Are you a student looking for a summer job? Here are five ideas to help kick-start a career in the construction trades

What better time to explore your future than during the summer!

Are you a hands-on learner, a quick problem solver, or mechanically inclined? Do you like figuring out how things work, building something from the ground up, or working with others on a project? For middle and high school students, early exposure to construction trades allows you to experience a variety of skills that can help guide you towards a career you enjoy. 

For those interested in cultivating their skills and working toward a possible career in construction, here are five jobs you can do this summer to help you prepare and gain prior experience in various fields that can help you build a promising career in the trades.

Landscaping – Spend your summer outside working with a team of landscapers. Learn how to plan, construct, and execute an exterior home landscape design while testing your physical exertion and ability to adapt to changing weather conditions. Professional trades such as laborers, tile workers, and sprinkler fitters recommend experience in these conditions to set you up for later success.

Local Hardware Store – In almost any town or suburb, you can find a local hardware store looking for employees. This is a great opportunity to familiarize yourself with tools, their functions, and how to work with customers seeking solutions to their problems. Plumbers and lathers stress the importance in recognizing tools and understanding how to fix problems on their own. 

Manufacturing Plant – Experience a large workplace and learn from others while working with machinery, blueprints, and recognizing construction hand signals. Manufacturing plants allow you to gain insight on the collaborative nature of construction careers, pushing you to work with others and learn how to make your working environment safe. Boilermakers utilize their knowledge gained while working with large machinery and reading blueprints, securing themselves as professionals in their trades. Note: Some plants may have age restrictions for various jobs within a plant.

Auto-shop – Understanding the inner-workings of a car engine and getting your hands fitted with finding solutions is a keen pathway into mechanics. Working in an automotive shop, even a quick oil-change shop, can help enhance your tool recognition and get you comfortable with electrical and mechanical work. Electrical trades, elevator construction, and millwright careers consider these skills necessary to the job.

Learn at home – Is there work around the house that needs tending to? Finding projects around the house is a great way to introduce yourself to construction careers, as there are many resources available online to help you fix that one leak under your sink, or build a new shelf, or fix up the tiles on your patio. Youtube channels such as Home RenoVision DIY, MattBangsWood, and finehomebuilding make learning on your own easy. The more you watch, the more you learn and grow from others.

About the Construction Careers Foundation

If you want to learn more about Construction Careers Foundation, or wish to explore more construction trades, visit ConstructionCareers.org or click here.