Some workers may be engaged in manual labour[62] as unskilled or semi-skilled
workers; they may be skilled tradespeople; or they may be supervisory or managerial
personnel. Under safety legislation in the United Kingdom, for example,
construction workers are defined as people "who work for or under the control of a
contractor on a construction site";[63] in Canada, this can include people whose
work includes ensuring conformance with building codes and regulations, and those
who supervise other workers.[64]
Laborers comprise a large grouping in most national construction industries. In the
United States, for example, in May 2021 the construction sector employed just over
7.5 million people, of whom just over 820,000 were laborers, while 573,000 were
carpenters, 508,000 were electricians, 258,000 were equipment operators and 230,000
were construction managers.[65] Like most business sectors, there is also
substantial white-collar employment in construction – 681,000 US workers were
recorded by the United States Department of Labor as in 'office and administrative
support occupations' in May 2021.[66]
Large-scale construction requires collaboration across multiple disciplines. A
project manager normally manages the budget on the job, and a construction manager,
design engineer, construction engineer or architect supervises it. Those involved
with the design and execution must consider zoning requirements and legal issues,
environmental impact of the project, scheduling, budgeting and bidding,
construction site safety, availability and transportation of building materials,
logistics, and inconvenience to the public, including those caused by construction
delays.
Some models and policy-making organisations promote the engagement of local labour
in construction projects as a means of tackling social exclusion and addressing
skill shortages. In the UK, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reported in 2000 on 25
projects which had aimed to offer training and employment opportunities for locally
based school leavers and unemployed people.[67] The Foundation published "a good
practice resource book" in this regard at the same time.[68] Use of local labour
and local materials were specified for the construction of the Danish Storebaelt
bridge, but there were legal issues which were challenged in court and addressed by
the European Court of Justice in 1993. The court held that a contract condition
requiring use of local labour and local materials was incompatible with EU treaty
principles.[69] Later UK guidance noted that social and employment clauses, where
used, must be compatible with relevant EU regulation.[70] Employment of local
labour was identified as one of several social issues which could potentially be
incorporated in a sustainable procurement approach, although the interdepartmental
Sustainable Procurement Group recognised that "there is far less scope to
incorporate [such] social issues in public procurement than is the case with
environmental issues".[71]
There are many routes to the different careers within the construction industry.
There are three main tiers of construction workers based on educational background
and training, which vary by country:
Unskilled and semi-skilled workers
Unskilled and semi-skilled workers provide general site labor, often have few or no
construction qualifications, and may receive basic site training.
Skilled tradespeople
See also: List of construction trades
Skilled tradespeople have typically served apprenticeships (sometimes in labor
unions) or received technical training; this group also includes on-site managers
who possess extensive knowledge and experience in their craft or profession.
Skilled manual occupations include carpenters, electricians, plumbers, ironworkers,
heavy equipment operators and masons, as well as those involved in project
management. In the UK these require further education qualifications, often in
vocational subject areas, undertaken either directly after completing compulsory
education or through "on the job" apprenticeships.[72]
Professional, technical or managerial personnel
Professional, technical and managerial personnel often have higher education
qualifications, usually graduate degrees, and are trained to design and manage
construction processes. These roles require more training as they demand greater
technical knowledge, and involve more legal responsibility. Example roles (and
qualification routes) include:
Architect – Will usually have studied architecture to degree level, and then
undertaken further study and gained professional experience. In many countries, the
title of "architect" is protected by law, strictly limiting its use to qualified
people.
Civil engineer – Typically holds a degree in a related subject and may only be
eligible for membership of a professional institution (such as the UK's ICE)
following completion of additional training and experience. In some jurisdictions,
a new university graduate must hold a master's degree to become chartered,[a] and
persons with bachelor's degrees may become Incorporated Engineers.
Building services engineer – May also be referred to as an "M&E" or "mechanical,
electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineer" and typically holds a degree in mechanical
or electrical engineering.[a]
Project manager – Typically holds a 4-year or greater higher education
qualification, but are often also qualified in another field such as architecture,
civil engineering or quantity surveying.
Structural engineer – Typically holds a bachelor's or master's degree in structural
engineering.[a]
Quantity surveyor – Typically holds a bachelor's degree in quantity surveying. UK
chartered status is gained from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
