The industry needs 349,000 new people this year. Start here.
Five pathways into construction, the organizations that run them, and what each trade pays. Tell us where you are and we point you to the right program.
Find my pathway See what trades payFive ways in
Pick the one that matches your situation. Each links to the organizations that actually run the programs.
Registered Apprenticeship
Anyone 18+ who wants to earn while learning. Paid on-the-job training plus classroom hours, ending in a journey-level credential. The most direct route into electrical, plumbing, ironwork, sheet metal and carpentry.
Pre-Apprenticeship & Boot Camps
Career changers and recent grads with no trade experience. Short programs that teach safety, tools, math and jobsite readiness, and feed graduates directly into apprenticeships or laborer roles.
Certifications (OSHA 10/30, NCCER, EPA 608)
Workers who need credentials to get on site or move up. Stackable credentials that most GCs and owners now require. OSHA 10 is the baseline; NCCER craft credentials and EPA 608 open specialty work.
Construction Management Degrees
Future PMs, estimators and superintendents. Associate and bachelor programs in construction management, with median pay for construction managers well above the trades median.
Veteran Transition Programs
Transitioning service members. Programs that map military skills to trade careers and connect veterans with union and open-shop apprenticeships.
Where to apply
Real programs, linked directly. We are the map, not the school.
Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
Search every registered apprenticeship program in the U.S. by trade and ZIP.
NCCER
Industry-standard craft training and credential registry used across open-shop construction.
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Chapter-based apprenticeship and craft training programs nationwide.
Home Builders Institute (HBI)
Pre-apprenticeship and certification programs for residential construction trades.
AGC Education
Project management, safety and supervisory training from the Associated General Contractors.
North America's Building Trades Unions
Multi-craft core curriculum programs that feed union apprenticeships.
Helmets to Hardhats
Connects transitioning military members to building-trades apprenticeships.
SkillsUSA
Career and technical education competitions and pathways for high school and college students.
OSHA Outreach Training (10/30-hour)
The baseline safety card most jobsites require.
What the trades pay
Median annual wages, BLS May 2025. Full table at ConstructionWage.com.
| Occupation | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|
| Elevator & Escalator Installers and Repairers | $109,910 | High school diploma + apprenticeship |
| Boilermakers | $76,410 | High school diploma + apprenticeship |
| Construction & Building Inspectors | $74,690 | High school diploma + experience |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters | $63,800 | High school diploma + apprenticeship |
| Electricians | $63,190 | High school diploma + apprenticeship |
| Ironworkers | $61,910 | High school diploma + apprenticeship |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $61,800 | High school diploma + apprenticeship |
| Carpenters | $60,580 | High school diploma + apprenticeship |
Tell us where you are
We will point you to the pathway and programs that fit — by trade and ZIP. Programs that want to be listed can use the same form.