document resume ce 028 023 institution …were anne kahl, kathy wilson, chester curtis levine, and...

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DOCUMENT RESUME

CE 028 023

Exploring Careers. Construction Occupations.Bureau of Labor Statistics (DOLI, Washington, D.C.ELS-Bull-2001-77947p.: Photographs will not reproduce well. Forrelated documents see CE 028 017-031.Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government PrintingOffice, Washington, DC 20402.

MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.Apprenticeships: Blue Collar Occupations;*Bricklayers: *Building Trades: Career Awareness;Career Choice; *Career Exploration; *Carpenters:Construction Industry; Educational Needs; EducationWork Relationship; Employment Qualifications: JuniorHigh Schools: Learning Activities; *OccupationalInformation: *Plumbing: Resource Materials: SelfEvaluation (Individuals) : Semiskilled Occupations:Skilled Occupations: Unions: Work Attitudes

"Exploring Careers" is a career education resourceprogram, published in fifteen separate booklets, for junior highschool-age students. It provides information about the world of workand offers its readers a way of learning about themselves andrelating that information to career choices. The publications aim tc,build career awareness by means of occupational narratives,evaluative questions, activities, and career games grouped infourteen occupational clusters. This seventh of the series,"Construction Occupations," presents an overview of jobs in theconstruction industry, such as carpenters, electricians, andbricklayers. Narrative accounts focus on a bricklayer, a carpenter,and a plumber, explaining what they do and how they prepared fortheir jobs Exploring sections relate skills needed for theseoccupations to students' personal characteristics, and learningactivities such as inviting a union representative to the class tospeak about apprenticeships and joining the 'locational IndustrialClubs of America (VICA) are suggested. A Job Facts section listsnature and places of work, training and qualifications, and otherinformation for nineteen construction occupations. ("ExploringCareers" is also available as a single volume of fifteen chapters.)(KC)

***********************************************************************Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made

from the original document.************************************************4**********************

Exploring constructionCareers OccupationsU.S. Department of LaborRay Marshall, Secretary

Bureau of Labor StatisticsJanet L. Norwood, Commissioner1979

Bulletin 2001-7

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For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing OfficeWashington. D.C. 20.102

U.S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.EDUCATION t WELFARENATIONAL INSTITUTE OF

EDUCATION

THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO-DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROMTHE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN-ATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONSSTATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OFEDUCATION PCSITION OR POLICY

Exploring Careers is available either as a single volumeof 15 chapters or as separate chapters, as follows:

The World of Work and Youindustrial Production OccupationsOffice OccupationsService OccupationsEducation OccupationsSales OccupationsConstruction OccupationsTransportation OccupationsScientific and Technical OccupationsMechanics and RepairersHealth OccupationsSocial ScientistsSocial Service OccupationsPerforming Arts, Design, and Communications OccupationsAgriculture, Forestry, and Fishery Occupations

Photograph Credits

Photography for Exploring Careers was directed :3y MaxL. Carey of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Divsion ofOccupational Outlook. Members of the Division's staffwho assisted with obtaining and editing photographswere Anne Kahl, Kathy Wilson, Chester Curtis Levine,and Gloria D. Blue. Contributing photographers wereAl Whitley of Whitley Associates, and Harrison E. Allen,Robert Donaldson, and Fleming P. Rc.se of the U.S.

partment of Labor, Division of Gra ft. Services. The131. ceau gratefully acknowledges the cooperation of themany government and private source' that either con-tributed photographs or made their available to

)tographers. Depiction of company or trade names inno way constitutes endorsement by the :department ofLabor. Som.' .totographs may not be free of everypossible safety or health hazard.

Government Sources

Federal. Armed Forces Radiobiology Institute; Board ofGovernors of the Federal Reserve System; Bureau ofPrisons; Department of Agriculture; Department ofHealth, Education, and Welfare; Department of the In-terior, Federal Aviation Administration; GovernmentPrinting Office; National Aeronautics and Space Admin-istration; National Institute of Mental Health; NationalPark Service; Smithsonian Institution; Tennessee ValleyAuthority; and U.S. Postal Service.

State and local. City of San Antonio; City of San Diego;District of ColumbiaDepartment of Human Re-sources, Police Department; Fairfax County (Va.)Pub-lic Schools, Public Libraries; Maryland National CapitalPark and Planning Commission; Montgomery CountyPublic Schools (Md.); University of Texas Health Sci-ence Center at San Antonio; and Washington Metropol-itan Area Transit Authority.

Private Sources

Individuals. Robert Devlin; Robert Miller; The Honora-ble Eligio de la Garza; The Honorable Henry B. Gon-

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zalez; The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye; and DavidWeitzer.

Membership groups. Air Transportation Association ofAmerica; American Iron and Steel Institute; AmericanPetroleum Institute; Associated General Contractors ofAmerica; Association of American Railroads; Chamberof Commerce of the U.S.A.; International Association ofMachinists and Aerospace Workers; Motor VehicleManufacturers Association of the U.S., Inc.; NationalEducation Association; and United Brotherhood of Car-penters and Joiners of America.

Industry and business. Allen-Mitchell and Co.; AmericanTelephone and Telegraph Co.; Arlington Hobby Craf-ters; Babcock and Wilcox Co.; Badger America Inc.; TheBig Cheese; Blake Construction Co.; Bob Peck Chevro-'et; Carl T. Jones Associates; Chase Manhattan Bank;Chessie System; Cycles Inc.; Del Mercado Shell ServiceCenter; Everhart Jewelers; General Truck Sales; The"...cht Co.; Hyatt Regency of Washington; Heritage'-.xon Servicenter; International Business Machines

Corp.; Mayflower Hotel; Merrill Lynch Pierce Fennerand Smith, Inc.; Navy Marshall and Gordon; Nike ofGeorgetown; Riggs National Bank; Southeast Auto Sup-ply; State Farm Insurance Companies; Texaco Inc.;WGMS Broadcasting Co.; Westinghouse Electric Corp.;and Westvaco Corp.

Publications. Arlington News; Co-ed Magazine; Law En-forcement Communications; The New Prince George'sPost, and The Washington Post.

Other. Alexandria Archaeology Research Center (Va.);American National Red Cross; Catholic Charities of theArchdiocese of Washington; Folger Shakespeare Li-brary; Forsyth County Heart Association (N.C.); GeorgeWashington University Hospital; Model Cities SeniorCenter (D.C.); St. Columba's Episcopal Church (D.C.);St. Thomas Apostle Catholic Church (D.C.); UnitedWay of America; Visiting Nurse Association of Wash-ington, D.C.; and Washington Hospital Center (D.C.).

T

Preface

Exploring Careers is a career education resource for youngsters of junior highschool age. It provides the kind of information about the world of work that youngpeople need to prepare for a well-informed career choice. At the same time, it offersreaders a way of learning more about themselves. The publication aims to buildcareer awareness by means of occupational narratives, evaluative questions, activities,and career games presented in 14 occupational clusters. Exploring Careers emphasizeswhat people do on the job and how they feel about it and stresses the importance of"knowing yourself" when considering a career. It is designed for use in middleschool/junior high classrooms, career resource centers, and youth programs run bycommunity, religious, and business organizations.

This is I of 15 chapters. A list of all the chapter titles appears inside the frontcover.

Exploring Careers was prepared in the Bureau's Division of Occupational Outlookunder the supervision of Russell B. Flanders and Neal H. Rosenthal. Max L. Careyprovided general direction. Anne Kahl supervised the planning and preparation ofthe publication. Members of the Division's staff vilu3 contributed sections were LisaS. Dillich, David B. Herst, H. Philip Howard, Chester Curtis Levine, ThomasNardone, Debra E. Rothstein, and Kathy Wilson. Gloria D. Blue, Brenda Marshall,and Beverly A. Williams assisted.

The Bureau gratefully acknowledges the cooperation of all the workers who agreedto be interviewed and photographed, the teachers and students who field tested asample chapter, and all who shared their ideas with BLS. Many people in thecounseling community offered encouragement and support. Special thanks for hergenerous assistance go to Cathy Cockrill, Career Education Curriculum Specialist,Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia.

Although they are based on interviews with actual workers, the occupationalnarratives are largely fictitious.

Material in this publication other than photographs is in the public domain andmay be reproduced without the permission of the Federal Government. Plase creditthe Bureau of Labor Statistics and cite Exploring Careers, Bulletin 2001.

Contents

Page

Construction occupations 1

Bricklayer 10Carpenter 15

Plumber 20Job facts 26

ExploringCareers

ConstructionOccupations

Ironworkers high above the city are protected by a system of belts and ties.

1

Exploring Careers

We live in a world of structures of all kinds: Houses,stores, bridges, factories, roads, and schools. Think aboutyour community for a moment and see how many dif-ferent structures you can name.

Putting up a building requires the effort of people withmany different skills. At every stage, from clearing thesite to putting on such finishing touches as signs or doorknockers, construction means a team effort. Althoughthe members of this "team" aren't all on the site at thesame time, they depend on each other. To get an idea ofhow this works, let's see what's involved in building ahouse. We'll follow the progress of the Wright family'shouse, which you'll read more about in the story aboutthe architect in the chapter on Performing Arts, Design,and Communications Occupat'ons.

Before the Framework Goes Up

A lot had to be done before the house could begin togo up. First, the Wrights' architect, Jack Myers, had todesign the house and draw up blueprints for the construc-tion workers to follow. Blueprints are plans that showthe general layout of the building and give such detailedinforination as the exact measurements of rooms, win-dows, and doors and the places where pipes, wires, andducts should be placed.

Then the builder, or contractor, had to obtain all thematerials, equipment, and labor. It's the contractor's jobto make sure that every phase of the work is done onschedule, so that the house will be finished when theWrights are ready to move in. This means checking tomake sure that the job is being done properly andmaintaining an inventory of supplies so that workersdon't waste precious time waiting for materials to bedelivered. The contractor already has obtained the build-ing permit, a legal document that is required beforeconstruction can begin. The permit shows that theWright house meets county zoning regulations for thesite where they plan to build. Several months ago, afterobtaining the building permit for the Wrights' house, thecontractor hired a surveyor. The surveyor measured theland and drew maps that showed boundary lines andsuch features as roads and underground utility lines.

What else has to be done? The land must be prepared.That will happen soon, for the operating engineers arescheduled to arrive tomorrow with their bulldozers andother earth-moving equipment. A hill will have to beleveled and, in spite of the Wrights' desire to save them,several trees will have to be cut down.

The operating engineers are among the first construc-tion workers on the site. Helping them are constructionlaborers, or "helpers", who have work to do during

2

nearly every stage of the building Once the operatingengineers have prepared the ground, the surveyor willcome back and use stakes and lines to lay out the exactlocation of the house on the property.

