Michael DeSafey | Executive Recruiter and HR Professional
Five High Paying Construction Jobs You Can Get Without a College Degree
Five High Paying Construction Jobs You Can Get Without a College Degree
One of the key factors of success in the construction industry is something you cannot learn in school. There is no degree you can obtain that will instill the work ethics and drive necessary for a successful career in construction.
With this in mind, you will find that many high-paying construction jobs require no degree at all. Instead, experience, job training, and a strong work drive are what you need to advance in the highest paying construction jobs available. Here are five examples of construction jobs you can get without a college degree.
- Laborer
Even rank-and-file laborers make a relatively high wage in the construction industry. On average, pay begins at $16.74 per hour with no required formal training or education. Laborers do much of the groundwork for subcontractors and foremen. Skills used include heavy lifting, measuring, basic tool use, and assisting skilled labor. They work eight-hour days, sometimes outside, and won’t stop for the weather!
- Equipment Operator
People who run dozers, cranes, earthmovers, and heavy equipment are highly paid workers on construction sites. These machines are used to move earth, rubble, and heavy building supplies. In many cases, a high school diploma and on-the-job training certification will suffice. However, no matter where you learn to run the equipment, successfully passing a certification test will help you get to a higher pay scale. Median pay begins at $22.59 per hour with 12% projected growth through to 2028.
- Ironworker
Ironworkers, also called rodbusters, use rebar to build the frame of a building. Sometimes standing hundreds of feet in the air, they connect pieces of rebar together with strong wire and ready the structure for concrete. According to Steven Gosse, a general foreman for JE Dunn Construction, the work of an ironworker is dangerous and physically demanding. There is no formal training required, but previous experience is a plus. Median pay begins at approximately $16.00 per hour.
- Construction Manager
Construction managers oversee a building project from beginning to end. They delegate assignments to various foremen, subcontractors, and laborers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay in 2019 was $45.80 per hour, with a 10% growth outlook by 2028. While a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering is helpful, this job is obtainable with experience as a construction laborer and/or on-the-job training. Skills needed to be successful include management, budgeting, and personnel scheduling.
- Pipefitter
Pipefitters deal with the materials needed for waste disposal, gas lines, and anything that requires a mechanical piping system. They are responsible for fabricating, assembling, installing, and maintaining these systems. The median pay for pipefitters begins at $26.52 and the growth outlook for future jobs until 2028 is 14%.
Vacancies for these high-paying construction jobs are growing each year, many in which a degree is not required. Conversely, training or work experience in the field will be an advantage if you are looking to get hired. Also consider union: they can help ensure you receive a competitive wage and protect your worker’s rights.
Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com
The Importance of Continuing Education Throughout Your Career
The Importance of Continuing Education Throughout Your Career
Career education comes in many forms — and they’re all valuable. From online degrees available at universities to professional certificate programs, and even adult vocational courses at your local high school, life-long learning is beneficial to both your personal and professional life.
Here, we’ll be focusing more on the professional side. We’ll explore how continuing education makes one hirable and promotable and more competitive in the construction, environmental and engineering industries.
Top Talent Earns the Best Wages
Recently, there have been many boardrooms buzzing about employee well-being, employer branding, social responsibility, and so on. We’re not making light of it. But let’s not beat around the bush here. The number one reason we get up and go to work every day is for a paycheck. And educated staffers earn better wages.
Consider these Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) numbers:
- Civil Engineering Techs, with an AA or AS degree, earned an average of $53,000 in 2019. Their duty is to help civil engineers plan and execute systems and projects.
- With two more years of school and a bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineers earned about $87,000 in 2019.
- That’s a difference of $34,000 per year for two years of education!
Still, higher learning isn’t always an option. Between budget constraints, travel for work or family obligations, this might not be the right time to commit to two more years of school. That doesn’t mean you can’t hone your professional skills in other ways.
The Value of Short Courses, Adult Ed & Certificate Programs
Professionals in the construction sector can always benefit from technical classes. If you’d like to learn a second language, become proficient at computer networking, or finally master Microsoft Excel, look to your local community colleges for inexpensive adult education. Hone your professional skills, update your resume and let the HR department know what you’re doing.
As social distancing requirements begin to lift, you might also appreciate the opportunity to network at clubs or professional organizations. The right club memberships can be beneficial to both your current employer and your future in the profession.
