A common thought that crosses the mind of both students who are starting out in their education in construction and students who are finishing it is, “what kind of job opportunities will I have?”. It is a completely fair question, especially given the current global pandemic situation. What we have seen in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis is that unemployment in the industry spiked but later through the years it steadily rose and even surpassed the levels it once was. Society will keep growing and advancing and construction will always be around. If anything, it will just evolve and reinvent itself. Therefore, it is a very safe bet that job opportunities in the construction industry will be back to normal in the post-coronavirus world.

So, what you need to be aware of now are what kind of opportunities are going to be available to you. The aim of this articles is to discuss some of the highest paying ones and give you an idea about what you should be aiming for.

1. Foreman – There are students interested in being involved in the day to day of a construction site and the $84,000 median salary is also very attractive. This occupation comes with a lot of responsibility and as the foreman, you will be on the hook if things in the project are not going according to plan. You can be ready for it however by following great Civil construction courses.
   
   
2. Civil engineer – This occupation is the dream that most students in the construction industry aspire to. Being a civil engineer is a stressful but also rewarding job. They are often responsible for overseeing large scale engineering projects like the construction of highways and airports. It is the sheer challenge that civil engineers face that earn them a median salary of around $78,000. The future for students who choose the civil engineer path is great too as the expected growth is almost 18%.
   
   
3. Architect – Unsurprisingly, architect is one the highest paying construction jobs out there. It requires more mental effort than physical and the courses that need to be completed successfully in order to be a qualified architect is pretty intense. You can expect a median salary around $73,000 with this occupation.
   
   
4. Bricklayer – A brick mason or bricklayer is required to help in civil engineering by laying building materials and maintenance of various parts of buildings. The median salary for a bricklayer is somewhere around $47,000.
   
   
5. Construction machinery operators – It is job that has a lot of constant demand because there is significant training that goes into being an operator. They specialize in the proper usage of industrial equipment and earn a median salary of $42,000 which is not too bad at all. The biggest perk however is the constant work that is available for you to take advantage of.
   
   
6. Carpenter – Carpenters are essential in home improvement and building. They cater to several requirements in a construction project like installing drywall and furnishing kitchens. This job has an expected growth of 7% and a yearly salary of $40,000 median.

There are much more opportunities out there and you should not be discouraged by the doom and gloom on TV. Godspeed and good luck in your career!