Top 5 Reasons to Choose a
Career in Construction

1. EARN WHILE YOU LEARN
The average college graduate is tens of thousands of dollars in debt and many are left searching for a job after getting their degree. On the flip side, an SHBA Residential Carpenter apprentice starts getting paid on day one for on-the-job training. Upon completion, apprentices have little to no debt and have already been working for their employer for multiple years.

2. ROOM FOR ADVANCEMENT
A career in construction is anything but a dead-end job. From graduating high school to retirement, there are numerous ways to move up the career ladder.
In fact, many Home Builder and Remodeling executives at SHBA member firms started in the apprenticeship program. Anyone looking for a job that can turn into a career should look no further than the construction industry.

3. JOBS ARE AVAILABLE… NOW
The skills gap is a real problem facing contractors today. There are simply not enough skilled workers to fill the jobs that are currently available.
In the next few years, the construction industry will need as many as two million new craft professionals to fill the jobs available. While others struggle to find work, you can start your career in one of the most in-demand fields in the country.

4. PRIDE IN CRAFTSMANSHIP
While many people turn off their computer at the end of a mundane workday, those in the construction industry face new challenges every time they step on the jobsite.
Those in the construction industry also get a sense of accomplishment as the structure they are working on is completed. Just imagine how it would feel to drive by a home and tell a friend or family member, “I built that.”

5. A CAREER FOR LIFE
Construction is one of the largest industries in the country, and it is not going away anytime soon. As long as people need homes, schools, hospitals and more, the construction industry will exist. A job in construction will never be outsourced. While other jobs may be shipped overseas, it is impossible to build a home or skyscraper in China and send it to Spokane, Washington.

Construction offers a direct path to a great career and a financially solid lifestyle. You’ll develop a sense of accomplishment in your work and pride in your skill in a high-demand field. And you’ll experience the camaraderie and community that characterizes the carpentry trade.