The Value of Professional Organizations for Ongoing Career Development
We think Roy Atkinson at HDI.com says it best: “Professional associations provide real, tangible value to those who belong to them. They become fellowships and institutions of learning, sounding boards and crisis counselors, and authoritative sources of information and nourishment for a career.”
- Professional organizations help construction professionals keep tabs on what’s happening in the industry.
- They allow you to rub elbows with others in your field.
They also provide terrific networking opportunities. Your employer might even agree to pay for club memberships. And if not, they’re usually tax-deductible.
Ultimately, there are endless opportunities for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental fields to build upon their skills. Individuals that treat education as a life-long process will ultimately earn higher wages, find more employment opportunities and become more valuable to prospective employers. Whether you’re looking to earn a higher degree or pick up a new skill, you’ll reap the rewards for years to come.
Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com
The Importance of Continuing Education Throughout Your Career
The Importance of Continuing Education Throughout Your Career
Career education comes in many forms — and they’re all valuable. From online degrees available at universities to professional certificate programs, and even adult vocational courses at your local high school, life-long learning is beneficial to both your personal and professional life.
Here, we’ll be focusing more on the professional side. We’ll explore how continuing education makes one hirable and promotable and more competitive in the construction, environmental and engineering industries.
Top Talent Earns the Best Wages
Recently, there have been many boardrooms buzzing about employee well-being, employer branding, social responsibility, and so on. We’re not making light of it. But let’s not beat around the bush here. The number one reason we get up and go to work every day is for a paycheck. And educated staffers earn better wages.
Consider these Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) numbers:
- Civil Engineering Techs, with an AA or AS degree, earned an average of $53,000 in 2019. Their duty is to help civil engineers plan and execute systems and projects.
- With two more years of school and a bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineers earned about $87,000 in 2019.
- That’s a difference of $34,000 per year for two years of education!
Still, higher learning isn’t always an option. Between budget constraints, travel for work or family obligations, this might not be the right time to commit to two more years of school. That doesn’t mean you can’t hone your professional skills in other ways.
The Value of Short Courses, Adult Ed & Certificate Programs
Professionals in the construction sector can always benefit from technical classes. If you’d like to learn a second language, become proficient at computer networking, or finally master Microsoft Excel, look to your local community colleges for inexpensive adult education. Hone your professional skills, update your resume and let the HR department know what you’re doing.
As social distancing requirements begin to lift, you might also appreciate the opportunity to network at clubs or professional organizations. The right club memberships can be beneficial to both your current employer and your future in the profession.
The Value of Professional Organizations for Ongoing Career Development
We think Roy Atkinson at HDI.com says it best: “Professional associations provide real, tangible value to those who belong to them. They become fellowships and institutions of learning, sounding boards and crisis counselors, and authoritative sources of information and nourishment for a career.”
- Professional organizations help construction professionals keep tabs on what’s happening in the industry.
- They allow you to rub elbows with others in your field.
They also provide terrific networking opportunities. Your employer might even agree to pay for club memberships. And if not, they’re usually tax-deductible.
Ultimately, there are endless opportunities for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental fields to build upon their skills. Individuals that treat education as a life-long process will ultimately earn higher wages, find more employment opportunities and become more valuable to prospective employers. Whether you’re looking to earn a higher degree or pick up a new skill, you’ll reap the rewards for years to come.
Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com
Top Universities Offering Environmental Science Degrees
Top Universities Offering Environmental Science Degree
The Environmental Science industry is rapidly growing to provide a clear understanding of the various impacts humans and other factors have on the world and the effect they will have on future possibilities.
As the industry is growing, more universities worldwide are adapting their curriculum to offer potential students the opportunity to dive into this industry and gain the skills to create a sustainable future. This article introduces a few of the top environmental programs at universities in the United States to give prospective students a clearer understanding of the various concentrations they may want to study and where some of top universities are located.
Brown University (Providence, RI) offers two Environmental Science programs – Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. The DEEPS programs research different issues effecting Earth and planets, while The DEEB program focuses on understanding different biological systems and how different organisms affect them.
In the Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences program, students can focus on Geophysics, Climate & Environment, Planetary Perspective, Environmental Science and Geochemistry.