The Structure Rises

Once the land is ready, it will be time for the foun-dation to be laid. A building as heavy as a house rests ona foundation buried in the ground. This is done so thatthe weight of the building will rest on the hard, solidlypacked ground below the frost line. Otherwise it mightdevelop structural damage, such as cracks and doors andwindows that won't open.

The foundation starts with "footings"large blocksof concrete that are completely sunk into the ground.Footings are placed under the edges of the house and atcertain points inside where there will be extra weightunder a fireplace or porch, for example. The first step inlaying the foundation is digging trenches for the footings.An excavation crew of operating engineers will dig out,or excavate, the earth to make room for the footings.Then cement masons will pour wet concrete into thetrenches. Pouring concrete is hard work that requiresstrength and stamina. Sometimes this job is done by acrew of construction laborers rather than by the morehighly skilled cement masons. Once the concrete is set,bricklayers will come in and place cinder blocks on topof the footings and build the foundation wall to slightlyabove the ground surface.

Then it's time for utilities to be brought in from thestreet. Such utilities as water, sewerage, and gas arebrought to individual houses by means of undergoundpipes called mains that run beneath the streets. The floorof a new house cannot be laid until these water, sewer,and gas mains are tapped and connecting pipes attachedthat will lead into the house.

After the utility pipes have been brought up throughthe ground inside the outer boundary of the house,cement masons will pour a slab floor. They will pour theconcrete carefully, making sure it is level, and smooth itdown as it hardens to give it an even finish. They'll keepthe concrete moist while it's "curing" to make sure it willbe hard and strong when it dries. It's not unusual forcement masons to work overtime, because once theconcrete is poured they must stay on the job until it iscompleted.

With the foundation and slab floor in place, carpenterscan begin work on the wooden frame of the house.Carpenters follow the architect's blueprints when theybuild the frame. They use different sizes of lumber: Studsfor the walls, joists for the attic floors, and rafters for the

Construction Occupations

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heyThey will begin by building the wall framework,nailing pieces of lumber together and securing them tothe foundation with metal bolts. The carpenters must besure to place the studs a certain number of inches apart,as called for in the building code. They must be sure toleave spaces for windows and doors.

As soon as the wall frame is up, the carpenters willbuild the attic floor frame and the roof frame. On top ofthe roof frame they'll place sheets of plywood called roofdecking. Then roofers will come in and put roofing feltor tar paper on the roof deck. Since the architect decidedlong ago that asphalt shingles would be best for theWrights' house, that's what the contractor has bought.When the time comes, the roofers will put them on. Theroofers will also add gutters, downspouts, and flashingaround the chimney and edges of the roof to preventwater from running down the sides of the house when itrains.

Once the roofers have finished, it will be time to putup the outside walls of the house. As the first step,

carpenters will nail sheathing boards across the outsideof the wall frame. They also will install windows at thisstage. When the windows and sheathing board are inplace, the outside walls can go up. The Wrights' housewill have brick on the front and sides, and aluminumsiding on the rear.

Bricklayers will lay the brick. They will have to besure that the walls are straight and level and that theyintersect at right angles. The bricklayers must follow thearchitect's blueprints very carefully. They have to payattention to every detail, making sure that the rows ofbrick line up with doors and windows, for example.Helping them will be hod carriers or mason tenders whomix the mortar and make sure the bricklayers don't runout of materials.

The aluminum siding for the rear of the house is madeat the factory, but the carpenters who install it measureand cut it at the job site. They nail the panels in placeand add molding at corners and along windows anddoors to give a neat finish.

3

Exploring Careers 0

4'7

Carpenters work quickly and accurately with handtools or power tools.

A mask protects this plumber's eyes when she iswelding.

4

Precision measuring instruments are required insome construction trades.

'

Construction offers good opportunities for youngpeople who are willing to spend several years learn-ing a trade.


Moving Indoors

All the workers you've read about so far nave-outdoorjobs. Working together, they'll brad the "shell" of theWrights' house. But there still will be a lot to do beforethe family can ro- ve in.

You've seen how the water, sewer, and gas mains willbe tapped before th" slab floor is laid down. Until morework is done, the ends of pipes will simply stick out ofthe floor in the utility room, kitchen, and bathroom.When the time comes, plumbers will come in and installthe fresh water pipes and the drainage system within thehouse. They will pipes inside the walls before closingthem up on the inside so that the pipes aren't visiblewhen the house is finished.

Plumbers will install heating and air-conditioningunits, too. The Wrights will use electricity to heat theirhouse. Warm air will be sent throughout the building bymeans of a system of thin-walled rectangular pipes calledducts. Sheet-metal workers have already made the ductsat the shop; later they'll bring them to the constructionsite to install them. The sheet-metal workers will installductwork inside the walls and ceiling, making sure thatthere are outlets or registers in each room. They also willinstall return air ducts so that the air will circulate backto the air conditioner or furnace.

Since both the plumbing and the ductwork are in-staad inside the walls or ceiling, they're hard to get atonce the house is finished. For this reason, the plumbersand sheet-metal workers will have to be very careful toinstall the pipes and ducts correctly in the first place.They may have to work in awkward or cramped pisitionsto do this.

Another important utility that will be installed iselectricity. To do this, electricians will connect a cablefrom the street to the house. They'll bring the cable tothe house and attach it to a meter, which measures theflow of electricity, and then to a distribution panel. Fromthis panel the electricians will connect more wires thatlead to electrical outlets and switches all over the house.The electricians run these circuit wires inside the wallsand ceiling and floors, being careful not to let theminterfere with the metal ductwork or plumbing system.

To save energy and keep the house warmer in winterand cooler in summer, insulation will be applied to theinsides of the outer walls and to the attic floor. Insulationalso helps absorb noise and prevents water vapor frompassing through the walls. Insulation workers will cutstrips of fiberglass or other insulating material to theright length, and then staple each strip into place insidethe wood framework. They also will cover the ducts andpipes that carry hot air or water.

Like many construction workers, this painter has hisown contracting business.

After the utilities have been roughed in and the insu-lating materials installed, the finishing work can begin.There will be a lot for the finishing workers to do, forthe inside of the house will be no more than a woodenskeleton.

Drywall installers will close up the walls and ceilingsby nailing wallboard panels to the wooden frameworkinside the house. They will cover all joints and nail holeswith tape and joint compound, and make sure the surfaceof the wallboard is smooth and ready for painting.

5

Exploring Careers

Years of experience enable this floor installer towork quickly.

Once the wallboard has been installed, painters willarrive on the scene. The painters will paint the walls andceilings, using brushes, rollers, or spray guns. They needto know the characteristics of different paints, and howto mix different colors. Since Mr. and Mrs. Wright wantwallpaper on the bedroom walls, paperhangers will beneeded too. Both the painters and the paperhangers mustbe skilled at chat they do so that they can work rapidlybut neatly.

Floor covering installers will be on the job then also.These workers will finish the floors by putting hardwood,resilient tile, or carpeting on top of the concrete slabfloor. Tilesetters will come in to lay ceramic tile on thefloors and walls of the bathrooms.

Finishing carpenters will install the interior woodentrim: Casings around windows and doors and base andshoe moldings where the walls meet the floor. Thefinishing carpenters also will hang the doors, being care-ful to make sure each door is the right size and that ithangs straight.

Fixtures and accessories will have to be installed. Theplumber will return to put in sinks and bathroom fixturessuch as bathtubs and toilets. Finishing carpenters willinstall kitchen cabinets and counter tops. The electricianwill come back to install overhead lights and light

6

switches. The painter will return to finish the hardwoodfloors, the trim, and any marred or damaged areas.

Various finishing jobs often overihie., so cooperation isessential. The different craftworkers will have to becareful not to get in each other's way or spoil the workthat others have done. All of the finishing work affectsthe final look of the house, and therefore requires carefulattention to detail.

As the inside of the house nears completion, cementmasons will return to lay the sidewalks and driveway. Alandscaper will come in to plant grass, shrubs, or smalltrees. And then one last step is necessary. A crew ofconstruction laborers will clean up the inside of the houseand the work site, and carry away debris left by thefinishing workers. Finally, the house will be ready forthe Wrights.

Other Jobs in the Building Trades

A large project such as a high-rise apartment or anoffice building requires many more workers than ahouse. Furthermore, it requires some very specializedworkers. On construction projects as large as these, thereare jobs for elevator constructors, workers who installelevators in high-rise buildings. And jobs for glaziers,who install glass on wall surfaces or put in windows.Ironworkers erect the steel framework and other metalparts in big buildings, bridges, and other structures.Plaster, rather than drywall, is used to cover walls andceilings in many commercial buildings. Before any plas-tering is done, lathers install supports such as metal lathor gypsum lath board to hold the plaster, stucco, orconcrete materials. Plasterers then finish interior wallsand ceilings with plaster coatings and apply durablecement plaster or stucco to exterior surfaces. Marblesetters install marble facing on walls, columns, and floors.Terrazzo workers apply terrazzo to floors in buildingssuch as stores, offices, and hospitals. Terrazzo is tintedconcrete with which marble chips are mixed.

What it Takes to be a Construction Worker

As you have just seen, construction takes a team effort.Much of the work takes place one step at a time, andalmost every step depends on another having been com-pleted. Cement masons cannot pour concrete footings,for example, until the land has been cleared and trencheshave been dug. Carpenters cannot begin nailing up thewall framework until the foundation has been laid. Wallscannot be finished until utilities are installed. Eachworker depends on others doing their jobs well andwithout delay. Since it takes the of many different


10"

Glaziers install all types of building glass.

people to put up a building, construction workers must bec ble to work well with others. They must be willing totake orders from those in charge, do their share of thework, and cooperate so that no one gets in anyone else'sway.

What other traits are important for people in thebuilding trades? For plumbers, painters, electricians, car-penters, bricklayers, and others whose work requires ahigh degree of skill, a talent for working with one's handsis important. It takes manual dexterity to work quicklyand accurately with handtools such as the trowels, ham-mers, mallets, and chisels that bricklayers use. Or to cutand shape wood with portable power saws and drills asa carpenter does. Do you like working with your hands?Are you good at working with tools or machinery? Areyou mechanically inclined? These qualities are essentialin the building trades.

Skilled construction workers often are called upon tosolve mechanical or structural problems. A tilesetter mightbe asked, for example, to create an intricate design intile for an outdoor patio. With general guidelines fromthe architect, a plumber might have to plan the layout ofa plumbing system for a specific room to make the bestuse of limited materials and space. Coming up with aworkable solution requires that the worker know a great

Many people like the physical activity of constructionjobs.

deal about his or her craft. It takes expert knowledge ofboth the theoretical and practical aspects of a craft ortrade to figure out the best way of handling a particularproblem.

