How to Become a Construction Worker

Video Transcript

"Hey my name is Gavin McKenzie with buildmckenzie.com in Miami Beach, Florida. Let's talk about how to become a construction worker. First of all what is a construction worker? A construction worker can be a laborer, a tradesman, a detailed craftsman, they are all laborers or people with skilled trades that are coming into the job site to provide something so at it's most basic level a construction worker could be a laborer, that's somebody with no particular skills at all. They can just come right on the site, they can pick up certain materials, they can clean, they can do associated tasks that don't really need any experience. Typically most people, that's how they get started in the industry. Like any other corporate chain you would start at the bottom and work your way up the corporate ladder. In construction we kind of do the same thing. Guys will start in the field, they are set to watch and you know you can also learn via books but the best real construction experience comes on the job site by watching other people do it you learn how to do it. Even as a general contractor I learn new techniques every day and maybe from guys who have been working in the field less than I have but it's those specific details that they pay attention to each day which you know, give me more experience in my own trade which is the management of the whole process. So becoming a construction worker there is several avenues, one like I said you can start in the field, you can start as a laborer and work your way up. The second and probably quicker track to becoming a general contractor would be to go to schools. There are many schools that offer construction classes, courses and a degree in actually construction management and building. Those courses basically when you finish with a four year degree you can come out into the field as a general contractor and then you won't so much be a construction worker as you will be a construction worker's manager."