Top 10 Easy Career Change Ideas for Construction Workers

There are plenty of other careers that you can move into with minimal to no upskilling. This blog post will discuss some of those careers and how you can feel content with your new career choices. Keep reading to learn more!

Key Takeaways

There are plenty of other careers that you can move into with minimal to no upskilling. This blog post will discuss some of those careers and how you can feel content with your new career choices. Keep reading to learn more!

Leaving the Construction Industry? You're Not Alone

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls, slips, and trips account for 35.3% of workplace deaths within construction, with 308 fatal injuries and 21,400 nonfatal workplace injuries in a recent year! (1)

Many construction companies underpay and underappreciate you as a construction worker. And construction sites are often dangerous, with faulty equipment and hazardous materials a daily issue at job sites.

In addition, management may expect too much from a construction worker and push too hard to complete building construction. And maybe you are tired of your current job's physical labor, dangerous conditions, and low pay. If so, you're not alone.

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Many construction workers are looking at switching careers away from construction trades. For the construction industry alone, an average of 197,250 individuals quit construction jobs each month - for the last four months of 2021. In November 2021, for every 100 construction workers working, three construction laborers were quitting. (2)

If you're looking for a new career path in the construction industry, we will discuss the opportunities for a construction worker looking for a new gig next.

Download Checklist " 10 Simple Steps to Smooth Job Change"

Leaving Construction Work But Staying in the Industry

If you don't want to leave construction as a field, you can work as a construction manager. Construction managers make $102,780 to $135,809. (3)

A career in construction management allows you to manage a construction project rather than being a construction worker. And according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the job market for construction managers is good. "Overall employment in construction and extraction occupations is projected to result in about 252,900 new jobs over the decade."

If the company you're at now doesn't appreciate your skills or does not promote from within, consider looking at job boards and interviewing for management roles with other construction firms. Another construction firm may see your potential as a leader and even offer on-the-job training!

And, according to Indeed, it may make sense to stay away from a degree in favor of learning on the job. Once you're established in the construction industry, a degree program might not give enough additional knowledge to make sense."

Man Carrying Gray Pipe
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Becoming a Construction Manager

Consider our Unmudl online course in Supervision to learn practical management and leadership techniques, including workplace communication, team development, coaching and mentoring, performance management, employment law, problem-solving and decision-making. 

With a bit of effort, you can level up in the construction career path and find yourself satisfied in your field! However, there are also many rewarding careers when switching careers away from the construction industry that don't require much upskilling!

Next, we'll see how to evaluate your skills and grow your desirability for employers outside of the construction industry!

Looking At Who You Are

Before you switch careers, take a moment to consider what you've learned in your current career. You may have transferable or soft skills that would help you make a career switch to other industries easily!

According to Workable, a resource for employers, the top soft skills in demand right now include:

  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Problem-solving
  • Time management
  • Critical thinking
  • Decision-making
  • Organizational
  • Stress management
  • Adaptability
  • Conflict management
  • Leadership
  • Creativity
  • Resourcefulness
  • Persuasion
  • Openness to criticism

Talk with friends and family about whether you've honed these soft skills in your life experiences so far. Then consider an online on-demand course to help you learn those skills you have not yet acquired.

The short Unmudl online course below is a good starting point for those looking to move into management positions in any industry!

  • Online Course in Leadership: Practical tools to create an environment of goal achievement and team development. Includes motivational theory, group dynamics, personal strengths, goal setting and change management. Also includes expectation management, collaboration, factors that undermine engagement.

Skilled workers can move into a new job with little to no upskilling, especially if they've learned much in the school of life! So whether you want a desk job, to work from home, or to make more money, we have the perfect solution for you!

High Angle Photo of Person Walking Near Backhoe
Photo by Nicholas Lim from Pexels

New Career Paths to Easily Change Careers

Are you looking for a better work-life balance? If so, consider transitioning into a job that is less labor-intensive and offers more freedom.