Much construction work requires precision. Workerssuch as electricians and plumbers must meet strict stand-ards of accuracy in their work; they need to be able totake measurements and calculate dimensions quicklyand accurately. This is such an important aspect ofconstruction work that apprenticeship programs gener-ally include one or more courses in applied mathematics.

Many construction workers need to be able to pictureobjects from blueprints and read scale drawings. Alsoimportant is an eye for detailthe ability to see slightdifferences and detect flaws in shapes or surfaces.Painters in particular require good color discriminationin order to match colors and shades, and to select thosethat go well together.

Many people prefer construction work because it sooften is outdoor work. Working outside is enjoyable whenthe weather is nice, of course. But construction workershave to be prepared to work outside on days when theweather is terrible. Do you spend a lot of time outdoorsright now? Would you be willing to work outside in coldor very hot weather?

7

Exploring Careers

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A 4-year apprenticeship program is the best way to become an electrician.

Finally, every aspect of construction work involvesphysical activity. If you like exercise, one of the construc-tion trades may be just right for you. A willingness to bephysically active on the job certainly is a "must" foranyone interested in entering the field, for people in thebuilding trades do a lot of standing, stooping, bending,squatting, stretching, or kneeling. Some constructionworkers do a great deal of heavy lifting. Moreover, theydon't get much time to rest. They must keep moving allthe time, working steadily. Depending on the job, con-struction work can take a lot of strength and stamina.

What the Job Offers You

You've just read about personal traits that are impor-tant for construction work. There are other things toconsider as well. What about wages? Chances for pro-motion? Steadiness of the job? Opportunities to go intobusiness for yourself?

The building trades generally offer high hourly pay.Being paid by the hour means that the total earnings of

8

construction workers are affected by how many hoursthey work. During good times, there's lots of work foreveryone. Since construction workers receive extra payfor overtime work, they sometimes can make a lot ofmoney by working overtime to finish a project by acertain deadline.

On the other hand, in construction there's no promiseof steady employment. Some construction workers areemployed for years by a single contractor, but othersmust seek a new job after each project is completed. Andeven if you work for a single contractor, you can't alwaysbe sure how many hours you'll work. Construction activ-ity often swings from highs to lows. Building generallyis curtailed in the winter when it's very cold, snowy, orrainy. Fewer new homes are built when the economy isin a slump. Work on a big project may stop altogetherbecause of a business failure. A delay in obtainiag build-ing materials can lead to temporary layoffs. In thesecases being paid by the hour means not getting paid atall for time you don't work. If you're considering con-struction work, you should be prepared for periods whenyour income would be uncertain.

1 .i


The building trades offer an opportunity to work yourway up to a supervisory position, particularly for workerswho are ambitious, and good at what they do. Experiencealso improves chances for promotion. An experiencedworker might be promoted to a position supervisingother workers of that craft. After several years he or shemight become a construction superintendent, and thenperhaps a project manager. Many people in the buildingtrades eventually begin businesses of their own. This isespecially true of carpenters, floor covering installers,painters and paperhangers, plasterers, and tilesetters. Astheir businesses expand, they may employ other workersand become contractors. Sometimes construction work-ers move into office positions as estimators.

Training

How do people enter the building trades? What doyou need to know to get a job? Most construction workersare skilled craftworkers. They learn their trade throughseveral years of on-the-job trainingor by completingan apprenticeship or other training program that maytake as long as 4 years. Individual training requirementsfor each of the construction occupations are listed in theJob Facts at the end of the chapter.

Apprenticeship programs, offered by local union andemployer groups working together, are a good way oflearning one of the construction trades. These programscombine actual work experience with classroom instruc-tion, and may last anywhere, from 2 years (cement ma-sons, drywall installers, lathers) to 4 years (carpenters,electricians, glaziers, insulation workers, plumbers, andsheet-metal workers). "Apprenticeship" comes from aFrench word meaning "to learn", and if you choose thisway of training for a trade, you'll need to be seriousabout learning.

Not everyone trains for construction work in an ap-prenticeship program, however. Many people learn theconstruction trades on the job, by working with experi-enced construction workers in their community. A sum-mer construction job while you're still in high school canbe a good way to find out if you're suited for this work.

Construction offers good opportunities for young peo-ple who are willing to spend several years learning atrade. Most high schools offer classes in mathematics,mechanical drawing, drafting and design, and shop.Many have programs in the building trades, and offercourses in bricklaying, carpentry, electricity, plumbing,heating and air conditioning, and general maintenancemechanics. These classes provide good experience, be-cause you work with the same kinds of machines andtools in class that you'd use on the job. Such high school

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Many people choose construction work because ofthe high hourly pay.

courses may give you the skills to land your first job oropen the way for further training. Some programs givebuilding trades students an opportunity to participate inthe construction or renovation of houses through actualon-the-job work experience.

9

Exploring Careers

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Andy walked onto the site and saw Joe, the bricklayersupervisor, examining some blueprints. "Hi," he said,yawning as he approached. "What time is it? This sitewould have to be way on the other side of town. I had toget up an hour and a half earlier than usual this morningto allow enough time to get here."

The supervisor look up, glanced at his watch and said,"It's 7:15. I'm glad you got here a little early today. Youcan help me lay out these walls."

Andy was an apprentice bricklayer. At the age of 23he was more than halfway through his 3-year appren-ticeship program. The program had two parts: On-the-job training every day and classroom instruction 2 nightsa week.

Andy considered himself lucky to have been acceptedfor apprenticeship. First there had been the aptitude test,and then the oral interview with the union apprenticeshipcommittee. The committee had asked him about hisschool record, his interests, his hobbies. The last questionhad been the hardest: What makes you think you'd be agood bricklayer ?. Andy had passed the interview withflying colors, but even then he had to wait nearly a yearbefore there was an opening. The apprenticeship com-mittee accepts people into the program only a few at atimeit all depends on the amount of constructionactivity in the area, and the need to train more bricklay-ers. The committee tries to train only as many bricklayersas there are jobs.

Andy was pleased with the way things were going forhim. He was learning a skill and getting paid whilelearning. Every 6 months since he had started, the ap-prenticeship committee had examined his progress, andeach time they'd promoted him and raised his pay. Whenhe had first started the program he had been paid onlyabout half the usual hourly wage for experienced brick-layers, but the amount had been increasing steadily.Soon he'd be making as much as any experienced brick-layer. Andy knew that with the apprenticeship committeeconstantly reviewing his progress he couldn't afford towaste time on the job, or skip classes, or be late for work.So there he was even though he'd rather have been homein bed.

That morning Andy and the other bricklayers in thecrew were to begin laying the exterior walls of a high-rise apartment building. Andy had learned long ago thatthere's more to being a bricklayer than just slappingbricks together in a haphazard fashion. Bricklaying, hehad discovered, is a precise activity, and there is a lot ofmeasuring to do before the first brick is laid.

The bricklayer supervisor must study the architect'sblueprints and compare the dimensions indicated thereto the actual surface on which they're working. Theblueprints tell the length and width and height of the

walls to be built and the kinds of materials to be used.They show the size and locations of doors and windows,the pattern in which the bricks or blocks are to be placed(known as the pattern bond), the number of units neededfor a row or "course" of brick or block, and the size ofthe joints between units. The bricklayers need all of thisinformation before they can begin laying any bricks orblocks.

Andy walked over to look at the architect's blueprintswith Joe. Right away, he saw that the wall they wereabout to build was a composite wall. This meant that thewall was to be made of row upon row of cement blockfaced with rows of brick. The parallel rows are calledwythes. The brick facing and block backing would bebonded with metal wall ties at regular intervals for addedstrength. The architect had specified exactly what typesof brick and block and wall ties to use.

The first step in laying out such walls as these ismarking the dimensions on the foundation. Andy andJoe began measuring in from one of the corners of thefoundation. They checked the dimensions of the foun-dation against the dimensions given in the blueprints.

"Let's start laying the bricks out dry," Joe said.The two bricklayers laid a course of bricks without

mortar in order to space them correctly, Then Joemarked the spaces where there were to be doors andwindows to make sure that the units would be placedproperly around those openings to allow for a strongbond.

Andy got up from his kneeling position and looked atthe layout. "It looks pretty good," he said. Joe nodded.

By now the other bricklayers had arrived. In additionto Andy and Joe there were six bricklayers and eighthelpers, called mason tenders or hod carriers.

"You'll be working with Fred," Joe told Andy. "He'sbeen doing this for a long time, and he'll be able to helpyou out if you have any problems." Joe made sure thatall of the other bricklayers saw the markings for thedoors and windows.

A mason tender brought a batch of freshly mixedmortar, and the bricklayers picked up their trowels. Fredmoved to one of the corners. He cut into a pan of wetmortar with his trowel, spread the mortar thickly on thefoundation surface, and then pressed a brick into place.He picked up another brick, "buttered" one end of itwith mortar, and pressed it into place next to the firstbrick. After placing each brick in place, he used histrowel to cut off the excess mortar that had been squeezedout from the brick joints.

Andy watched Fred for a while, admiring the singleflowing motion with which he loaded the trowel andspread the mortar. Then he stepped up and began help-ing the other man. Together, they built the outside corner

11

Exploring Careers

MIL

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4

"There's a lot of more to being a bricklayer than justslapping bricks together. It's very precise work."

of brick, and inside it another one of block. The otherbricklayers had split up into smaller groups and hadmoved to other sections of the building. There they werebuilding corners just as Fred and Andy were doing.

It didn't take long for the crew of bricklayers to buildthe corners to the desired height. Then they began to laythe brick wall between the corners. First they stretcheda line betwen the corner units at the top of the firstcourse. The line was a guide for keeping the bricks all atan even height, as well as for keeping the row straight.Then they began laying the first course of bricks. On topof the first course they laid a second, then a third, and soon until the wall was six courses high.

The motions involved in laying brick are repetitive,and soon Andy was moving at a quick pace. Andy andFred talked for a while about the upcoming WorldSeries, but then lapsed into silence. "It's nice to be able

12

to talk and let your mind wander while you're working,"thought Andy as he listened to some of the other brick-layers joking with each other. The other people on thejob really helped make the work enjoyable.

When they finished the sixth course of the brick wall,Andy stopped and examined the work he and Fred haddone so far. His arms and back were tired from stoopingover and lifting the bricks, but he was pleased with thewall. The sight of the finished brick work made him feelgood. The mortar joints between courses still needed tobe finished, so Andy picked up a tool called a jointerand ran it along the edge of each joint. The jointer leftan indentation in the mortar that made the joints lookmuch neater than before.

