There are various ideas people have about working in construction. Many people think of construction jobs as only involving manual work at sites. In reality, construction involves much more than hammers and nails. In fact, more than 60% of construction jobs take place behind a computer.

Let’s dive into a few more misconceptions about working in construction so that you can get a better idea about the future of construction.

Construction Experience is a Must to Get a Construction Job

Another one of the stigmas that construction recruiters come up against is the idea that if you don’t have construction experience, you will not be able to get a job.

Many construction jobs, even those with specialized tools, can benefit from your experience in different fields. Moreover, construction companies are happy to train employees. Apprenticeships are one common example of employee training in the construction field. Employee growth is a priority for construction companies, so as long as you are ready to learn, there will be options for you.

Construction Jobs Don’t Pay Much

The construction industry is booming, and jobs are paying more than ever. Because of the skilled labor crisis, construction companies are looking for a lot of new construction workers. Many of these roles, especially those in management or requiring technical training, are high-paying.

On average, construction managers earn about $85,307 to $95,260 per year, although some estimates put the average closer to $115,000. As with any other construction salary, it varies based on location, project, experience, and other factors.

Construction and Technology Don’t Go Together

One of the largest stigmas around construction is that it is purely a hands-on, dirt-under-the-nails type of job. Admittedly, there are a lot of jobs in construction that require physical work. That being said, there are numerous tech jobs in construction as well, including several that are in extremely high demand. Here are a few.

3D Modeling

3D modeling or using 3D models for architecture and construction planning is becoming the new norm in the construction industry. There are several options for online 3D modeling classes for construction and multiple apps you can use to develop your skills in this area. Some of these apps even offer free trials, such as SketchUp.

Computational Engineers

New roles are also appearing in the construction industry, such as computational engineers. The role of computational engineers includes looking at construction models and other plans for construction projects to confirm that the projects will work and meet code. Although this is a new role, demand is steadily growing.

Project Managers

Even those who are already working in construction as associated project managers find themselves increasingly needing to learn how to use various pieces of construction-related software. Other management tools like Salesforce are also becoming more commonplace in many construction offices.

Data Analyst

There is also a growing demand for people who can analyze and draw insights from vast amounts of data in construction. This can include multiple types of data. One of the areas where this could come in handy is understanding project costs and benchmarking. This could prevent the need to constantly have to start from scratch with proposals for clients.

However, this type of tech role in construction faces one of the largest stigmas. That is because competition by companies in other sectors to hire data analysts and similar roles is fierce. Nearly every industry has potential applications, and many people in school for data or coding dream of working with tech companies, not construction firms.

The Takeaway

The construction industry has a stigma of being very limited – to just hammer and nails. However, construction is changing daily and is a booming industry with high-paying and in-demand jobs which would be a great fit for the right people.