How to Become A Road Construction Worker in Any Country

If you dream of ever working with the road construction industry, then this article would guide you on what it takes to become a road construction worker.

But what exactly do road construction workers do? In simple language, road construction workers are persons or individuals who work on the road. Their major role is to prepare a road site for construction.

Road construction workers have more than one speciality, you can have decided to specialize in lay asphalt, bitumen or site preparation.

3 Pathway towards becoming a road construction worker

1). A College Course

The most common way to become a road construction worker is by enrolling on college and having a civil engineering degree.  

At college, you will Earn a degree in Civil Engineering III in road construction and maintenance. Upon course completion program, you will have good knowledge of digging, levelling, repairing potholes, handling bituminous materials, and spreading asphalt, and also be able to be directing traffic.

2). An Apprenticeship

If you have a college degree in civil engineering and still got no job due to lack of experience. Then the ultimate move to take is to apply to any road construction company around you and do volunteering services or become an apprentice. 

Being an apprentice would help you gain more knowledge on how the company works, how to work with others, and how to use all the necessary tools and equipment.  

3). Applying Directly

The easiest way to join the road construction train is to simply apply directly to any road construction company around you. You will be employed to perform basic skills or tasks at the beginning.

If you are a fast learner, you will quickly learn the other complex task that is performed. As time goes by you will gain great experiences that you can proudly add to your resume and use to find better construction jobs in the future.

Major qualification of a road construction worker

• You must be at least 18 years of age
• Have a full driving license
• Have good ICT skills
• Have good communication skills
• Basic customer service know-how
• Have good knowledge of public safety and security
• Ability to work as a team with others
• Have good knowledge of Equipment Handling
• Have a good attention span to details
• Be physically fit for the job

Duties of road construction workers

• They build, widen and resurface roads
• They also repair cracks, potholes and other damage
• They maintain roadside verges and central reservations
• Construction workers are also responsible for installing crash barriers, road signs, traffic lights and street lamps along the road where they work
• They operate power tools and equipment on the daily basis
• They regularly dig trenches for cables and pipes
• They are in charge of road painting and markings
• During winter, they are in charge of clearing snow off the road.
• They are in charge of directing traffic and workers during the construction process. 

Ultimate Guide on How to Become a Road Construction Worker in Any Country?

Step 1: Learn about the career

The first step towards becoming a road construction worker is to learn about the career. Enrol on college or trade school (technical school program) and gain knowledge on fundamentals of construction.

Have at least a high school diploma in construction or engineering. This is the minimum education required to become a full-time construction worker.

Step 2: Gain great experiences

No employer will hire you without experience. Thus, it is recommended that, after having the college degree, you should apply either as a volunteer or through an apprentice program.

Gaining skills as an apprentice will give you an upper hand in the job market. Have a great experience of 3-5 years.

During apprentice or volunteering programs, you will learn lots of skills such as working as a team with others, material handling and material management, equipment handling, good communication etc.

Step 3: Become a licensed worker

Every qualified road contractor must have a license provided by the state to show that they are competent and knowledgeable in their job. If, you ever dream of having your construction firm or company, then consider having a certified license for your business.

The license helps increase your credibility and trust in the general public.

     Read: 6 Best Road Construction Companies in Cameroon

Step 4: Regularly update your resume

The final step you must take before going to the job market for high-paying income jobs is road construction. You must regularly update your CV (Resume). Make sure your CV stay up to date. Write down all the major education and experiences you have had in life.

Try to update your CV with new experiences you had. Always keep a copy of your CV on your computer, or phone at all times so that you can always send or provide it to an employer when needed. 

Check Out:  How to Start a Career in Civil Engineering in any Country

Step 5: Apply Apply Apply For jobs

With your resume updated, you are good to go to the job market. Apply for as many jobs as you can.

Search online for any latest job vacancies. Join social media platforms such as Facebook groups and pages that provide content on construction.

Network with friends and others that are already working in the field

Doing all of these will help improve your chances of getting a high-paying job within the road construction industry.

Final Remarks

Road construction workers are often required to be in the field or work site at all times. It’s one of the major careers that demands physical presence. As, a road construction worker, be prepared to work in all sorts of weather conditions, dusty and noisy environments etc.

There are many career opportunities in road construction as well and this industry has proven to be in high demand in the next 2 decades to come.