The sun was very strong now. Andy could feel itburning his face and arms. His shirt was soaked withperspiration. There wasn't much shade around, nowhereto escape from the heat. "Isn't it lunchtime yet?" Andywondered.

Minutes later, Joe called out, "Let's break for lunchnow. You have half an hour:' Then he walked over toAndy and Fred and examined the work they had justcompleted.

"When we get back," he said, "we'll lay the blockbacking inside the brickwork."

Andy nodded. Then he looked over at Fred, whogrinned and said, "Let's find some shade to sit in so wecan cool off I've got to get out of the sun for a while.And the way you've been working, you must be prettyhot and tired yourself. You're not so bad, you know."

"Thanks," Andy replied, flashing a broad smile. Thenthe two bricklayers walked off to pick up their lunchbags.

Exploring

Bricklayers work with their hands. They use handtoolssuch as trowels, hammers, and chisels. Sometimes theyuse power tools.

Do you enjoy activities that involve working withyour hands, such as building ships or airplanemodels, building or refinishing furniture, makingceramics, weaving, doing macrame, making stainedglass, or making candles?Are you accustomed to using tools for work aroundthe house or garden, or for repairing bicycles or lawnmowers?Do you help put up shelving, install screens or stormwindows, replace loosc shingles, or fix loose boardsor stair railings?Do you enjoy learning how to use a tool you've neverused before?

1U


"Talking and joking with the other bricklayers is one of the best parts of this job."

0.:,1 fr

Bricklayers follow blueprints and diagrams.

Can you read and understand graphs, diagrams, andcharts?Can you read roadmaps?Can you look at a drawing and picture the three-dimensional object in your mind?Do you understand football or basketball plays whenthey're written out?Can you follow the diagrams in the service bookletfor a refrigerator, air-conditioner, or dishwasher?

Bricklayers need a working knowledge of mathematics.

Do you know how to take measurements and calcu-late fractions, proportions, and percentages?

Bricklayers do strenuous outdoor work. The job involves

a lot of lifting, standing, and stooping.

Are you in good physical condition?Do you enjoy outdoor sports and recreational activ-ities, such as football, baseball, softball, track andfield, hunting, fishing, climbing, hiking, or camping?Do you prefer mowing the lawn or working in thegarden to working indoors?

Suggested Activities

Help build an outdoor masonry structure such as aretaining wall or a barbeque pit. Help lay a terrace orpatio. Help lay a brick or stone walkway.

Invite a bricklayer or stonemason to speak to your classabout his or her work. Ask the speaker to bring andexplain some of his or her tools.

I13

Exploring Careers

Invite a representative of the local bricklayers' union tospeak to your class on apprenticeship opportunities inyour community.

Invite the instructor of a bricklaying course to speak toyour class about training opportunities and job pros-pects for bricklayers in your community. Most schoolsystems have vocational education programs that offerinstruction in the building trades. Courses also aregiven in community colleges, technical institutes, andtrade schools.

Join a chapter of VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs ofAmerica), if your school has one. VICA chapters planprojects, take field trips, and hold competitions in suchskill areas as bricklaying, carpentry, and the electricaltrades.

If you are a Girl Scout, see if your local troop has theFrom Dreams to Reality program for exploring ca-reers. Troops also offer opportunities to test careerinterests through proficiency badges in a number ofareas including Handywoman.

If you are a Boy Scout, try for the merit badge inMasonry.

As a project for a mathematics class, plan a wall to bebuilt of brick or block. This involves deciding ondimensions, pattern bond, and size of joints.

Bricklayers need a working knowledge of mathematics.They need to be able to take measurements and docalculations. See if you can do the problems below.They are typical of some of the problems bricklayersdeal with every day.A bricklayer is planning to build a wall using stan-dard size bricks that are 8 inches long, 4 inches wide,and 21/4 inches high. There will be 1/2 inch of mortarbetween each brick. How long a course can she buildwith a load of 25 bricks?A bricklayer lays 80 bricks per hour. How manyhours does it take him to lay 960 bricks? How many8-hour days is that?A bricklayer is planning a wall that is to be 10 feethigh and 40 feet long. If seven bricks equal I squarefoot of wall, estimate the number of bricks the jobwill require if you allow 10 percent for waste.It requires % of a cubic yard of mortar to lay 1,000bricks with 1/2-inch mortar joints. Assume that sevenbricks equal 1 square foot. How many cubic yards ofmortar are needed to build a wall 200 feet long and

14

10 feet high?

See an:.-wer: a! end of chapter.

Write for career information to the International Ma-sonry Apprenticeship Trust, 815 15th Street, N.W.,Suite 711, Washington, D.C. 20005; Associated Gen-eral Contractors of America, Inc., 1957 E Street, N.W.,Washington, D.C. 20006; and Brick Institute of Amer-ica, 1750 Old Meadow Road, McLean, Virginia 22101.

Related Occupations

Bricklayers aren't the only construction workers whobuild structures or surfaces using bricks, stones, concrete,mortar, or cement. Can you identify some of the relatedoccupations described below? If you need help, refer tothe list of job titles at the end.

1. I spread, smooth, and finish poured concrete sur-faces. Who am I?

2. I cut and shape tiles and apply them to walls, floors,ceilings, and roofs. Who am I?

3. I apply cement, sand, pigment, and marble chips tofloors, stairways, and cabinet fixtures to create durableand decorative surfaces. Who am I?

4. I build stone structures such as piers or walls. I alsolay walks, curbs, or special types of masonry. Who amI?

5. I carry bricks, concrete, mortar, or plaster to brick-layers, plasterers, or stonemasons. I also mix mortar byhand or with a mixing machine. Who am I?

6. I cut and set slabs of marble in floors and walls ofbuildings. I also polish and repair slabs that already arein place. Who am I?

Terrazzo worker

Cement mason

Marble setter

Hod carrier or mason tender

Stonemason

Tilesetter

See answers at end of chapter.

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Exploring Careers

"Hey, get that other clamp over there, will you?"Brenda says. She guides a panel of wood into place asthe crane swings it towards her. Steve wedges anotherpanel into place while Pete brings the metal clamp,places it on the form, and tightens it. The column formthey are building consists of four wooden panels clampedtogether at opposite corners. They work in silence for afew minutes, placing the clamps about a foot apart allthe way to the top. At last, the form stands secureatall, boxlike structure about 16 feet high and 4 feetsquare.

Brenda and Steve are carpenters. Pete is a carpenter'shelper. The work they're doingbuilding concreteformsis called "rough carpentry". The forms are moldsinto which wet concrete can be poured to create the largeconcrete columns that will support the ceiling of a park-ing garage. Next year there will be a large office buildinghere, and the parking garage will occupy the first twounderground levels. High buildings require a lot of con-crete, and wherever there's concrete to be poured, car-penters are on the jobbuilding the forms that providethe shape for the concrete.

Brenda and her co-workers are working outside, in thecenter of the second level of the parking garage. Sincethere aren't any columns up yet in the area where they'reworking, there's no concrete slab above to serve as a

Brenda feels that being a carpenter helps her stay ingood physical condition.

16

roof. Luckily, the sun is out and it's a beautiful springday.

Today Brenda, Steve, and Pete will spend most of theday putting up column forms. Tomorrow, they're likelyto be doing something different. The parking garage isin many different stages of construction, most of whichrequire some kind of rough carpentry.

At one end of the parking garage, the second level isjust being started. There a crew of carpenters is layingdown the plywood decking onto which the wet concretewill be poured to form the second-level slab floor.

At the other end, things are further along. The slabfloor for the second level has been laid and columnsalready are in place. There another crew of carpenters isbusy putting up the lumber that will support or bracethe plywood decking onto which the concrete slab abovewill be poured. To do this, the carpenters nail or bracepieces of lumber called jacks, ribs, and stringers to forman overhead frame on which they can nail the sheets ofplywood.

"Maybe we'll be working over there by the end of theweek," Brenda thinks to herself. She's not looking for-ward to it. Putting up the ribs and stringers can bedangerous work. To put up the ribs, for example, thecarpenters often balance on one rib (a long piece oflumber only 4 inches wide and 4 inches thick) whilethey're spreading down the one next to it. Just last weekone of the carpenters fell backwards off a rib and landedon his back 15 feet below. He's in the hospital now andwill be out of work for some time. The carpenters haveto be especially careful to avoid that kind of accident.

Brenda will probably spend most of tomorrow strip-ping column forms. She'll remove the forms from col-umnc in which the concrete has begun to set. That canbe a rough job, because the wooden forms stick verytightly to the concrete that has hardened against them,and the carpenters must use a combination of leverageand strength to get them off. Once the carpenters havestripped the forms, they'll coat the insides with form oilto help the forms separate more easily from the hardenedconcrete next time they're used. When this fluid driesovernight, the forms will be ready to be used again thenext day.

As soon as they finish one form, Brenda moves on andbegins constructing the next one. You never know whena supervisor's going to be watching you, she figures, andthose who don't do their share of the work are mostlikely to be laid off when things get slow.

"Hey, you don't get tired very easily, do you? Where'dyou learn carpentry, anyway? You're good!"

Brenda smiles at the compliment, so different from thetreatment she's gotten at other jobs. Why, just a fewyears ago, people always seemed to be asking why she


Brenda has lunch with her co-workers.

,tioittel4104..r

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4

wanted to do "a man's job." Brenda never thought ofcarpentry as "man's work." It's something she's alwaysbeen good at and enjoyed doing. Suddenly she realizesthat Steve is waiting for an answer.

"Well, I just picked it up, I guess," she begins. "Theway you did, probably. I was always building things asa kid. Then, in high school, I got interested in the theaterand built the props for plays. The more carpentry workI did, the more I found myself enjoying it.

"That was all there was to it until I found out howmuch carpenters get paid around here! The chance tomake a lot of money convinced me to try to make acareer of carpentry. Right after high school I applied fora job with a small construction company that neededcarpenters pretty badly. Since then I've gained experi-ence and picked up new skills by working on differentkinds of construction jobs.

"Now," she says, changing the subject, "why don't weget this last form built and then move over to the otherside?"

There are plenty of people working on the site today.Construction jobs haven't been so easy to come by lately,and so most of these workers feel lucky to be out hereworking. At least Brenda doesn't have to driVe too far toget to work each day. Some of the other carpenters livein another State, and have to commute over 3 hours eachway to get to and from work. "When you have to be atwork at 7 a.m., that makes for a very long day," shethinks.

Besides the carpenters, the workers on the constructionsite are mostly cement masons or rodbusters. The rod-

busters work with the form carpenters, preparing for thepouring of the concrete. Their job is to install the steelrods that will give added strength to each column. Therodbusters attach the steel rods with wire to other steelrods, called dowels, that are sticking up out of theconcrete slab. Once this is done the spot is ready for thecarpenters to come and build the form around the rods.

