They make, install, and repair boilers in your home, but also the giant containers for liquids and gases that supply steam to power plants or carry crude oil in a double-hulled tanker. It’s hard work that requires a lot of strength, and ability to use special torches, grinders and other heavy equipment to weld, bolt, cut and rig.

These workers are good with their hands and have an eye for aesthetics. Carpentry is a huge trade—carpenters do all the formwork for concrete and are actively involved in almost every kind of construction project. They are especially big in residential construction, from foundations and footings to framing, interior and exterior trim, and even cabinetry. Chisels, planes, saws, drills, sanders, levels, rules, plumb bobs, and framing squares are a carpenter’s stock in trade.

Tall, modern buildings wouldn’t be possible without elevator constructors who put together, install and maintain elevators—and provide the same services on escalators and moving sidewalks in commercial and industrial buildings and infrastructure projects.

They make sure buildings and infrastructure are
working properly via survey instruments, metering
devices, and other equipment to inspect wiring, plumbing, sewers, heating systems, and foundations. Because working smart and building safe are central to today’s construction projects, inspectors play a key role in any project. From planning and design through construction and completion, the industry has an obligation and responsibility to
ensure safety to the public, workers, suppliers, and the users of a facility. Establishing and enforcing effective safety management programs fulfill this obligation—and are
demanded by law in most locations. Safety inspector can be a complementary career for superintendents, project managers, and engineers on site.

If there’s an engine, there’s an operating engineer around. An operating engineer will, yes, operate, but also repair, and maintain heavy equipment like cranes and tunnel boring machines (TBMs)— anything mechanical on a job site. Operating engineers also serve as surveyors and in operations and maintenance in buildings and industry.

Plasterers finish interior walls and ceilings of buildings, apply plaster on masonry, metal, wire lathe or gypsum, while cement masons are the ones in charge of concrete construction, pouring and finishing slabs, steps, sidewalks, roads, bridges, dams—any concrete item in the built environment.

Highly trained in precise measurements and working with powerful cutting and lifting equipment, these workers construct, maintain, and install metal products like siding, signs, ventilation equipment, industrial systems and stainless steel work for hospitals. Shop drawings are done manually or with the help of CAD (computer-aided design).