Tuition: $55,466
Columbia University’s (New York, NY) Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences offers both Undergraduate and Graduate degree programs. The University offers two undergrad degrees – Environmental Science and Earth Science – both of these majors require a senior thesis research project.
Tuition: $59,430
Dartmouth’s (Hanover, NH) Department of Environmental Studies offers both graduate and undergraduate programs that focus on human-environment interactions and how environmental degradation is an escalating issue. In the undergraduate program the university offers an elective focus which allows students to pick the emphasis of their Environmental Studies’ degree.
Tuition: $55,453
Duke‘s (Durham, NC) Nicholas School of the Environment offers Undergraduate, Master, Doctoral and certification programs.
The Undergrad Programs offers concentrations in Earth & Ocean Sciences, Environmental Sciences & Policy and Marine Science & Conservation. Their Graduate Programs offer degrees from Master of Environmental Management, Master of Forestry, International Master of Environmental Policy and more. The school offers a variety of certifications for each of their programs from undergrad to doctoral.
Tuition: $55,695
Harvard‘s (Cambridge, MA) John A. Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences offers the option to pursue a BA or BS in Environmental Science & Engineering, throughout both of these programs, students are educated on environmental issues and encouraged to find solutions.
Tuition: $50,420
Humboldt State University (Humboldt, CA) offers three Environmental degree programs – Environmental Resources Engineering (BS), Environmental Science and Management (BS) and Environmental Studies (BA).
In the Environmental Science and Management program, Humboldt offers six concentrations – Ecological Restoration, Environmental Planning & Policy, Energy & Climate, Environmental Education & Interpretation, Environmental & Natural Resources Recreation and Geospatial Science. Within each of their Environmental Programs the university offers a plethora of minor programs and certifications that will add to your qualifications when you graduate and are entering the Environmental Industry.
Tuition: $7,675 (in-state) and $19,555 (out-of-state)
Stanford University offers a few environmental themed programs for undergraduates, these include: Civil Engineering (BS) with a concentration in Environmental & Water Studies, Energy Resources Engineering (BS), and Environmental Systems Engineering (BS)
Tuition: $51,354
University of California – Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) has multiple departments that offer environmental themed degrees: Environmental Design (BA), Environmental Economics & Policy, Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning (BA), Environmental Sciences, Conservation & Resources, Forestry & Natural Resources, Molecular Environmental Biology, and Society & Environment.
Tuition: $14,184 (in-state) and $43,176 (out-of-state)
University of California – Davis (Davis, CA) offers a plethora of degrees related to environmental studies, this includes: Agricultural & Environmental Education, Ecological Management & Restoration, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Horticulture & Urban Forestry, Environmental Policy Analysis & Planning, Environmental Science & Management, environmental Toxicology, and Evolution, Ecology, 7 Biodiversity.
UC Davis also offers opportunities for research, hands on field experience, and access to restoration projects.
Tuition: $14,402 (in-state) and $43,394 (out-of-state)
University of Chicago (Chicago, IL) offers degrees in Environmental Science (BS) and Environmental & Urban Studies. Their programs focus on the impacts of humans how students can make a difference socially, politically, and economically.
Tuition: $58,230
University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) offers degrees in Environmental Management in Agriculture & Natural Resources (BA) and Environmental Sciences (BA/BS). UF approaches complex environmental issues from different perspectives give their students a better understanding of the different variables in these issues.
Tuition: $6,381 (in-state) and $28,659 (out-of-state)
University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) offers a wide range of environmental related degrees including: Environmental Anthropology, Earth Science Environmental Science (BA), Environmental Policy & Management (BS), Environmental Policy & Application (BA), General Environmental Studies (BA), Global Environmental Systems (BA), and Sustainability & Environmental Management.
The university gives graduates the skills understand environmental issues – both local and global, the policies that are set regarding them and how to change them if necessary.
Tuition: $55,584
Yale (New Haven, CT) offers degrees in Environmental Engineering(BS) and Environmental Studies (BA/BS).
Yale provides their students with the opportunities for field work, lab experience, and research analytical skills. They require all students to design and conduct a research project.
Tuition: $53,430
During the search for the perfect university, prospective students will need to find the perfect balance between potential opportunities, financial repercussion and location for their unique needs. This list is an introduction to the plethora of opportunities available in the environmental industry and encourages prospective students to further research which concentration in environmental studies they are most passionate about.
Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com