Why should you get off the tools? Well if you’re on the tools, then you should at least have a plan to get off the tools. However life gets in the way with work, holidays, marriage, kids, finance, family issues etc, which stop you from getting off the tools. Why waste your time in a lower end role now when you could be achieving so much more in your career?
Below are 5 reasons why you should get off the tools right now and move into a more rewarding management role.
1.) Money
According to the payscale.com website the average annual salary for a qualified carpenter is around $53’516 (source). However those that get off the tools and into construction management roles are paid an average annual salary of $117’202 (source). Obviously if you’re wanting to obtain more pay in your working life and you have a tools background then you need to seriously consider getting off the tools and moving into some more construction management related roles.
2.) Logical Career Path
Below is the normal career path of a carpenter; or basically anyone who’s had a career on the tools. Perhaps your job is listed below or maybe you can see your dream job there. As you can see, the top careers all contain some aspect of managing projects in the construction industry, with the majority of the roles being off the tools. Why would you continue in a role which will pay you less when you put down the tools and move into the next stage of your career.
3.) Your Future Health
How are your knees and back? Do you think you can continue your trade in your 40’s? 50’s? Or even 60’s? With the age pension soon to be increased to 67 years of age for those born after 1st January 1957, you need to formulate a plan now on how to get off the tools and into some project management related roles. What if you’re reading this and you’re already in a project management role? Well what happens if your contract isn’t renewed and you need to drop back to being on the tools to make ends meet? You need to start considering how to make yourself more employable so that you can protect both your wallet and your health.
4.) Job Security
Obtaining a project management role usually means working for a medium to large size company working on projects worth millions of dollars. If you’re an independent contractor or subbie then you’re probably at the bottom of the food chain and would prefer the security of going to a larger organisation. Also if you get off the tools you’ll develop a larger set of employable skills, setting yourself up for success going into the future.
5.) Become More Involved With The Construction Process
At the end of the day you still have to have some kind of enjoyment with your career. However for many who are still on the tools, it’s just a daily grind where your opinion and insight don’t count for anything. However getting off the tools and into a project management related role means that you’ll become more involved in the entire construction process; you’ll have a direct say and input in what happens throughout the cycle of the project.
The above 5 reasons are not meant to stress you out about the future but are instead help to remind you that you’ll need an exit plan to not just get off the tools but stay off the tools. If something resonated with you in this post, start to implement some changes. Think about where you want to be in the next 5 or 10 years, talk to those who are in the positions which you want and start researching some further study in how to increase your chances of getting into those off the tools construction roles.