If you are interested in a career in construction but have not yet considered the asphalt industry, you should give it some serious thought. Asphalt isn’t just a job but a career, and it offers benefits that you may never have dreamed of before. Here are just a few reasons to consider asphalt for your new career.
1. Local Work
Asphalt pavement workers live and work in the communities they serve, so if you are interested in a construction job that doesn’t require relocation or much travel, this could be the position for you. There is no way to outsource pavement jobs since all the work has to be done on-site.
2. Variety of Positions
There are literally thousands of different types of positions in the asphalt industry. In addition to the crews who lay and compact the asphalt, there are producers who combine the liquid and aggregates that form the asphalt mix and truck drivers who transport raw materials and pavement mix. There are also those who maintain and repair the construction equipment. Even if you aren’t interested in working directly with construction, there are other adjunct positions such as laboratory personnel and quality control engineers, as well as support positions in administration and management.
3. Career Advancement
Many jobs in the industry are entry-level positions that require no prior experience. The skills you learn can apply to higher-level jobs, so there are many opportunities to better your position. Many asphalt companies have made a commitment to reward loyal employees with internal promotions.
4. Job Security
Asphalt is not just a passing fad. If anything, communities rely on it even more today than they did when it was first introduced approximately 150 years ago. There will always be a need for new asphalt, and existing pavement structures will always need maintenance and repair. When you work in the industry, you can count on your job being there for decades to come.
5. Community Support
Millions of people depend on the infrastructural groundwork provided by pavement on a daily basis. By working in asphalt, you are helping the local economy to thrive. Without roads and highways, over 100 million commuters in the United States would be unable to go to work on a daily basis. Over three million truckers would be out of work, and the supply chain would break down completely due to a lack of ways to transport goods across the country. By doing asphalt work in the construction industry, you are providing a vital service not only to your community but to the country as a whole.
6. Visible Progress
In some jobs, the work you do every day is highly theoretical. Progress, if it is visible at all, may be so gradual as to escape notice. This can sometimes make it harder to find job satisfaction because it can be hard to perceive the impact you are making. When you work in asphalt, your progress on a day-to-day basis is clearly visible when you leave the job site every day.
The Pavement Network can help you find a local asphalt company from our list of valued members among our members nationwide. Many of our members are in need of employees, so once you find a local company, you can inquire about opportunities.