Which Construction Industry Career Would Work On Highway Repaving - T-Tees - Your Answers Await, Life's Questions Unraveled

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Our last post discussed the many benefits of joining the workforce right out of high school. This time we will shift gears and touch on some of the heavy highway construction industry’s opportunities and what those positions entail.

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Paving Crew

At the heart of road construction is the paving crew. A paving crew is a group of team members coordinating the construction of a new road or repairing and maintaining an existing one. Some perks of being part of a paving crew include working outside, visually seeing your progress throughout your day, having a strong team bond, operating at different locations throughout the working season, and getting great pay.

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The leader of the paving crew is known as the foreperson, who directs the team’s actions and is responsible for on-site project execution. A good supervisor’s critical attributes include strong leadership, adaptability, and communication skills. Laborers make up most of a paving unit and carry out tasks such as manually distributing hot asphalt with a shovel when needed and raking the asphalt to reach the appropriate grade and depth. You can also find a laborer working on the back of the paver (or the screed), checking the depth or thickness of the laid asphalt, and making adjustments accordingly.

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The paver operator is the member that steers and runs the paver itself. Though the laborers assist in the paver’s operation, having a keen sense of detail and awareness of your surroundings is essential when operating a large machine such as a paver. At least one roller on site is typically necessary and compacts the asphalt after the paver lays it. The roller operator directs this machine, which vibrates and compacts the pavement to the desired density. Density is critical because it is one of the variables measured when considering if a project’s specs have been met and can affect durability and drivability down the road. A good roller operator knows the importance of consistency and compacts the pavement in a learned pattern through experience and repetition.

Most jobs on a paving crew are collectively bargained positions. The operators union consists of the team members operating the machines used in the paving process. In contrast, the labor union provides just that, the laborers. If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a paving crew member, you might reach out to your local association and see their availability and application process.

Safety & Support

A paving crew does the installation of a new road. Still, many other team members assist and cooperate in this process. One of these positions is known as a flagger, who directs and controls traffic flow to keep everyone in the work zone safe.

Being a flagger takes a lot of patience and awareness, but it can be rewarding because you know you are helping keep others safe. Safety managers oversee this position, and it is essential to note that safety is extremely crucial when considering road construction’s dangerous environment.

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A quality control technician ensures the crew meets a specific project’s desired outcome or design spec. Believe it or not, all roads are not created equal, and some projects call for different mix designs according to their use. Keeping this in mind, a quality control technician carries out various tasks such as taking core samples from compacted asphalt on-site, taking hot asphalt directly from a plant, and testing these materials in a lab to measure certain variables such as air voids, amount of liquid asphalt, and overall mix composition. These tests are done at every project stage to ensure accuracy and consistency. Becoming a QC tech requires some training and experience, mathematical skill, and is a job well suited for individuals with an affinity for detail.

Truck Drivers

Building a road requires the consistent delivery of hot asphalt products by truck drivers. Truck drivers are an essential part of the process and are among the most in-demand jobs. One of the critical requirements to becoming a truck driver is obtaining a CDL, in this case, a CDL-A. That includes going through classes and receiving a certificate that shows you have the skill and training to operate the dump trucks and mixer trucks used in road construction.

Speaking of mixer trucks: asphalt isn’t the only material used in road construction, and concrete work is a newer division of The Gerken Companies that is crucial in commercial and residential projects. Becoming a mixer driver is much like becoming a dump truck driver. You must obtain a CDL class B (though a class A will work for this position). A tremendous upside to getting a CDL is that truck drivers are in high demand and ensure job security.

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