiar or have an interest in becoming familiar with the jobs that the other workers are doing on the site.
    Construction laborers oftenwork as part of a teamand should be able to get along with others, especially under pressure. Some laborers work nights and weekends, particularly on highway projects.
    Training and Certification
    While most of these construction laborer jobs have no specific educational qualifications, apprenticeships are available that require a high school diploma or GED. High school classes in mathematics, physics, mechanical drawing, and blueprint reading can be helpful for entry into this field. Most laborers get their first job by simply applying with a contractor who is in need of help. Some agencies place temporary laborers as well.That said, large commercial contractors with unionmembership often offer employees a formal apprenticeship, whichmay include two to four years of classroom and on-site training.
    The Numbers
    About 1.2 million jobs were filled by construction laborers in 2006. Employment is expected to grow by about 11 percent, or more than 130, 000 jobs, between 2006 and 2016.The Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts that opportunities will be better for laborers specializing in road construction. Median hourly earnings of construction laborers in May 2006 were $12.66, with the highest 10 percent earningmore than $24.19.
    Did You KNOW?
    The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is an outstanding resource with information on starting a career in construction, tips on training, job boards, and salary information. The organization offers a wealth of information through its website at www.nccer.org .
    ELECTRICIAN
    If I had to trade in landscaping for another career, I’d become an electrician. Just think, everything is connected in some way to electricity.You have the ability to bring power to a family, a community, or a school. There are somany uses for electricity, well beyond the lightbulb. Another thing I like about this trade? Thomas Edison, who is creditedwith inventing themodern-day lightbulb, never even went to college. In fact, he only lasted threemonths in school until his teachers suggested he leave. Apparently