1- Teaching About the Construction Field

The salaries of Community College Teachers range from $17,752 to $140,756, with a median salary of $55,169. (4)

Teaching trade skills to the next generation can be a rewarding career if you enjoy helping others learn. No need for a formal education or bachelor's degree either! Often, the only requirements include a past career in construction and a high school diploma.

For example, a high school or community college in your area is likely hiring teachers for occupational safety, carpentry, general construction, and other subjects.

To prepare for teaching classes online, consider the Unmudl course Best Practices for Teaching Online to feel confident as an online leader.

2- Real Estate Agent

The real estate industry is growing, and so are the salaries of real estate agents. A real estate agent helps individuals and businesses buy, sell, rent and develop properties.

Being a real estate agent can be a great career switch for experienced construction workers who already have an eye for detail and know their way around building construction!

If you live in a fast-growing area, a real estate broker or agent career can be very lucrative, with agents making $62,000 to $210,000 per year! (5)

Real estate agents must take state-approved pre-licensing courses and pass a real estate exam to earn their certification. Consider taking an Unmudl online course like those below to get your license quickly and start making real estate deals!

However, perhaps you don't want to work with people all day and would rather do most of your work alone. Home inspection is a lucrative field with less "peopling."

3- Home Inspection for Real Estate Sales

Home inspectors are responsible for examining and reporting on the condition of a home or other structure. This is an exciting career option for construction workers with excellent eye-for-detail skills and knowledge of building codes.

Home inspectors can make $67,203 and $88,150 per year (6). You'll need to pass the NHIE exam -find study guides at the NHIE exam site. You'll also need to perform 30 parallel inspections, so your best bet to get into this career is talking with a home inspector business that may take you on for an apprenticeship program.

Electricians also often work independently and then report their findings to others.

4- Electricians

Becoming an electrician in Arizona requires you to have at least 4 years of experience in the electrical field, plus passing an exam. Those interested can expect to make $33,000 to $72,000 annually (7).

In Arizona, contractor licenses are issued instead of journeyman licenses. There are different types of contractor licenses which include Residential(R-11), Commercial(C-11), or Electrical(K-11). 

To be an electrician in Arizona, a contractor must have ample work experience on record. However, you can start with an electrical apprenticeship which does not require any license or permit. 

The electrician license consists of four exams: Theory and Law, Safety, and Trade Knowledge. Once you get your education, you can work in apprenticeship programs until you're ready for the exam.

Check out our blog, How to Become an Electrician in Arizona for a play-by-play about how to get started. Also, consider these Unmudl network courses to see if this or related fields are right for you!

Or, instead of getting specialized, consider a broader view and inspect construction work as your new career!

5- Building Inspectors for Construction Projects

Building projects need inspectors to sign off on them before they can move forward, and that’s where construction workers with experience in the field come in.

A building inspector will review construction plans to make sure they adhere to safety codes and regulations. They also inspect projects during different stages of development to ensure compliance.

Building inspectors make between $50,448 and $68,026. (8) And, if you're in the Tucson, AZ area, you can start your career as a building construction technician with our blended Unmudl course, including preparation to sit for the NIMS Duty Area 1: Maintenance Operations Certification Exam: Fast Track to Adv. Manufacturing Automated Industrial Technology

But perhaps you want to work with others to ensure that buildings are safe for the individuals who live there over time. Consider a career in property management!

6- Property Managers

Apartment communities, condos, hotels, and other rental agencies always need skilled property management workers. In this profession, you'll need to know how to deal with tenants and perform basic maintenance tasks. You can expect to make between $90,210 and $122,578.

This can be an easy career change for a construction worker with transferable skills, such as overseeing the repairs or remodeling of existing structures.

If you need to learn more about managing a team or working with tenants, consider an online course to develop your leadership skills. Unmudl offers an exciting online course to prepare you to become a General & Operations Manager: Creating Great Teamwork

As a construction worker, you likely also know about electrical and mechanical systems. So, also consider a career in robotics. This highly detailed work may be more your style!

