Entry level construction jobs no experience near me

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If you’re looking for a stable career that pays well and are generally good with your hands, the construction industry could be the right choice for you. In fact, there’s currently a construction labor shortage in the United States. Based on the current needs in our country, developers and builders need to hire around 650,000 additional construction workers to keep up with demand.

Even if you don’t have any professional construction experience, don’t worry; there are plenty of full-time and part-time construction jobs that don’t require prior experience. Many skilled trades also offer apprenticeship programs designed to cultivate and encourage workers who are new to the field.

Whether you’re just entering the workforce for the first time or you’re looking to change fields, here are 11 construction job types that you can get today without any experience.

11 Entry-Level Construction Jobs

Traffic Controller or Construction Flagger

If you’re looking to snag your first job in the construction field, consider starting in traffic control. While there are some certification programs, experience is generally unnecessary for entry-level construction jobs like controllers and flaggers. New workers will typically learn on the job and the employer will line up specific training if needed.

If you’re worried that you won’t be respected in this job title, remember that it’s an essential job at any construction site. In this role, your job description might include monitoring traffic and other potentially dangerous activity around the site. Essentially, you’ll be on the front line helping to keep your co-workers safe.

As a flagger, you need to be observant as you stand watch over the construction site, and you should physically be able to stand for long periods. You also need the ability to learn traffic flagging signals and procedures to guide motorists around your work site safely. The average salary for this position is over $30,000 per year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), with hourly wages anywhere from $9 to $23.

Cleaning Crew

Another way to get your foot in the door is to start on a construction site’s cleaning crew. Whether it’s a new build or renovation project, construction sites are messy. Safe and efficient cleanup is essential to any construction job.

Construction companies might hire their own cleanup crew or contract the job out. Either way, the work goes beyond a typical house cleaning. In addition to removing debris from the site, you’ll also be responsible for removing scuffs or smudges from all surfaces, washing windows, scrubbing or waxing floors, and vacuuming carpets.

General Laborer

As a general laborer, your responsibilities will span the gamut, from operating hand and power tools to a variety of other equipment and instruments. This is a great place to start in the construction industry, be it for a large company or as a general contractor. In this role, you’ll learn a lot of different skills and work in various areas of the field. The average salary is $44,130 per year according to the BLS, with wages anywhere from $13 to $33 an hour.

You might be put to work doing just about anything as a general construction laborer — prepping for construction, basic carpentry work, putting up drywall, installing fixtures and appliances, or mixing concrete. The site’s foreman will place you wherever general labor is needed the most on any given workday, which guarantees you’ll pick up new skills.

Sheet Metal Worker

A sheet metal worker is another way to launch your construction career. Often, employers don’t require any previous experience, only a high school diploma or GED. The average salary is over $58,000 per year according to the BLS, with wages anywhere from $16 to $45 an hour.

In this role, you’ll fabricate, install, and occasionally repair thin metal sheets using power tools and other equipment. These sheets are typically found in heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, but also found in roofing. Though you’ll learn a skilled trade over time, employers will likely have you start by performing more menial tasks. You’ll learn the tools of the trade — using saws, cutters, drills, and calipers — as well as how to read plans and install metal sheets.

Flooring and Tile Installer

Entry-level flooring and tile installation is another opportunity that doesn’t require any formal training or construction experience. You’ll likely start in an assistant position that will allow you to help with these installations.

In this role, you’ll learn to lay and finish various types of flooring — including carpet, wood, vinyl, and tile — in homes and commercial buildings. There are many steps to finishing flooring, from removing existing materials and preparing it for new flooring, to measuring and cutting the flooring. You’ll also learn the different tools of the trade, including saws, cutters, adhesives, nails, staples, sealants, and stains. By learning while on the job, you’ll also pick up firsthand knowledge of how to read design plans.

The mean annual salary for this position is $53,330 per year according to the BLS, with hourly wages from $14 to $37.

Painter

An entry-level painter will assist the more senior members of the team when painting interior and exterior walls, as well as furniture, decorative elements, and other items — on both commercial and residential construction projects. When you’re just starting, you’ll likely help with lower-level manual labor, such as mixing paint, setting and cleaning up the worksite, or applying a primer. From there, you’ll move on to applying coats of paint or stain.

Generally, there are no major job requirements other than a steady hand and the ability to crouch and stand. It also helps if you don’t mind heights, since you’ll spend a good deal of time on ladders. The average salary for this position is $47,140 per year, with wages anywhere from $14 to $33 per hour, according to the BLS.

