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Career Explorations - Construction Technologies & Design
About This Cluster: 
The Construction Technologies & Design Cluster includes jobs in
the design and construction of homes, buildings, bridges and roads.
It is a major category of jobs in the Connecticut economy. Nearly every
construction project brings together people with a wide range of educational
backgrounds who work together as teams.
In this cluster, many people work with their hands, in such jobs as
carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. Bulldozer operators, crane operators
and others work with large machinery and equipment. Having some knowledge
of the whole industry is a cornerstone skill for people who are interested
in a range of related jobs - such as buying and developing land, designing
new projects, restoring old structures, and building new structures.
Prospects for the Future
In Connecticut, the Construction Technologies & Design Cluster
continues to need people to work in a large variety of jobs. The health
of this industry corresponds very closely to the health of the overall
economy. Because the economy in Connecticut is strong, there is a need
for people with a variety of skills and educational backgrounds to fill
positions in Construction Technologies & Design. In a weaker economy,
when incomes are down, fewer new homes, buildings, and other large-scale
projects are built.
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Types of Jobs and Where They Are
• Carpenters, plumbers and electricians are needed for every
commercial or residential building project.
• Construction managers watch over all parts of the building project
to keep it moving on time and on budget.
• Architects and architectural technicians make the drawings that guide
the builders.
• Civil engineers design bridges and roads
• Construction machine operators work the big machines that help carry
out the designs.
• Property managers keep apartment and office buildings running smoothly.
• Real estate developers arrange for people to buy land and build on
it.
To give students a picture of the exciting
career opportunities in the state, we filmed people at work in a variety
of careers in member companies and agencies throughout the state. The
careers highlighted in the videos included jobs for graduating high
school students, people with 2-year, 4-year
and
advanced
degrees.
Examples of jobs highlighted in the videos are: Carpenter, Civil
Engineering Technician/Surveyor,
Construction
Manager and Architect.
There is also a video available for this
cluster that includes work site footage and interviews from the following
companies: Smith Edwards Architects PC, O&G Industries Inc. and
the Metropolitan District Commission.
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Educational Background Needed
Jobs in the construction industry require various levels of education
and/or specialized training after high school. Many of these jobs require
extensive apprenticeships, coupled with on-the-job experiences. Becoming
an architect or an architectural technician requires several years of
college, while certain skilled workers, such as plumbers and electricians,
need to spend time as apprentices to become licensed. Carpenters on
very large construction projects may learn their skills by serving a
structured apprenticeship with a union, while many carpenters in the
home building area learn their skills on the job in a less formal way.
Small contractors need to understand the principles of running a small
business. Large companies in the construction industry need people with
management, business and office backgrounds.
The high school academic background needed for industries in this cluster
would emphasize courses in math, the physical sciences, technology,
drafting, and using computers.
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Kinds of People Who Work in This Cluster
Working in the construction industry often appeals to people who:
•
Like to work outside
•
Accept great physical challenges yet keep safety first at all times
•
Are effective in teamwork in both listening and communicating
•
Are good problem solvers and know how to stay on
schedule
•
Enjoy the challenge of creating major structures or projects
•
Take pride in developing and using personal skills to turn basic materials
into something of beauty and function
Characteristics and Skills Vital for Advancement
Employers and experts cite the following practical and academic skills
as keys to advancement in the Business & Finance Cluster and all
job clusters. (Download
the Industry Skills Standards for Construction Technologies & Design
- 12 page PDF file)
•
Strong literacy and excellent communication skills
•
State-of-the-art computer and technology skills
•
Strong math skills, and science in some fields
•
Teamwork skills
•
Flexibility and desire to learn new skills
•
Cross-functionalism: the ability to transfer skills and learn new ones in order
to perform many functions in the workplace
•
Multicultural awareness
•
Fluency in at least one other language, in some fields
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Education Requirements and Average Salary Levels
Note: All salary ranges listed are current industry averages. Actual
jobs may pay more or less depending on a number of factors.
Level
of attainment: High school diploma, college associate’s
degree, or specialized training:
- Skilled Craft Apprentice $21,000 - $42,000
(Automotive mechanic, carpenter, concrete worker, drafter (marine,
mechanical, etc.)/CAD operator, electrician, vocational-technical
instructor, insulation worker, mason, mechanic (heating, air conditioning,
refrigeration, sheet metal), operator of material-moving equipment,
excavation loading machine, grader, dozer and scraper, painter/paperhanger,
plumber/pipe fitter, roofer)
- Semiskilled $20,200 - $33,000
(Construction craft laborer, laborer, truck driver)
- Specialist $17,000
- $46,000
(Appraiser, cost estimator, inspection/code enforcement, wetlands
enforcement officer, quality control manager)
- Management $ 36,500
- $67,000
(Building or facility manager, construction supervisor/manager, developer)
- Technician $27,000 - $37,000
(Construction test lab technician, health & safety developer,
technician, engineering technician (mechanical, civil, environmental,
legal), environmental lab technician, surveyor/mapper)
- Repair Technician $20,000 - $31,000
(Computer electronic repairer, general maintenance repairer)
- Design
Associates $28,000 - $36,000
(Architectural associate, engineering repairer) designer (acoustical,
lighting) graphics designer, industrial designer)
- Sales and Marketing $13,000 - $28,000
(Customer service representative, marketing associate, marketing
communications, sales associate)
For Bachelor’s, Masters or Doctorate Degrees/Other Professional
Degrees & Certificates
-
Design Specialist
Bachelor’s Degree $29,000 - $53,000
(Industrial/design/mechanical/lighting design engineer, interior/acoustic
designer, landscape architect, construction materials tester, construction
scheduler)
-
Sales and Marketing
Bachelor’s Degree $27,000 - $50,000
(Sales representative — scientific and technical, sales
supervisor and technical, market research analyst)
-
Information
Systems
Bachelor’s Degree $40,000 - $57,000
(Information systems analyst, software designer (used in architectural
planning), intelligence transportation systems engineer)
Master’s
Degree $43,000 - $63,000
(Civil engineer (transportation, geotechnical, environmental & structural),
architect (with experience in designs for the physically challenged)
electrical and electronic engineer, information systems-computer
engineer)
Additional Resources
Business & Finance Career
Explorations Video
Teacher's
Guide for Careers in Business & Finance (PDF
file)
Student
Activity Sheets for Careers in Business & Finance (PDF file)
Industry
Skills Standards booklet (Business & Finance
section only) (PDF file)
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Other Web sites specific to this cluster
www.nccer.org
The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)
is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to creating and
disseminating quality craft training, management education and safety
programs nationwide. The National Center is dedicated to increasing
the educational and training opportunities available in the construction
industry.
www.abc.org
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national trade association
representing over 19,000 contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers
and related firms from across the country and from all specialties
in the construction industry.
www.icgti.org
International Center for GasTechnology Information (ICGTI) provides
an international forum on gas technology information so that gas technologies
are transferred and global gas market needs are met efficiently.
www.cimanet.com
The Construction Industry Manufacturers Association (CIMA) is an U.S.
based international trade group serving the business needs of construction
equipment manufacturers and construction.
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