Construction is an umbrella term referring to the scientific and artistic craftsmanship to build things, systems, or inanimate objects, and is from Old French construction and Latin praesidium. To build is also the verb: to build, the object of which is to be made, and the adjective: constructed. There are numerous theories on how to best explain construction, such as economique, rationale, functionalism, structuralism, cultural theory, and others. In educational practice, construction is often used to refer to a generic concept of learners taking responsibility for their own learning; it can also be used to describe the process by which people learn in a classroom or workshop.
There are many types of construction, although most of them deal with structures. The most common types of construction are: residential building construction, such as home construction, school construction, building construction, infrastructure development, bridges, buildings intended for business, major public construction projects, national park construction, major industrial construction, historic preservation, and historic re-development. The process of construction varies significantly, with some processes taking longer than others, depending on the complexity of the project, local conditions, or the interest of the individual or organization undertaking the project. Professional standards in construction vary widely, with some countries banning some forms of child labor, for example. The construction industry, however, continues to work around these standards, as most people are aware that construction work cannot only be dangerous but also time consuming.
Residential building construction involves constructing homes, apartments, condos, townhouses, and mobile homes (also called mobile homes). Non-residential building construction includes everything from sky scrapers to high-rise office towers, from parking structures to retaining walls, bridges, highways, train stations, pipelines, etc. There are two types of residential construction, residential building with more living space (often referred to as dwelling dwellings) and multi-unit dwellings. Non-residential construction typically encompasses smaller projects, including schools, restaurants, shopping centers, warehouses, hospitals, residential homes, condominiums, hotels, motels, shops, etc. Non-residential construction is usually associated with projects that require much lower budgets and, therefore, attract smaller crews. In the U.S., non-residential construction comprises about 50 percent of the total number of construction projects.
The U.S. construction industry employs thousands upon thousands of workers. In fact, there are far more construction jobs in the United States than there are people in the labor force. The top five construction industries employing the largest number of workers are: concrete contractors, sheet metal fabricators, drywall installers, electrical panel manufacturers, stone masonry contractors, and concrete finishers/builders. Given these facts, it is easy to see how important construction is to the economy of the nation. The main article below deals in more detail about how this industry is faring in this economic climate.
While there are many highly educated professionals within the construction industry, it also has a large amount of unskilled labor. The main article below details several occupations within the construction industry that unskilled laborers often work. It lists occupations such as painters, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, roofers, and window washers among other common names for unskilled labor. Many people may think that being a member of a construction team would automatically entitle one to a high paying salary, but this is usually not the case. Below is the main article:
So what is the take-away? The construction industry is definitely an integral part of our economy and its crucial to our way of life. The main article below details many highly paid careers that fall into the realm of construction projects. Some of these careers include: architectural engineering specialists, structural engineers, mechanical contractors, quality inspectors, project managers, petroleum engineers, civil engineers, petroleum technologists, environmental scientists, environmental consultants, railroad engineers, railroad contractors, petroleum geologists, petroleum technologists, chemical engineers, petroleum technologists, environmental scientists, and a number of others. The bottom line is that when building construction projects are complete, many individuals find themselves with highly satisfying careers and financial security. Take the time to read the article and learn more about the construction industry!