Carpenters have been on the site almost since construc-tion began. When the form work runs out, most of theform carpenters will move on to another site to begin thesame type of work on another project. However, Brendawill try to stay on at this site and do some of the othercarpentry jobs that will need to be done, installing dry-wall, for example. In times like these, when constructionisn't exactly booming, Brenda knows that to stay em-ployed year-round it helps to be versatile. She's made ita point to learn to handle as many different kinds ofcarpentry work as possible. During the 5 years she'sworked as a carpenter she's learned how to install acous-tical tile and drywall, and hcw to hang doors. Theseskills, she believes, give her an advantage over some ofthe other carpenters.

"So, do you think you're going to stay on in construc-tion?" Steve asks as they move over to another columnlocation.

"Sure," Brenda replies quickly. "Maybe someday I'llhave a contracting business of my own."

"Great idea," says Steve. "Well, you know what you'redoing, that's for sure."

As he walks away, she thinks to herself, "Doing agood job is what counts, after all." Brenda takes pride in

17

Exploring Careers

doing work of high quality and knows that she's earnedthe respect of most of her fellow workers. She's lookingforward to many more years in carpentry.

Exploring

Carpenters work with their hands. They use both handand power tools and must handle their tools quickly andskillfully.

Do you like working with your hands?Are you handy with repairs around the house?Are you good at working with tools?Do you enjoy such activities as building ship orairplane models, building or refinishing furniture,framing pictures, making ceramics, weaving, or doingmacrame?Are you accustomed to using tools for work aroundthe house or garden, or for repairing bicycles or lawnmowers?Have you ever helped put up shelving, install screensor storm windows, replace loose shingles, paint, or fixloose boards or stair railings?Do you enjoy learning how to use a tool you've neverused before?

Carpenters follow blueprints and diagrams.

Can you read and understand graphs, diagrams, andcharts?Can you read road maps?Can r.-t-ti look at a drawing and picture the three-dimensional object in your mind?Do you understand football or basketball plays whenthey're written out?Can you follow the diagrams in the service bookletfor a refrigerator, air-conditioner, or dishwasher?

Carpenters need a working knowledge of mathematics.

Do you know how to take measurements and calcu-late fractions, proportions, and percentages?

Carpenters do strenuous outdoor work. The job some-times involves prolonged standing, climbing, and squat-ting.

Are you in good physical condition?Do you enjoy outdoor sports and recreational activ-ities, such as football, baseball or softball, track andfield, hunting, fishing, climbing, hiking or camping?Do you prefer mowing the lawn or working in thegarden to working indoors?

18


Build a doghouse or birdhouse. Build a bookcase, table,or other piece of furniture.

Build the props for a school theatrical production.

Volunteer to repair toys at a day care center, Headstartprogram, or nursery school.

Offer to do minor home repairs or help winterize thehomes of elderly neighbors. There may be a programof this kind in your community to which you couldvolunteer your services. To find out, call the localvoluntary action center or agency on aging.

Help renovate a room or building for a teen club orcommunity center.

Invite a carpenter or cabinetmaker to speak to your classabout his or her work. Ask the speaker to bring andexplain some of his or her tools.

Carpenters need a working knowledge of mathematics.They need to be able to take measurements and docalculations. See if you can do the problems below.They are typical of some of the problems carpentersmight deal with.A carpenter must use an auger bit to drill a holeexactly 5/8 of an inch deep. The bit advances '46 of aninch for each turn. How many turns are needed to

"Someday I hope to have a contracting business ofmy own," says Brenda.


drill the hole?A carpenter must place flooring on a concrete slabthat is 8 feet by 15 feet. She wilrbe using pine flooringboards that are sold as 1" x 4" X 8'. The carpenterknows, however, that as a result of planing, boardsthis size are actually %" X 3 3/4" x 8'. How manyboards will she need for the job?An 8-inch-wide rough board is finished by planing 7/8

inch off one side and 3i'4 inch off the other side. Whatis the width of the finished board?A carpenter is estimating the amount of time requiredto do a roofing job. He estimates the job will require20,000 tiles and he knows he can install 1,000 tiles in1 hour and 45 minutes. How many 8-hour days willbe required to complete the job?


Invite the instructor of a carpentry course to speak toyour class about training opportunities and job pros-pects in your community. Most school systems havevocational education programs that offer instructionin the building trades. Courses are given in communitycolleges, technical institutes, and trade schools.

Join a chapter of VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs ofAmerica), if your school has one. VICA chapters planprojects, take field trips, and hold competitions in suchskill areas as carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing, andthe electrical trades.

Invite a representative of the local carpenters' union tospeak to your class about apprenticeship opportunitiesin your community.

Invite a woman carpenter to speak to your class abouther job and how she got started in the field.

If you are a Girl Scout, see if your local troop has theFrom Dreams to Reality program for exploring ca-reers. Troops also offer opportunities to test careerinterests through proficiency badges in a number ofareas including Handywoman.

If you are a Boy Scout, try for the Home Repair meritbadge.

Eventually, as the United States converts to the metricsystem, all construction materials will be based onmetric sizes. Lumber, concrete blocks, floor and ceilingtiles, bricks, sacks of cement, roofing paper, shingles,doors, and windows will be made in metric sizes and

buildings will be designed accordingly. Rules andtapes with metric measures will become familiar.

Use the topic of metrics in woodworking for a report ina mathematics class. You might begin your researchby writing for information to the Office of Weightsand Measures, National Bureau of Standards, Wash-ington, D.C. 20234. They also will supply a list, byState, of speakers who are willing to talk to groupsabout the metric system.

Write for career information to the Associated GeneralContractors of America, Inc., 1957 E Street, N.W.,Washington, D.C. 2000§ and to the United Brother-hood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, 101 Con-stitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001.

Related Occupations

Carpenters are the largest group of building tradesworkers, and are employed in almost every type ofconstruction activity. A wide variety of jobs are per-formed by people with different types of carpentry skillsand different job titles. To learn more about some ofthem, match each occupation in column A with thecorrect description (in column B) of the objects on whichsuch workers work.

Column A Column B

1. Acoustical carpenter a. Interior and exterior trim,stairs, hardwood floors

2. Rough carpenter b. Drywall and other wallboardfor ceilings and walls

3. Carpet layer

4. Cabinetmaker

c. Frames of buildings, generalcarpentry work in residentialconstruction

d. Acoustical tile for walls andceilings

5. Finish carpenter e. Concrete forms, scaffolds,temporary frame shelters

6. Framing carpenter f. Wooden store fixtures, officeequipment, cabinets, andhigh-grade furniture

7. Drywall installer g. Carpeting installations


19

Exploring Careers

Plumber

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Bob looks over plans for the school's plumbing system.

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20


Bob makes his way down the main hall of what soonwill be a brand new high school. Painters are on the jobnow, and Bob has to step carefully around their equip-mentladders, paintbrushes, rollers, cans of paint, anddropcloths.

Bob's in charge of a crew of plumbers. He's beenaround this site almost since constn. .ion began andknows the layout of this building backwards and for-wards. Not only does he know the blueprints, he helpeddesign the plumbing system that runs through every partof the building much like the blood vessels in our ownbodies. Installing the plumbing for this school was a bigjob. Bob guided the other plumbers through the entireprocess, relying on the basic knowledge he gained duringhis apprenticeship, and the 8 years of experience he'shad since then.

The plumbing crew arrived at the site over a year ago,right after the excavation crew left. One of their first jobswas tapping the water and gas mains that lie beneath thecity streets. This involved drilling a hole in each of themains running under Market Street, where the school islocated, and installing pipe to run from the main to theschool. The plumbers installed underground piping sys-tems for the fresh water that would be brought to theschool, as well as for the natural gas that would fuel theschool's heating system.

At the same time, the plumbing crew installed theunderground clay pipes that carry water waste awayfrom the school. This job involved installing two separatesystems of pipesa sanitary sewer system and a stormsewer system. The school's sanitary sewer system feedsinto the city system, which in turn carries waste to thelocal sewage treatment plant. A separate piping systemwas installed to handle water runoff. The school's stormsewer system drains water from the athletic fields, fromthe school parking lot, and from the yard right aroundthe building. Not all of the storm runoff can be throwntogether immediately, however. The water from theparking lot, for example, will have oil deposits mixed init which must be filtered out before this water can bemixed with other runoff and emptied into a lake or river.The plumbers therefore had to lead pipes from theparking lot to a separate chamber where the rainwaterrunoff could be cleaned up before being channelled intothe city's storm sewer system. Installing all that under-ground pipe took quite some time.

Through the windows that line one side of the hall,Bob sees that it's still gloomy and overcast outside. Theweather reminds him of the rainy spring they had whilethey were putting in those sewer pipes. The plumberslost more work time than usual because of the heavyrains. And when the rain let up, they found themselvesankle-deep in mud. It wasn't exactly a picnic, working

outside in a fine rain, slipping and sliding in the mud.But how quickly a sunny day restored everyone's spirits!On those beautiful days in May, Bob and his crew forgotall their gripes about the weather. In fact, they had haqquite a few laughs about all those people with indoorjobs who couldn't enjoy the great weather ...

After the underground piping systems were installed,the plumbers left the site while the shell of the buildingwas put up. Then the plumbers returned to install pipesinside the walls, ceilings and floors. Although the archi-tect had shown in his floor plans where the fixtureswould be placed and how the pipes would run, hisdiagram actually left much to the plumbers' ingenuity.Using the architect's plans as a guide, Bob and TedJones, the plumbing contractor Bob works for, drew updetailed plans for the plumbing system. These plansshowed the other plumbers exactly where to lay thepipes, what angles to use at each turn, what size pipes,and what kinds of supports to use.

The plumbers had to design and install several differ-ent piping systems for use inside the school. There werethe hot and cold water lines that led to the bathroomsinks and to the sinks in the home economics room.Other cold water lines led to sinks in the art rooms andthe science laboratories, and to the water fountains inthe halls. Cold water lines also led into the fire extin-guisher system. In addition, drainage pipes had to be ledaway from each of the fixtures, and venting pipes had tobe installed to allow air into the drain system.

Bob turns a corner in the hall and heads toward thelocker rooms at the back of the school to check on theplumbers' progress there. On the way he passes Jack, oneof the young plumber apprentices, who is installing metalregisters in the hallway. These registers are the last partof the school's heating system to be installed. Earlier, theplumbers had installed the furnace that will burn the gasto heat the air.

