Career Change to Construction Industry. What field would you pick today?

I'm looking to start a new career within the construction industry. With limited knowledge of the industry, I am seeking the advise from professionals like you. The question to the forum is, if you were to start a new career/business today, what field would you enter and why?

A little background about myself. I am in my late thirties and I owned and operated an import/e-commerce business for over a decade. I want to do something more tangible in my next career, not just stare at a computer screen. Geographically, I am located in Eastern Massachusetts and plan to stay in the area. In the short term, my goal is to speak with industry professionals/business owners about their experiences (good and bad). Ideally it be great to then find a mentor to take me under their wings and help guide me in the right direction as I start my new career.

I would like to say that I have a ton of respect for everyone in the construction industry and what gets accomplished on a daily basis. Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this thread and post to it.

Welcome Britt. I'm, by no means, a pro, or even in the industry, but I've read a lot here. I'll suggest flipping through several pages of this section of the forum to find many others who are asking similar questions. The suggestions I've seen from most people who do run companies of their own is to be ready and willing to get in on the ground floor, pushing shovels and brooms, gaining respect from the bosses for working hard and being willing to do whatever needed done. It sounds like most people do not start in a machine, right off the bat, so be ready for that too. Typically, it sounds like you go to a site and you are willing to do whatever until the guy that runs the dump truck or loader doesn't show up, and since you've been reliable, a hard working, and capable, they may toss you in there. Then you prove yourself again.

Good luck to you! Read a lot on these forums and ask lots of questions, the people here are great and very knowledgeable.

Not sure what it's like in your area, but around here nearly every trade is desperate for staff. Excavation is no different. If you can show up, are motivated, and constantly looking to perfect or better your skills, you'd have a job in a heart beat.

For some perspective, I own/operate a small excavation company. We've got a couple of dump trucks on the road, and a total of 5 machines. We have a civil engineer on staff who does our estimating and handles the co-ordination/project management. We also have a biologist on staff. Our staff range in age from 19 to 72. I personally don't care how old or young anyone is. Attitude is what makes or breaks it for me. I'm sure in the right business, you can leverage your existing skills, and learn new ones.

The newest hire is 19, and had no experience with excavation or construction. In his second week I had him in a skidsteer moving material. Within his first month, we put him in a loader and made him responsible for keeping our dump trucks moving. I personally do not believe that everyone should have to spend 5 years grinding it out in the trenches before getting a shot in a machine. We all rotate positions, and none of us are afraid to do a bit of labour. It reminds us why we have machines, and that we need to take care of them!

Changing careers is daunting - I haven't personally done it, but my wife made a pretty abrupt career change after 15 years in private sector consulting. That was 3 years ago. She couldn't be happier.

Just like in a big shop, nobody should be exempt from having to clean up or even sweep the floor. I think if you have good hand/eye coordination and the eye to see what you want the finished project to look like then you would be good in the excavation field. Not everyone has this ability. I used to do landscaping with a skid steer and could see undulations and high/low spots when doing final grading spreading topsoil. I've seen some jobs where I just shake my head because the grade is so uneven. You could look into the operating engineers union and see what they suggest for getting into excavation or possibly operating cranes, etc.

What exactly do you want to do? Run equipment? Start a contracting business?

Welcome to HEF, Britt !
The construction industry has many, many different types of jobs.
Do you have a particular trade that you are interested in ?
Examples are, running equipment, electrician, plumber, carpenter, pipefitter, ironworker and many more.

John Canfield said:

What exactly do you want to do? Run equipment? Start a contracting business?

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My question as well. Depending on which there are many different answers.

crane operator. Don't tell the crane operators I told you.

If I was going to do it again, first might drive a race car, after that if I was going to do trade work would likely be a sign installer, a pipe welder or a fireman.
Having said that these are things I am good at not that I have a real passion or love of it. Its all work. I can be a fair operator but been driving equipment since I was 5 and my attn span with it is too short and some of it too tedious.
Some guys like the process, can work on equipment and go home and work on a car but its all work to me and only thing I care much about is the finished product, its gonna do something I want etc.

cuttin edge said:

crane operator. Don't tell the crane operators I told you.

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I want to be a blade man when I grow up....

I wanna command a big ol track loader when i grow up.
Hogging out big holes and loading trucks. One man show.

I'm probably the youngest regular on this forum at at 24 I've worked in mining a little then was a line mechanic at a Pepsi plant (hated that job). Then wrenched for a deere ag dealer then at a caterpillar dealer. Got invited to the job I have not wrenching working on conveyors trucking fab work really about anything under the sun. Grew up excavating and wrenching. Someday I'd like to head west and work in the big strip mines. The point is if you can with in reason try it all you'll atleast find out what you don't like.

I want to wear a white suit & Panama hat & a cane. Pointing my finger and saying "Hey you, do blah blah blah"
That's it.
No dirt on my white suit, just point my finger and it's done.
Where that job is IDK, haven't got there yet.
Joe H

Key point is to find those people that KNOW what they need to, to get a job done right, operators, drivers, yard and field men or women and pay them the respect as well finance to keep them. Is an easy line of work to become too repetitive leading to desire to expand horizons and change task performed or area performed in.

if you want to do this work have to first become the lackey learner, find those companies sponsoring newbies and hire on as not gonna be top dog if cannot walk the walk and talk the talk, cannot step in and show the person working for you the task needing done they will run you in tight circles until beaten into submission.