Top 4 reasons to pursue a career in construction

As the home building industry celebrates Careers in Construction Month in October, we’re sharing the top four reasons to consider a rewarding career in residential construction.

! Diversity of Skilled Trades to Consider

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, including carpenters, architects, engineers, plumbers, electricians, painters and landscapers. Analysis from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows that 70 percent of builders typically use between 11 and 30 subcontractors to build a single-family home. Indeed, there are many different trades you can pursue depending on your personal interests.

! Job Opportunities Across the Country

As the housing market continues to strengthen, home builders across the country and here in Greater San Antonio area are seeking skilled workers — such as carpenters, framers and roofers — to help them build the American Dream. This means there is ample opportunity for motivated students seeking a rewarding career path.

In fact, the residential construction industry is one of the few sectors where demand for new workers is rising. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and NAHB analysis, the number of open construction sector jobs (on a seasonally adjusted basis) increased to 232,000 in July 2017.

! Jobs Satisfaction and Competitive Salaries

Residential construction workers consistently express high job satisfaction. And average salaries in the San Antonio area remain competitive with other industries in our area. For example, electricians with average experience report earning an average of $45,050 per year in Texas, while plumbers with average experience report earning $45,770 per year. Both trades earn higher than $55,000 on average after obtaining valuable years of industry experience.

! Rewarding Career without College Debt

At a time when countless college graduates are finding themselves underemployed and saddled with crushing student debt, it’s important to know that earning a college degree is not the only road to success. A vocational education is equally rewarding and can be obtained at a fraction of the cost.

HBI, a national leader in career training and NAHB’s workforce development arm, offers educational programs in 44 states and the District of Columbia, reaching more than 13,000 students each year. The students who graduate from the program enjoy an 80 percent job placement rate.

In San Antonio, St. Philip’s College hosts one-year certificate and two-year associate’s programs in construction technology and the skilled trades to include plumbing, electrical, heating/air conditioning and general construction. The students served by St. Philip’s College span age, gender and economic backgrounds. As the average age of skilled tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians reaches 60, there has never been more of a demand for the type of students that St. Philip’s College produces.

In 2017, our Association has launched a relationship with UTSA’s Construction Science Management Department. These students leave UTSA with a four-year degree highly trained in materials testing, structural design, blueprints and the latest in industry-specific software. UTSA Construction Science Management students currently enjoy a 98% placement rate upon graduation.

To learn more about job opportunities in San Antonio and surrounding areas, visit the Greater San Antonio Builders Association’s website at www.sabuilders.com. You can also call Trevor Whitney at the Association at

(210) 696-3800 for more information on the programs at St. Philip’s College and UTSA.