2 Lessons I Learned From Construction Work

I won’t lie and say that I loved my time doing construction work. I dreaded the feeling of going to do that kind of work not because of the people but due to the fact of how tough it was.

It was all manual labour and according to The Free Dictionary, manual labour is labour done with the hands. It is productive work especially physical work done for wages.

The construction industry was a different field for me but my motivation for taking up such work was because I considered it an art, you’re building something from the ground up and making it into a masterpiece.

But also the pay was so good that I was surprised people didn’t come running to apply to this job. I never considered the time, blood and sweat that such work required but it was totally worth it.

According to CareerTrend, the expected national job growth rate of construction workers is 21 percent between 2010 and 2020, 40 percent of that workforce demand is for construction helpers, not experts in the field, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2012.

I did the job for 30 days straight and considered quitting many times but I needed the money and the experiences together with the lessons were just extra points. So let’s check out these lessons, one by one

1. 1. Construction work is one of the most bad-ass back breaking jobs.

You will need a backbone to do this kind of work. You are never meant to believe that it easy but that there will be blood sweat and tears. If you are not used to this kind of job you will be praying that time moves faster so that you can take a break or rest.

It is like being in the gym and lifting weights for the first time in your life or doing any other kind of tough exercise. It will of course take quite a toll on your body and your energy will be depleted.

What you will experience are body aches all over you if you are new to this or newbie. You can take a break but you will always see that the break was too short for you; you didn’t have enough of a rest.

You will either love it or hate it but what you will be quick to admit is the fact that it’s a job like no other. It is the true reflection of hard work at its best.

You will know fast enough that you need to be tough for this job to be done, both mentally and physically tough. This work will test you on how tough are you, will you start complaining and winning or just soldier on.

The tougher you are the better you will be able to finish the job and realise that you can survive.

The work will test your limits and willpower and also reveal to yourself how tough you can be.

1. 2. You’ll respect those who’re devoted to do this work everyday

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, respect is admiration felt or shown for someone that you believe has good ideas or qualities. It also can be politeness, honour, and care shown towards someone or something that is considered important.

You will encounter some of the toughest people doing this kind of work. They are hard workers and are pretty strong, what seems difficult for you is quite easy for them. What you will learn most from them is that there isn’t constant complaining about how this work or job is bad.

They value their work and will do it diligently and proudly. By experiencing what they do and have to go everyday makes you appreciate them like no other profession. Construction is like any other job out there where skill is needed to perform the job or work effectively.

Probably the biggest myth about this kind of work or job is that you are a loser, dumb or unskilled if you are involved in construction work. This is a big lie because anyone who works in the construction industry needs some kind of skill to get the job so not everyone can get the job.

You need to know how to operate machines and tools; carpentry is the most sought out skill in any construction project. So thinking that constructions workers are unskilled people is a bad assessment and judgement of this kind of work.

You do not wake up one day being a good carpenter; it takes more than putting two pieces of timber together with a nail and hammer. You need a plan or blueprint, measurements, the right size nails and the right type of wood or timber.

According to Labor Finders, working on a construction project is much more than just working with hammers and shovels.

Day labourers work with all sorts of tools and machines in which they’ve learned to operate in a technical school or on-the-job. Master plumbers and electricians need to know how to read blueprints and be familiar with building codes.

Construction workers also need certain soft skills like communicating with co-workers and problem solving skills.

Conclusion

Manual labour makes you into a survivor, by doing it you will come out stronger and tougher. Your hands are your tools and these tools will make all the difference because you can build and destroy things.

This work and job is different from any other profession you know of. You will be a different person after such work mentally but your body will be too tired. You will sleep or rest like forever as your body aches. But the amazing thing is that you’ll survive.

Have you ever done any kind of manual labour work? Do you know of any other lessons from doing construction work that deserve a mention I haven’t included?

If so then do share and tell in the comments section below. I would love to hear from you. Also share this with your friends and family, sharing is caring.

Talk soon.

-Michael Kamenya