Career Explorer Construction and trades
Human edge, growing
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 64% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +5.0% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on ethical judgement and physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $79,920
- Job growth to 2035
- +5.0%
- Openings a year
- 67,000
- People doing it (2025)
- 913,000
- Usual route in
- High school diploma
Where people already use AI for this work
- Determine resource needs of projects or operations
- Communicate with others about operational plans or activities
- Purchase goods or services
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Direct construction or extraction activities
- Evaluate green technologies or processes
- Assess characteristics of land or property
What the work looks like
- Inspect work progress, equipment, or construction sites to verify safety or to ensure that specifications are met.
- Read specifications, such as blueprints, to determine construction requirements or to plan procedures.
- Supervise, coordinate, or schedule the activities of construction or extractive workers.
- Assign work to employees, based on material or worker requirements of specific jobs.
- Coordinate work activities with other construction project activities.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisorsHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +9.2%
- Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialistsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +13.1%
- First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workersGrows with AI, Index 66, +4.0%
- Animal control workersHuman edge, growing, Index 75, +4.0%
Also known as: Construction Foreman, Construction Supervisor, Electrical Supervisor, Roustabout Field Supervisor, Installation Manager, Solar Energy Installation Manager, Solar Installation Crew Foreman, Solar Installation Manager.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.