CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FACTS

  • The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for construction in 2001 was $480 billion, a 4.8% share of the national total.


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  • The construction industry is predicted to grow at an average annual rate of 1.4 percent between 2002 and 2012, adding 1 million new jobs.


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  • The construction industry is among the economy’s top- 10 largest sources of employment growth through 2012.


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  • Job opportunities are expected to be excellent for experienced workers.  This is due largely to the numerous openings arising each year as experienced construction workers leave their jobs.


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  • As of 2002, the construction industry was one of the nation’s largest industries, with 6.7 million wage and salary jobs and 1.6 million self-employed and unpaid family non-government jobs.


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  • More than four out of five establishments in the construction industry employ fewer than ten people.


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  • Construction has a very large number of self-employed workers.  Opportunities for workers to form their own firms are better in construction than in many other industries.


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  • About two out of three wage and salary jobs in 2002 were with specialty trade contractors, primarily plumbing, electrical, and masonry contractors.


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  • Self-employed construction and extraction workers are projected to increase slightly.  Specifically, self-employed first-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers (mostly contractors) are projected to increase.


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  • Persons can enter the construction industry with a variety of educational backgrounds.  Those entering construction right out of high school start as laborers, helpers, or apprentices.  Those who enter construction from technical or vocational schools also may go through apprenticeship training; however, they progress at a somewhat faster pace because they already have had courses such as mathematics, mechanical drawing, and woodworking.


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  • Most skilled craft jobs require proficiency in reading and mathematics, while safety training is required for most jobs.


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  • Skilled workers such as carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers and other construction trade specialist need either several years of informal on-the-job experience or apprenticeship training.