How to become a first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction worker

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.

Steps to get there

Most employers expect most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree..Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

What first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers do

• 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.
• Estimate material or worker requirements to complete jobs.

Skills that matter most

• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Monitoring
• Learning Strategies
• Writing
• Active Learning

Is first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction worker a good career?

On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 57% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• Washington $109,570
• Illinois $105,750
• New Jersey $105,510
• Oregon $103,070
• Hawaii $102,630

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.