Construction Laborers

Employers

Approximately 1.6 million construction laborers are employed throughout the United States. Most work in heavily populated industrial areas and are employed mainly by contractors who complete large projects. Some rare projects may require travel to foreign countries, though contractors with these jobs often use local workers instead. Increasingly, the industry is making use of temporary workers hired on a project basis to move materials or to clean up a site. Many construction laborers contract their services through temporary help agencies, which hire them out for short-term jobs.

Starting Out

The usual first step in getting a job in this field is to apply directly to a construction contractor or to the local office of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA). Workers who have completed a construction craft worker apprenticeship program usually are considered first for job openings above those applicants who have no prior experience.