"How's it going, Jack?" Bob calls out."Just fine," answers Jack, looking up quickly.Jack's a good worker. He takes his job seriously and

never hesitates to ask questions if there's something he'snot sure of. Something about Jack's determination tomake the most of his apprenticeship reminds Bob of hisown start in the trade.

Bob had been accepted in the apprenticeship programright after he graduated from high school. The programlasted 4 years, and during that time Bob was assigned toa variety of projects, from large office buildings to smallhousing developments. Twice a week he attended classesat night. The combination of classroom instruction andon-the-job training gave him the thorough preparationhe needed for becoming skilled and versatile in his trade.After serving his apprenticeship, Bob spent the next 5

21

Exploring Careers

Bob helps Jack cut pipe. Jack is learning the tradethrough a 4-year apprenticeship.

years working at a number of different jobs. As 'soon ashe heard of a construction project nearby, he'd apply forwork and stay with the job until the plumbing installationwas finished. Then he'd move on to another constructionsite. Three years ago, Bob decided that he wanted a morepermanent job.. That's when he started working for TedJones, the plumbing contractor. Ted was impressed withBob's work and his knowledge of the field, so impressedthat after less than 2 years he put Bob in charge of theother plumbers in his crew.

This school is the biggest plumbing project Bob's beenresponsible for so far. Although he was in charge of theplumbing crews on two other projects last year, theywere much smaller jobs. However, the solid training hehad as an apprentice and his years of experkInce as aplumber make him sure of himself, even in a job thisbig. He's been around construction for more than adozen years, after alllong enough to know what needs

22

to be done, when to do it, and what problems to expect.If he handles jobs like this one as well as he expects to,he may be able to move up to the job of project super-intendent before too long. That would mean overseeingan entire construction job and coordinating the work ofpeople in all the building trades, not just the plumbers.

Bob's thoughts are interrupted as he notices Carlwalking toward him from the other end of the hall. Carl'sa veteran member of his plumbing crew.

"Say, Bob," Carl calls out. "The truck with the sinksand toilets just pulled up, and we're starting to unload.We can start installing the fixtures right away. Do youwant us to start with the locker rooms?"

"Right," Bob answers. "I'm going that way right now."The plumbing crew had put in the piping systems and

supports some time ago, before the inside walls wereclosed up. Heavy fixtures like large sinks and waterfountains need plenty of support, so the plumbers hadmounted special hangers, screwed into strong supportingbraces inside the walls. Now that the walls were finished,there was no sign of any of this plumbing work. Onlythe fixtures that they were about to install would giveevidence of the plumbers' hard work.

Bob makes his way outside now to watch a group ofconstruction laborers unloading some of these fixturesfrom a large truck.

"Careful, now," he warns as he approaches the truck,where one laborer is pulling at a commode. "That'sabout 60 pounds of pretty expensive china." The laborerreaches for it more carefully, picks it up and takes it intothe school. The plumbers must be strong enough to holdsuch fixtures in place while bolting them into the wall.

Bob watches while more commodes, some sinks, andsome water fountains are unloaded. Things have beenrunning smoothly today, and Bob is feeling good abouthis job. Bob thrives on his work as a supervisor; he likesorganizing the work, supervising the other plumbers, andmanaging day-to-day problems. And since he likes beingon the go all the time, the busy pace is fine with him.He's learning a lot, too. His job gives him a broad viewof all the phases of a construction project, and how theyfit together. Plumbing is still his favorite constructionactivity, of course. And in his job as supervisor, Bob hasgotten a clearer idea of the variety of tasks that this craftentails. With that thought, Bob turns to go back into theschool.

Exploring

Plumbers work with their hands, using handtools such aswrenches, hammers, chisels, and saws. Sometimes theyuse power tools and gas or acetylene torches.


Carl is the most experienced plumber on Bob's crew.

Do you enjoy activities that involve working withyour hands, such as building ship or airplane models,building or refinishing furniture, framing pictures,making ceramics, doing macrame, or making can-dles?Are you good at working with tools?Do you enjoy learning how to use a tool you've neverused before?Are you handy with repairs around the house?Do you help put up shelving, install screens or stormwindows, fix loose boards or stair railings, or fixleaky faucets?Do you know how to repair a bicycle or lawn mower?Do you enjoy working on motorcycle or automobileengines?

Plumbers often have to search for the cause of a problem.They need to know mechanical principles and understandhow things work.

Are you curious about how things work?Would you take something apartyour bicycle or analarm clock, for examplejust to see how it's puttogether?Do you try to solve problems in an orderly andlogical way?Are you persistent? Will you work on a problem untilyou solve it?

Plumbers follow blueprints and diagrams.

Can you read and understand graphs, diagrams, andcharts?Can you read rooftops?Can you look at a drawing and picture the three-dimensional object in your mind?Do you understand football or basketball plays whenthey're written out?

9 23

Exploring Careers

Can you follow the diagrams in the service bookletfor a refrigerator, air-conditioner, or dishwasher?

Plumbers need a working knowledge of mathematics andscience.

Do you enjoy mathematics and science courses?Do you know how to take measurements and calcu-late fractions, proportions, and percentages?

Each plumbing job is a little different from the rest.

Do you like variety and change in your daily orweekly schedule?

A plumber's work can be strenuous. It involves a lot ofstanding, stooping, lifting, and squatting. Much of it isdone outdoors.

Are you in good physical condition?Do you like to be active most of the time?Do you enjoy outdoor sports and recreational activ-ities, such as football, bicycling, softball, track andfield, hunting, fishing, climbing, hiking, or camping?Do you prefer mowing the lawn or working in thegarden to working indoors?


Help with minor plumbing repairs at home. Help yourparents replace a washer in a leaky faucet or clean outa sink trap. Your public library has books on homerepairs that can guide you.

If there is a home repair or winterization program inyour community, volunteer to assist one of theplumbers. To find out if there is such a program whereyou live, check with your local voluntary action centeror agency on aging.

Help family and friends with automobil: engine repairs.Do your own repair work for your bicycle. Mechanicalwcrk of this kind will give you practice working withsmall handtools.

Invite a plumber to speak to your class about his or herjob. Ask the speaker to bring and explain such tools aswrenches, reamers, drills, braces, and bits.

Invite the instructor of a plumbing course to speak toyour class about training opportunities and job pros-

24

pects in your community. Many school systems havevocational education programs that offer instructionin the building trades. Courses also are given in com-munity colleges, technical institutes, and trade schools.

Join a chapter of VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs ofAmerica), if your school has one. VICA chapters planprojects, take field trips, and hold competitions in suchskill areas as plumbing, carpentry, bricklaying, andthe electrical trades.

Invite a representative of the local plumbers' union tospeak to your class about apprenticeship opportunitiesin your community.

If you are a Girl Scout, see if your troop has the FromDreams to Reality program of career exploration.Troops also offer opportunities to test career intereststhrough proficiency badges in a numbe- of areas in-cluding Handywoman.

If you are a Boy Scout, try for the Plumbing and HomeRepairs merit badges.

Mathematics is an important tool of the trade forplumbers. They must be able to take measurementsand do calculations. See if you can do the problemsbelow. They are typical of some of the problemsplumbers might deal with.The water pressure in a main supplying an irrigationsystem is 68 pounds per square inch. If the pressure atthe nozzles is 3 /8 of the main pressure, what is thepressure at the nozzles?A plumber cuts the following lengths from a 40-footpiece of pipe: 6 3/4 feet, 4 1/6 feet, 7 1/2 feet, 2 % feet, 5 5/12feet. How much pipe is left?The weight of a pipe is directly proportional to itslength. If a pipe 8 feet 4 inches long weighs 75 pounds,how much does a pipe 6 feet 8 inches long weigh?A house drain has a run of 40 feet at a grade of Y8 inchper foot. The low end has an elevation of 96.25 feet.What elevation is the high end?Water weighs nearly 81/2 pounds per gallon. A gallonequals 231 cubic inches. How many gallons of waterare there in a full tank with a volume of 2,079 cubicinches, and how much does this water weigh?


Write for career information to the National Association

t


of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors, 1016 20thStreet, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.

Related Occupations

Plumbers aren't the only skilled workers who dealwith metal piping or duct systems. Which plumbing-related occupations are defined below? Unscramble theletters to find out.

1. RAI NOGITCINODNI, TEGERONARIRIFNDA NTEGIAH HCIEACMN. I install, service, andrepair air-conditioning, heating, and refrigeration andcooling systems.

2. DEWRLE. I join metal parts together using arc orgas welding equipment. I follow layouts, diagrams, workorders, or oral instructions.

3. TEHES TEAML KROEWR. I make, put together,install, and repair sheet-metal products and equipmentsuch as ventilators, control boxes, and furnace casings.I follow work orders or blueprints.

4. RTWAE NTARETMTE LNAPT ARTOEPRO. Icontrol machinery that purifies and clarifies water forhuman consumption and for indastrial use.

5. KRNIPESLR TETIFR. I install, service, and re-pair the piping and fixtures used in fire sprinkler systems,including hydrants, pumps, and sprinkler head connec-tions.


25

Exploring Careers

Job Facts

There isn't room in this book for a story about every construction occupation.However, you'll find some important facts about 19 of these occupations in thefollowing section. If you want additional information about any of them, you mightbegin by consulting the Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook.which should be available in your school or public library.

26


Occupation Nature and Places of Work Training and Qualifications Other Information

Bricklayers,Stonemasc ns, andMarble Setters

Workers in these crafts build andrepair structures such as walls,fireplaces, patios, and walkwaysusing brick, tile, terra cotta, mar-ble, and other materials.

Most work for building contrac-tors. Bricklayers work through-out the country, but most stone-masons and marble setters workin metropolitan areas. In citiesthat are too small to have a de-mand for full-time masons or set-ters, bricklayers may install stoneor marble as a sideline.

Many bricklayers are self-em-ployed and specialize in contract-ing on small jobs such as patiosand fireplaces.

Bricklayers work on all kinds ofbuildings, but because stone andmarble are expensive, stonema-sons and marble setters workmostly on high cost buildingssuch as offices, hotels, andchurches.

Most bricklayers, stonemasons,and marble setters learn theirskills informally by working ashelpers or hod carriers. Theystart with carrying materials,moving scaffolds, and mixingmortar. It takes several monthsto a year before they are taughtto spread mortar and lay brick.

Other workers in these craftslearn their skills through appren-ticeship, which involves 3 yearsof on-the-job training plus class-room instruction in such subjectsas blueprint reading, mathemat-ics, and sketching.

A high school education is im-portant for entry into an appren-ticeship program.

Manual dexterity is important,because these workers use hand-tools such as trowels, brick andstone hammers, wood or rubbermallets, and chisels. For exactingcuts of brick, stone, or marble,they use electric saws with specialcutting blades.