Insulation Installer

Another construction role that requires no experience is insulation installer. It’s another hands-on position where you’ll learn the HVAC trade while on the job.

Insulation workers install and replace insulation in walls, floors, and ceilings. You also might be sent to residential or commercial construction sites. Insulation is important because it helps maintain building temperature. In fact, buildings that are properly insulated might even save energy and, ultimately, money.

You’ll learn the different types of insulation and how to work with them, as well as how to remove and dispose of these materials properly. While there are no formal requirements for the job, there’s a lot of physicality to it. You’ll need to be able to stand, kneel, or crouch for lengthy periods, often in tight spaces. The average salary for this position is around $56,260 per year, with hourly wages anywhere from $17 to $44, according to the BLS.

Asphalt Laborer

You may also want to consider getting your start in construction with an asphalt paving company. While most asphalt pavers will operate equipment to tamp gravel, dirt, or other materials, you'll likely start as an asphalt laborer assisting the ones operating those machines.

As an asphalt laborer, you’ll prepare surfaces, whether they’re roads, driveways, or parking lots, for grading and paving. It’s a physically demanding job that requires you to work with hand tools, such as shovels. You’ll also learn how to operate an asphalt roller and paver. Many companies will help you obtain the licensing you need to operate this construction equipment. The mean annual salary for this position is $50,590 per year, according to the BLS, with wages anywhere from $14 to $37 an hour.

Landscape Laborer

Landscaping, like construction, involves working with your hands to modify the aesthetic appeal of a property, be it private or commercial. However, while construction relates to renovating or building, landscapers concern themselves with any activity that modifies the visible features of a piece of land. These may include the living elements, such as flora or fauna, or gardening, which relates to the art and craft of growing plants.

As a landscape laborer, you’ll be doing a lot of physical labor as you get your foot in the door. You’ll likely be planting trees, bushes, and other greenery to support landscape designers and other senior members of the team.

It’s also easy to find an entry-level position that requires no experience. According to the BLS, the average salary you can expect is around $35,240 per year, with wages anywhere from $11 to $22 an hour.

Roofer

Roofing is another area of construction that often has a demand for entry-level workers. Not only do roofers build roofs for new construction, but they also repair and replace old, leaking, and deteriorating roofs. Many employers will hire newbies to learn on the job.

As a roofer, you’ll learn to work with various materials, including shingles, tiles, slate, and metal — plus how they’re used for different types of roofs. You’ll also be taught to inspect roofs, calculate measurements for materials, install these materials, and weatherproof roofs.

According to the BLS, the average salary per year is close to $49,000 per year, with wages anywhere from $14 to $35 an hour. It’s a physically demanding job that often requires you to be exposed to the sun, but there are few requirements for these entry-level positions. Since you’ll be working at great heights, though, you must be comfortable moving around freely on roofs.

Solar Panel Installer

You might think you need to have more knowledge or skills to become a solar photovoltaic (PV) installer, but it’s a rising field with many opportunities for entry-level workers. In fact, it’s one of the fastest-growing career paths in the United States, and the demand to fill these positions is expected to rise by 52% over the next decade. According to the BLS, the average median salary for this position is over $50,000, with hourly wages anywhere from $17 to $34.

PV installers work as part of a team installing and assembling solar panel systems on roofs of residential and commercial buildings. These panels then convert sunlight to energy. Installers also maintain these systems for customers.

Initially, you might do more assisting work as an entry-level installer, but you’ll learn numerous technical skills as the position progresses. Through on-the-job training, you’ll be taught how these solar panel systems are configured, the tools of the trade, and how they’re installed and connected to the power grid. It’s a physical position that requires you to work high up on roofs. Employers might also want to see that you have a more technical aptitude. However, there are no formal education requirements other than a high school diploma for many entry-level positions.

Let Joblist Help You Find the Right Construction Job

Maybe you’ve recently graduated from high school and are looking for a career opportunity that doesn’t require a college degree, or maybe you’re looking for a change and are seeking opportunities in a new field. Either way, let Joblist help you with your search for a new job.

We know how difficult it can be to look for full-time and part-time work, so we’re here to offer useful tools and tips along the way. Joblist scours job sites to compile personalized job alerts that match your unique set of preferences, skills, and experiences. Start browsing job postings and get started in your new career today.

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