Construction workers—especially skilled trades—have a tough job. Polling 2,000 Americans, including 1,000 in the trades, 72% admit that the job of trade workers is, on average, tougher than non-trade workers, and 81% of all surveyed say trade workers don’t get enough credit for the work they do.
According to a new survey from Bosch Power Tools and Talker Research, 40% of employed Americans believe their job is hard, but trade workers were more than twice as likely to grade their job as difficult. For respondents both within and outside the trades, one in five emphasized the grit it takes for construction workers’ daily responsibilities.
The 20 toughest jobs in America are:
- Firefighter (48%)
- Construction worker (44%)
- Military (38%)
- Doctor (38%)
- Police officer (37%)
- EMT or paramedic (35%)
- Astronaut (32%)
- Farmer (29%)
- Air traffic controller (29%)
- Oil worker (25%)
- Nurse (18%)
- Roofer (16%)
- Electrician (16%) [TIED]
- Home builder (16%) [TIED]
- Engineer (15%)
- Pilot (14%) [TIED]
- Teacher (14%) [TIED]
- Lawyer (13%)
- Carpenter, woodworker or cabinet maker (12%)
- Drywall/plaster installer (12%)
Although trade workers don’t get enough credit, those not actively in the trades would still consider pursuing them. “Pursuing a career in the trades offers a variety of benefits with hands-on experiences that cultivate practical skills and provide a lifelong sense of purpose,” says Robert Hesse, regional president of Bosch Power Tools in North America. “Just like any job, being a trade worker has its challenges, but in a world of shifting industries, the skilled trades remain a reliable and rewarding path for more and more Americans.”
The survey also found:
- 49% of the non-trade respondents said that they would be open to doing trade work as a career
- 68% of respondents who didn’t have access to trade skills courses (wood shop, mechanics, etc.) in high school said they would have enrolled if given the option
- 43% of those who are not currently in trade work have done it in the past and would do it again (70%)
- 88% would encourage younger Americans to consider a trade job for a career opportunity