The work can be strenuous be-cause it involves lifting and pro-longed stooping and standing.Most of the work is performedoutdoors.

Many bricklayers, stone masons,and marble setters are unionmembers.

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Exploring Careers


Carpenters Carpenters construct, remodel,and repair wooden structures.They are the most numerous ofall building trades workers, andwork in almost every kind ofconstruction activity.

An apprenticeship program isrecommended as the best way tolearn carpentry. Apprenticeshipusually consists of 4 years of on-the-job training plus classroominstruction in drafting and blue-print reading, mathematics, andthe use of woodworking ma-chines.

The work is commonly dividecr---.,into twc categories: "rough" and"finish" carpentry. Rough car-pentry involves erecting thewooden framework of a building,making forms for concrete, andputting up scaffolds. Finish car-penters install molding, woodpaneling, cabinets, window sash,and so forth. Skilled carpenterscan do both kinds of work.

Most carpenters work for con-tractors, but many are self-em-ployed. Some carpenters alter-nate between working for con-tractors and doing small jobs ontheir own.

Some carpenters do constructionwork in factories, government in-stallations, mines, shipyards, andlarge buildings.

Training may also be acquiredon the job. A high school edu-cation or its equivalent is desira-ble. Some knowledge of the trademay be obtained through voca-tional school courses in carpentryand shop.

Manual dexterity is importantbecause carpenters use handtoolssuch as hammers, saws, chisels,and planes and power tools suchas portable power saws, drills,and rivet guns.

Good physical condition, a goodsense of balance, and a lack offear of working at heights alsoare important attributes for car-penters.

Carpenters have greater oppor-tunities than most other con-struction workers to become su-pervisors since they are involvedin the entire construction proc-ess. Some become contractorsand run their own businesses.

Many carpenters are union mem-bers.

Cement Masons and Cement masons mix, pour, andTerrazzo Workers finish concrete for projects rang-

ing in size from small patios tolarge office buildings to hugedams. Terrazzo workers apply amixture of concrete and marblechips to surfaces to create attrac-tive floors and walkways. Mostmasons specialize in small jobs,such as driveways, sidewalks,and patios; most terrazzo workersspecialize in floors.

Cement masons work for generalcontractors who construct entireprojects, and for contractors whoonly do concrete work.

Most terrazzo workers work forspecial trade contractors who in-stall decorative floors and wallpanels.

28

Cement masons and terrazzoworkers learn their trade eitherthrough on-the-job training ashelpers or through 2- or 3-yearapprenticeships.

On the job, helpers begin withsimple tasks, but usually aredoing finishing work within ayear.

In the apprenticeship program,apprentices learn applied math-ematics, blueprint reading, andsafety. Three-year apprenticesreceive special instruction in lay-out work and estimating.

Masonry or terrazzo work is ac-tive and strenuous, and requiresmuch stooping, bending, andkneeling. Cement masons andterrazzo workers therefore needphysical strength and stamina.

Cement masons often work over-time, because once the concretehas been poured the job must becompleted. They generally re-ceive premium pay for overtimework.

Many cement masons and ter-razzo workers are union mem-bers.



ConstructionLaborers

Laborers under the direction ofother trade workers providemuch of the routine physical la-bor on construction and demoli-tion projects. They erect and dis-mantle scaffolding and clean uprubble and debris. Laborers alsohelp unload and deliver materi-als, machinery, and equipment toother construction workers.

Construction laborers work onall types of construction projects.They work for construction con-tractors, for State and city publicworks and highway departments,and for public utility companies.

Little formal training is requiredfor work as a construction la-borer. Generally, applicantsmust be at least 18 years old andin good physical condition.

Construction laborers are usuallythe first workers to arrive on aconstruction projectassistingin site preparationand the lastto leave.

After several years of experienceand training, many laborers ad-vance to craft jobs, such as car-penter, bricklayer, or cement ma-son.

Some construction laborers areunion members.

Drywall Installersand Finishers

Drywall installers create insidewalls by fastening drywall panelsto the framework inside housesand other buildings. Finishers dotouchup work to get the panelsin shape for painting.

Most drywall installers and fin-ishers work for contractors thatspecialize in drywall construc-tion; others work for contractorsthat do all kinds of construction.In many small towns, carpentersinstall drywall and painters fin-ish it.

Drywall installers and finishersusually start as helpers and learnmost of their skills on the job.Some employers, in cooperationwith unions, offer classroom in-struction to supplement on-the-job training. Apprenticeship pro-grams last about 2 years.

Drywall installers must have thestamina to spend most of the dayon their feet, standing, bending,stooping, or squatting. Theymust be able to lift and maneuverheavy panels.

Some drywall installers and fin-ishers are union members.

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Exploring Careers

Occupation Nature and Places of Work

Electricians Construction electricians installelectrical systems that operateheating, lighting, power, air-con-ditioning, and refrigeration com-ponents. These workers also in-stall electrical machinery, elec-tronic equipment and controls,and signal and communicationssystems.

Most construction electricianswork for electrical contractors.Many others are self-employedcontractors.

Training and Qualifications Other Information

Most training authorities recom-mend the completion of a 4-yearapprenticeship program as thebest way to learn the electricaltrade.

However, some people learn thetrade informally by working formany years as electricians'helpers. Many helpers gain ad-ditional knowledge throughtrade school or correspondencecourses, or through special train-ing in the Armed Forces.

Electricians must be able to workin cramped places and in awk-ward positions, to stand for longperiods of time, and to climb lad-ders and balance themselveswhile working. Finger dexterityis important for working rapidlyand accurately with small hand-tools such as pliers, screwdrivers,and knives. Normal color visionis important because workers fre-quently must identify wires bycolor.

A license is necessary for em-ployment as an electrician insome cities.

The seasonal nature of construc-tion work affects electricians lessthan workers in most buildingtrades, because so much of theirwork is indoors.

Many electricians are unionmembers.

Elevator Constructors Elevator constructors assembleand install elevators, escalators,and similar equipment. After itis in service, they maintain andrepair it.

Most elevator constructors areemployed by elevator manufac-turers. Others are employed bysmall, local contractors who spe-cialize in elevator maintenanceand repair. Still others work forgovernment agencies or businessestablishments that do Cieir ownelevator maintenance and repair.

30

Almost all elevator constructorslearn their job primarily throughon-the-job training supple-mented by classroom instruction.A trainee usually can become afully qualified constructor within4 years. A high school educationis required. Some States andcities require elevator construc-tors to pass a licensing examina-tion.

To install a'nd repair modern el-evators, elevator constructorsmust have a working knowledgeof electricity, electronics, and hy-draulics. They also must be ableto repair electric motors, controlsystems, and signal systems. Be-cause of the variety of their work,they u&e many different hand-tools, power tools, and testingmeters and gauges.

The ability to work at greatheights without fear is important.

Unlike most other constructiontrades people, elevator construc-tors usually work year round.When construction of new build-ings declines, the construction ofnew elevators and escalators doesalso, but the demand for the re-pair and maintenance of olderelevators and escalators remainsconstant.

Most elevator constructors areunion members.



Floor CoveringInstallers

Floor covering installers installand replace carpet or resilientfloor covering materials such astile, linoleum, and vinyl sheets.

Most installers work for flooringcontractors. Many others workfor retailers of floor covering andhome alteration and repair con-tractors. About four-fifths workprimarily with carpet, and theremainder with resilient flooring.About I out of 4 floor coveringinstallers is self-employed, ahigher proportion than the aver-age for all building trades. In-stallers are employed throughoutthe Nation, but most are concen-trated in urban areas that havehigh levels of construction activ-ity.

The vast majority of floor cov-ering installers learn their tradeinformally on the job by workingas helpers to experienced install-ers. Most others learn throughformal apprenticeship programs,which include on-the-job train-ing as well as related classroominstruction. Courses in generalmathematics and shop may pro-vide a helpful background forfloor covering work. High schoolgraduates are preferred.

Floor covering installers must beable to stand, bend, and kneel forlong periods of time, to work inawkward positions, and to workrapidly and accurately with smallhandtools.

Floor covering installers gener-ally specialize in either carpet orresilient floor covering installa-tion, although some do bothtypes.

Many floor covering installersare union members.

Glaziers Construction glaziers cut and in-stall all types of building glass,including windows, glass doors,and mirrors, and also install steelsash.

Most glaziers work for glazingcontractors in new construction,alteration, and repair. Otherswork for government agencies orbusinesses that do their own con-struction work. Glaziers workthroughout the country, but jobsare concentrated in metropolitanareas. Glaziers occasionally maytravel to work for a day or twoin small outlying towns wherefew people, if any, are equippedand qualified to install glass incommercial buildings such asstores.

Most glaziers learn their tradethrough a 4-year apprenticeshipprogram. Others learn the tradeinformally on the job by assistingexperienced workers. Learningthe trade through on-the-job ex-perience can take considerablylonger than through apprentice-ship.

A high school diploma is gener-ally des'red for helpers, and isrequired for apprenticeship ap-plicants. Courses in generalmathematics, blueprint readingor mechanical drawing, generalconstruction, and shop provide ahelpful background.

Glaziers need manual dexterityand the physical ability to carryplates of glass and climb, reach,and stretch while installing theglass.

Manybers.

glaziers are union mem-

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Exploring Careers


Insulation Workers Insulation workers cover surfacessuch as walls, ducts, pipes, andtanks with insulation materialsthat prevent excessive loss of coolor hot air.

Most insulation workers work forinsulation contractors. Others areemployed to alter and maintaininsulated pipework in chemicalfactories, petroleum refineries,power plants, and similar struc-tures which have extensive steaminstallations for power, heating,and cooling. Some large firmswhich have cold-storage facilitiesalso employ these workers formaintenance and repair.

Almost all insulation workerslearn their trade through eitherinformal on-the-job training or aformal 4-year "improvership"program similar to apprentice-ship. A high school diploma ispreferred for entry level jobs, andis required for improvership po-sitions. '

High school courses in blueprintreading, shop math, and generalconstruction provide a helpfulbackground.

Insulation workers must have thephysical stamina to spend mostof the day on their feet, standing,bending, stooping, or squatting.They should not be afraid towork on ladders or in tightspaces.

Many insulation workers are un-ion members.

Ironworkers

.32

Ironworkers put up the steelframework and other metal partsof buildings, bridges, and otherstructures. They also deliverheavy machinery to new sites.

Most ironworkers work for gen-eral contractors, steel erectioncontractors, or ornamental ironcontractors. Many work for largesteel companies or their subsidi-aries engaged in the constructionof bridges, dams, and large build-ings. Some work for governmentagencies, public utilities, or largeindustrial firms that do their ownconstruction work.

