Careers in Construction

A Rewarding Future

Home builders are seeking skilled workers to build the American dream.

There is opportunity in the trades for motivated individuals seeking a rewarding future.

Learn more about this

Interactive Day in the Trades

Oct 9 & 10, 2024

Building Trades Offer a Great Career Path

A home builder relies on a number of highly trained workers to get the job done right. This includes dozens of skilled artisans and professionals. 70% of builders typically use somewhere between 11 and 30 subcontractors to build a single-family home. These trades often become a part of the maintenance and repairs the home may need over time.

Find your home with a career in the home building industry and help others achieve
the dream of owning a home. Earn while you learn.

Career Paths & Average Wages

View average wages, estimated future workforce demand and job growth for trades in Wisconsin and Illinois.

LBA Member Jobs Board

Landscape Project Management

Landscape Design & Sales

Carpenter, Rough Framing

Carpentry/Glass Installation

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LBA Members, complete this form to submit job openings for LBA's job board.

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Students and employers connect on the digital job board.

www.wijobboard.com

CARPENTRY

AVERAGE WAGE
WI- $56,360
IL- $72,640
NATIONALLY- $58,210
8% Estimated Job Growth through 2028

Carpenters are needed in all areas of construction and are often employed through the entire construction process. Thus, it is one of the most secure jobs within the industry.

ELECTRICAL

AVERAGE WAGE
WI- $67,230
IL- $86,640
NATIONALLY- $65,280
10% Estimated Job Growth through 2028

Modern life would not be possible without electricians. If you like to know how electric currents make things work, then this is the trade for you. Qualified electricians are
always in demand.

HVACR- Heating, Ventilation

AVERAGE WAGE
NATIONALLY- $57,460
13% estimated job growth through 2028

Install or repair heating, ventilation, and central air conditioning or refrigeration (HVACR) systems, including oil burners,
hot-air furnaces and heating stoves.

MASONRY

AVERAGE WAGE
WI- $56,090
IL- $76,940
NATIONALLY- $62,380
11% Estimated Job Growth through 2028

Laying brick is one of the oldest and most respected trades in the construction industry. Masonry construction uses brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone,
cast stone, concrete block, glass block, stucco, and tile.

PAINTING

AVERAGE WAGE
WI- $47,670
IL- $64,070
NATIONALLY- $49,350
6% Estimated Job Growth through 2028

When a home is built, nearly all the interior and some of the exterior surfaces need to be painted to protect them from damage by water, mold and corrosion. Painting and maintaining painted surfaces improves
the appearance and increases the value
of a house.

PLUMBING

AVERAGE WAGE
WI- $71,380
IL- $87,660
NATIONALLY- $65,190
14% Estimated Job Growth by 2028

Nearly all areas of construction rely on plumbers. If you enjoy working with your hands and solving problems, then this is the trade for you. Plumbers install, repair, and maintain pipes in residential, commercial and/or industrial buildings.

SUPERVISORS

AVERAGE WAGE
WI- $77,650
Top 25%- 93,400
IL- $92,430
Top 25%- $112,150

Construction supervisors coordinate and supervise construction projects from inception to completion. They must combine critical thinking, technical skills, knowledge and leadership.

MANAGEMENT

AVERAGE WAGE
NATIONALLY- $105,000
10% Growth through 2028

Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from inception to completion. They must meet specific hiring needs that combine critical thinking, technical skills, academic knowledge and leadership.

Data provided by National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) based on data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

View more trades, State wages and workforce demand data

Education | Experience

Choosing a trade for your career path can be rewarding and exciting. There are different ways to get into a trade.

Entry-level employees may be hired without education and trained in-house. Some fields require certifications, associate's degrees or registered apprenticeships before hiring.

Use the links below to learn more.

1. Complete High School

A high school diploma or GED is the minimum educational requirement for most trade jobs. LBA has connected with three local high schools in Walworth County that offer valuable training in Technical Education even beyond shop class or woodworking classes. These programs may help students in these schools decide what trade they would like to enter. Students are encouraged to work with technical education teachers and career counselors to follow their interest in the trades.

Academies of Badger High School, School to Work

Delavan-Darien High School

Elkhorn Area High School

Walworth County High School Career Counselors

2. Pick a Trade

Consider which trade interests you the most. If you prefer being creative and working with your hands rather than sitting at a desk, then you may consider more of the skilled trades. Trade careers may directly correlate with your hobbies. Determine what different jobs have in common with your hobbies. Talk to a people who work in trades that interest you. Research pay and growth for each trade and review job opportunities.

National Association of Home Builders

Top Paying Trade Jobs

3. Select an Educational Program

Each trade has different requirements, and not all trades require formal education. However, taking formal education classes can help you gain a competitive advantage over other candidates. Research the requirements for the trade you are interested in entering before you enter an educational program. This way, you know the specific requirements before you begin a program.

Gateway Technical College

Waukesha County Technical College

University of Wisconsin- Whitewater

The Department of Education created the College Scorecard, an online tool that allows individuals to search for nearby schools (technical, college & universities) that have various training programs. The College Scorecard will help you compare programs that lead to certificates and degrees at locations where you may be eligible to receive Pell Grants from the Department of Education.

College Scorecard

4. Obtain an Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship programs allow you to develop skills while you are trained on-the-job and may take one to six years to complete, depending on the trade. Unlike other programs, construction apprenticeships in Wisconsin are offered through a Local Apprenticeship Committee instead of the employer. Use the link below to contact the Local Apprenticeship Committee training office and speak with the Apprenticeship Training Coordinator for further information about the trades in which you're interested.

Wisconsin Construction Registered Apprenticeships

5. Get licensed

Licensing is not necessary for all trades. The State of Wisconsin's Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) oversees licensed professions. The department website has a complete list of licensed professions, the requirements for each and the application process.

WI DSPS

6. Become a Journeyman

After you complete your apprenticeship, you can become a journeyman because you have passed necessary examinations and enough on-the-job training to work under your own license instead of the license of a more experienced tradesperson. Depending on your trade, you may need to work as a journeyman one to five years before being eligible to be a master tradesperson. Master tradespeople can work in supervisory roles.