7- Robotic Mechatronics

Believe it or not, you don't need a college degree to work in robotics. A career in mechatronics is a newer field where you work with a combination of electrical, mechanical, and computer-controlled systems.

When you become a mechatronics technician, a starting salary ranges from $46,000-$56,000 per year + great benefits and opportunities for growth. With your construction experience and knowledge of basic mechanics, this could be the perfect career change for you.

Our Unmudl network offers several exclusive courses to help you get started in robotics. Check out our online, on-demand courses to complete your training.

Build job-ready skills for an in-demand career and earn a certificate within 10-12 weeks! No degree needed!

If you enjoy leading a team to the completion of a project, you may consider becoming a project manager.

Download Checklist " 10 Simple Steps to Smooth Job Change"

8- Project Managers

Project managers need teamwork skills, but no matter your field, if you have leadership and organizational soft skills, this could be your dream job. Project management is about planning, organizing, leading, and controlling resources. You can earn $62,410 to $79,365 in this area!

To become a project manager, you'll need some experience in the field related to the projects you're managing, but most employers also look favorably at certifications that demonstrate your commitment to the discipline.

Consider taking our Unmudl courses below and be ready to take the PMP certification exam in just 6 months!

  • Mastering Project Management with PMP Prep: This PMP course gives a deeper understanding of project management concepts and applications in the workplace. You will be ready to take the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification exam at the end of this course.
  • Remote Leadership Toolkit: Over 80% of teams and 90% of projects have at least one member not physically located with the rest of the group. Maintaining peak performance and keeping employees engaged when separated by miles, time zones, and culture is a tall task for any manager or organization. With 18 courses covering six topic areas, remote leaders now have the tools they need to be successful leaders, no matter where their employees work in the world.

If you're not interested in project management's organizational and team-building aspects, consider an entrepreneurial role as a property developer.

9- Property Development

Becoming a property developer doesn't mean you have to have big bucks. You can start by knowing enough about residential construction to assess the bones of a house or commercial building for sale. You'll need good credit and a downpayment or investor to get started.

Knowing a bit about architectural design, remodeling, and construction can help you remodel and flip a home for more money while working on your own timetable.

Eventually, if you flip enough houses and make a profit, you can acquire land and start building new homes. Salary as a property developer can run between $37,000 to $130,000 per year. (9) Expect to start on the low end while you're learning.

10- Commercial Drone Pilot

Commercial drone pilots work with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones to capture images and data from the sky.

Drone pilots can operate drones for surveying, cartography, photography, search-and-rescue operations, and inspections of extreme environments such as bridges, buildings, and other structures inaccessible by ground. Salary runs between $60,347 and $99,008 per year. (10)

To become an earning professional in this field, consider our Unmudl course:

  • Commercial Drone Pilot - Part 107 Made Easy: This course helps you pass your FAA Part 107 exam to become a Certified Commercial Drone Pilot. Getting this certificate will allow you to earn money from drone operations. This online class includes 13 hours of videos, an 11-page cheat sheet, unlimited practice questions, and a guarantee that you will pass your test.

Changing Your Career Path Is Possible

Construction workers have a wealth of experience and skills that can be useful in many other industries. Consider switching your career today by exploring some of the career change ideas for construction workers listed above!

With a little bit of dedication, research, and hard work, you’ll soon be on the path to success!

We Can Help You Make the Change

Unmudl is a network of community colleges and businesses that work together to bring the skills and new jobs that worker learners need for a bright future! Our comprehensive and affordable career change programs can help you make a successful career shift into a job you love.

We also offer a wide range of courses for those looking to brush up on their existing skills or try something new. Visit our Unmudl website or call us at +1 512-669-5624 to learn more about our offerings and start building the life you want today!

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