Most training authorities recom-mend the completion of an ap-prenticeship as the best way tolearn these trades. Some people,however, learn the trades infor-mally by working as helpers toexperienced ironworkers.

Applicants for the 3-year appren-ticeship program generally musthave a high school education.Courses in general mathematicsand mechanical drawing providea helpful background.

Since materials used in iron-working trades are heavy andbulky, above-average physicalstrength is necessary. Agility anda good sense of balance also arerequired in order to work at greatheights and on narrow footings.

Ironworkers comprise four re-lated tradesstructural iron-workers, riggers and machinemovers, ornamental ironworkers,and reinforcing ironworkers.Many ironworkers are skilled intwo of these trades or more.

Ironwork can involve considera-ble travel because demand in anarea may be insufficient to keeplocal crews continually em-ployed.

Many ironworkers are unionmembers.


Occupation Nature and Places of Work Training and Qualificatips Other Information

Lathers Lathers install laththe base forwet cementplaster, or stuccoon walls and ceilings.

Most lathers work for lathingand plastering contractors onnew residential, commercial, orindustrial construction. Theyalso work on modernization andalteration jobs. A relatively smallnumber of lathers are employedoutside the construction indus-try; for example, some make thelath backing for plaster displaymaterials or scenery.

Although many lathers acquiretheir skills on the job, appren-ticeship is recommended. Ap-prenticeship programs usuallylast a minimum of 2 years, andinclude classroom instruction inapplied mathematics, blueprintreading, sketching, estimating,basic welding, and safety.

Apprenticeship applicants usu-ally are required to have a highschool education or its equiva-lent. Courses in general mathe-matics and mechanical drawingcan provide a helpful back-ground.

Lathers need manual dexterityand mechanical ability. Al-though a lather's work is notstrenuous, it does require stand-ing, squatting, or working over-head for long periods.

Many lathers are union mem-bers.

Operating Engineers Operating engineers run thepower construction equipmentused to excavate and grade earth,erect structural and reinforcingsteel, and pour concrete. Workersare often identified by the typeof machine they operate. For ex-ample, they may be known ascrane operators, bulldozer oper-ators, or derrick operators.

Most operating engineers workfor contractors in highway, dam,airport, and other large-scaleconstruction projects. Otherswork for utility companies, man-ufacturers, and other businessfirms that do their own construc-tion work, as well as State andlocal highway and public worksdepartments. Some work in fac-tories and mines to operatecranes, hoists, and other power-driven machinery.

Most training authorities recom-mend completion of a 3-year ap-prenticeship as the best way tobecome an operating engineer.Apprentices learn to operate avariety of machines, and receiveclassroom instruction in engineoperation and repair, cable splic-ing, hydraulics, welding, andsafety and first aid.

Less extensive training is availa-ble through special heavy-equip-ment training schools.

Courses in driver education andautomobile mechanics provide ahelpful background. Experiencein operating tractors and otherfarm machinery also is helpful.

Operating engineers need stam-ina to withstand high noise levelsand constant shakes and joltsfrom the machines.

The range of skills for operatingengineers may vary widely be-cause they work with many dif-ferent types of machines. Heavymachines (like large cranes) areusually complex and difficult tooperate; medium-sized equip-ment (like bulldozers) generallyrequires less skill, and light-weight equipment (such as aircompre-,ors) is the easiest to op-erate.

Some operating engineers knowhow to operate several kinds ofmachines.

Many operating engineers areunion members.

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Exploring Careers


Painters andPaperhangers

Painters apply coats of paint,varnish, stain, enamel, or lacquerto decorate and protect buildingsurfaces.

Paperhangers cover walls andceilings of rooms with decorativewallpaper, fabrics, vinyl, or sim-ilar materials.

Many painters and paperhangerswork for contractors who do newconstruction, repair, alteration,or modernization work. Manyorganizations that own or man-age extensive property holdingsalso employ maintenancepainters. A high proportion ofworkers in these trades are inbusiness for themselves.

Most training authorities recom-mend the completion of a for- are union members.mal apprenticeship as the bestway to become a painter or pa-perhanger.

Many painters and paperhangers

However, because apprentice-ship programs are limited, manynew workers begin as helpers toexperienced painters. Generally,painters only paint. Paper-hangers, however, both paint andhang wallpaper. As a result, pap-erhangers require more trainingand additional skills, and a largerpercentage of paperhangers thanpainters are trained through ap-prenticeship. A high school edu-cation is preferred for both oc-cupations.

Painters and paperhangers musthave stamina, because their jobsrequire a considerable amount ofclimbing and bending, as well asstanding for long periods.

Painters in particular should notbe afraid of heights. A painteralso must have strong arms, be-cause much of the work is donewith arms raised overhead. Man-ual dexterity and good colorsense are important.

Plasterers

34

Plasterers apply coats of plasterto finish interior walls and ceil-ings. They apply durable cementplaster or stucco to exterior sur-faces.

Plasterers work mostly on newconstruction and alteration work,particularly where special archi-tectural and lighting effects arepart of the job. Some plasterersrepair older buildings.

Most training authorities recom-mend completion of a 3- or 4- bens.year apprenticeship as the bestway to learn plastering. How-ever, many people learn the tradeby working as helpers,abr labor-ers, observing and being taughtby experienced plasterers.

Many plasterers are union mem-

Courses in general mathematics,mechanical drawing, and shopprovide a useful background.

Manual dexterity is important.Strength and stamina are alsonecessary, because plastering re-quires considerable standing,stooping, and lifting.



Plumbers andPipefitters

Plumbers and pipefitters assem-ble, install, and repair pipe sys-tems that carry water, steam, air,or other liquids and gases. Theyalso install plumbing fixtures, ap-pliances, and heating and refrig-eration units.

Most plumbers and pipefitterswork for plumbing and pipefit-ting contractors engaged in newconstruction activity, and workmainly at the construction site.Many plumbers are self-em-ployed or work for plumbingcontractors doing repair, altera-tion, or modernization work.Some plumbers install and main-tain pipe systems for governmentagencies and public utilities, andsome work on the constructionof ships an aircraft. Others domaintenaw.e work in industrialand commercial buildings. Pipe-fitters, in pard,mlar, are em-ployed as maintenance personnelin the petroleum, chemical, andfood-processing industries wheremanufacturing operations in-clude the processing of liquidsand gases through pipes.

A 4-year apprenticeship includ-ing related classroom instructionis recommended as the best wayto learn all aspects of the plumb-ing or pipefitting trade. However,many people learn plumbing orpipefitting by working for severalyears as helpers to experiencedplumbers or pipefitters.

A high school or vocationalschool education is recom-mended. Courses in chemistry,general mathematics, mechanicaldrawing, physics, and shop arehelpful.

Some localities require workersto pass a licensing examination.

Manual dexterity and mechani-cal ability are important.Plumbers must also be able tostand for long periods and occa-sionally must work in crampedor uncomfortable positions.

Many plumbers and pipefittersand union members.

Roofers Roofers install and repair roofingusing such materials as sheetmetal, tile, slate, asphalt shingles,composition, felt, tar, and gravel.They may also waterproof wallsand floors.

Most roofers work for roofingcontractors on construction or re-pair jobs., Some work for busi-nesses and government agenciesthat do their own constructionand repair work. A few roofersare self-employed.

A 3-year apprenticeship includ-ing related classroom instructionis recommended. Most roofers,however, se ;re their skills in-form ,,orking as helpers

ienced roofers.

A high school education is help-ful for people interested in be-coming roofers. Courses in me-chanical drawing and basicmathematics are especially help-ful.

Good physical condition, a goodsense of balance, and an abilityto work at heights without fearare important assets.

Roofers have to be outdoors inall kinds of weather, and thework can be very hot in the sum-mer months.

Many roofers are union mem-bers.

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Exploring Careers


Sheet-Metal Workers Sheet-metal workers make andinstall sheet-metal ducts for air-conditioning, heating, and ven-tilating systems; flat metal forkitchen walls and counters; andstamped metal for roofing andsiding.

Some workers specialize in onsiteinstallation. Some work primar-ily in shops doing fabricating andlayout work. Others do both.

Sheet-nuit workers in the con-struction industry are employedmainly by contractors who spe-cialize in heating, refrigeration,and air-conditioning equipment,and by general contractors en-gaged in residential, industrial,and commercial building. Addi-tional sheet-metal workers areemployed by government agen-cies or businesses that 'do theirown construction and alterationwork. Very few are self-em-ployed.

A 4-year apprenticeship programis recommended, and most sheet-metal workers learn their skillsthis way. Many others, however,have acquired their skills byworking as helpers to experi-enced workers. A high school ed-ucation is required for entry toapprenticeship programs, andcourses in mathematics, mechan-ical drawing, and shop provide ahelpful background.

Sheet-metal workers need to beable to work high above theground at times. At other times,they must be able to work incramped and awkward positions.Good physical condition is im-portant.

Many sheet-metal workers areunion members.

Tilesetters Tilesetters apply tile to floors,walls, and ceilings.

Tilesetters are employed mainlyin nonresidential constructionprojects, such as schools, hospi-tals, and public and commercialbuildings. A significant propor-tion of tilesettersabout I out of5is self-employed.

A 3-year apprenticeship programis recommended as the best wayto learn tilesetting. Many tileset-ters, however, acquire their skillsinformally by working as helpersto experienced workers.

When hiring apprentices orhelpers, employers usually preferhigh school or vocational schoolgraduates who have had coursesin general mathematics, mechan-ical drawing. and shop.

Good physical condition, man-ual dexterity, and a good senseof color harmony are importantassets.

Since tilesetters work mostly in-doors, the annual number ofhours they work generally ishigher than some of the otherconstruction crafts.

Many tilesetters are union mem-bers.

36


Apprenticeship training helped this carpenterdevelop a high standard of workmanship.

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Exploring Careers

Answers to Related Occupations

BRICKLAYER

1. Cement mason, 2. Tilesetter, 3. Terrazzo worker, 4. Stonemason, 5. Hod carrier ormason tender, 6. Marble setter.

CARPENTER

1. d, 2. e, 3. g, 4. f, 5. a, 6. c, 7. b.

PLUMBER

1. Air-conditioning, refrigeration, and heating mechanic, 2. Welder, 3. Sheet-metalworker, 4. Water treatment plant operator, 5. Sprinkler fitter.

Answers to math problems

BRICKLAYER

212 inches or 17% feet, 12 hours or 1' /2 days, 3,080 bricks, 8.75 cubic yards.

CARPENTER

10 turns, 48 boards, 6% inches, 35 hours = 4% 8-hour days.

PLUMBER

25.5 pounds per square inch, 13.5 feet, 60 pounds, 963 feet, 9 gallons weighing 75pounds.

38

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