Construction Laborers

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.

Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient

The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.

Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.

Tasks

All 32 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

• Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt. Core · importance 4.3
• Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools. Core · importance 4.2
• Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials. Core · importance 4.2
• Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes. Supplemental · importance 4.0
• Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms. Supplemental · importance 4.0
• Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones. Supplemental · importance 4.0
• Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment. Supplemental · importance 3.9
• Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments. Supplemental · importance 3.9
• Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities. Core · importance 3.9
• Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools. Supplemental · importance 3.9
• Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed. Core · importance 3.9
• Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures. Supplemental · importance 3.9
• Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards. Core · importance 3.9
• Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes. Core · importance 3.9
• Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications. Core · importance 3.8
• Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons. Supplemental · importance 3.7
• Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces. Supplemental · importance 3.5
• Raze buildings or salvage useful materials. Supplemental · importance 3.5
• Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection. Supplemental · importance 3.4
• Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts. Supplemental · importance 3.3
• Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines. Supplemental · importance 3.2
• Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures. Supplemental · importance 3.2
• Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces. Supplemental · importance 3.0
• Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers. Supplemental · importance 3.0
• Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement. Supplemental · importance 3.0
• Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air. Supplemental · importance 2.8
• Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls. Supplemental · importance 2.7
• Apply weather-stripping to reduce energy loss. Supplemental
• Identify, pack, or transport hazardous or radioactive materials. Supplemental
• Perform building weatherization tasks, such as repairing windows, adding insulation, or applying weather-stripping materials. Supplemental
• Perform construction laborer duties at green building sites, such as renewable energy plants or wind turbine installations. Supplemental
• Use computers or other input devices to control robotic pipe cutters or cleaners. Supplemental

Work activities

• Clean work sites.
• Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
• Direct vehicle traffic.
• Signal equipment operators to indicate proper equipment positioning.
• Dig holes or trenches.
• Compact materials to create level bases.
• Position structural components.
• Install plumbing or piping.
• Measure work site dimensions.
• Mark reference points on construction materials.
• Load or unload materials used in construction or extraction.
• Move construction or extraction materials to locations where they are needed.
• Assemble temporary equipment or structures.
• Dismantle equipment or temporary structures.
• Position construction forms or molds.
• Clean equipment or facilities.
• Maintain construction tools or equipment.
• Break up rock, asphalt, or concrete.
• Finish concrete surfaces.
• Test air quality at work sites.
• Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel.
• Operate pumps or compressors.
• Clean surfaces in preparation for work activities.
• Apply paint to surfaces.
• Protect structures or surfaces near work areas to avoid damage.
• Install masonry materials.
• Mix substances or compounds needed for work activities.
• Pour materials into or on designated areas.
• Spread concrete or other aggregate mixtures.
• Smooth surfaces with abrasive materials or tools.
• Remove worn, damaged or outdated materials from work areas.
• Apply sealants or other protective coatings.
• Install green structural components, equipment or systems.

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Knowledge

Abilities

Essential skills

Transferable skills

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

• Information Ordering Specialized Skill
• Finger Dexterity Common Skill
• Active Listening Common Skill
• Speech Recognition Specialized Skill
• Microsoft Word Common Skill
• Microsoft Windows Common Skill
• Microsoft Outlook Common Skill
• Microsoft Excel Common Skill
• Depth Perception Common Skill
• Deductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Autodesk Revit Specialized Skill
• Visualization Specialized Skill
• Inductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Reading Comprehension Common Skill
• Critical Thinking Common Skill
• Complex Problem Solving Common Skill
• Social Perceptiveness Common Skill
• Equipment Selection Specialized Skill
• Time Management Common Skill
• Equipment Maintenance Specialized Skill
• Writing Common Skill
• Mathematics Common Skill
• Learning Strategies Specialized Skill
• Instructing Specialized Skill
• Active Learning Common Skill
• English Language Common Skill
• Negotiation Common Skill
• Systems Analysis Specialized Skill
• Installation Specialized Skill
• Physics Specialized Skill
• Psychology Specialized Skill
• Geography Specialized Skill
• Chemistry Specialized Skill
• Telecommunications Specialized Skill
• Foreign Language Common Skill
• Biology Specialized Skill
• Project Management Software Specialized Skill

Tools & technology

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

How to get in

Job zone

Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Education

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Typical entry-level education

No formal educational credential · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement

Related experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Preparation level

SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Interest areas

Work styles

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Related occupations

Part of the Construction career cluster.

• Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators · 47-2071.00 Compare →
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining · 47-5022.00 Compare →
• Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers · 47-2051.00 Compare →
• Pipelayers · 47-2151.00 Compare →
• Structural Iron and Steel Workers · 47-2221.00 Compare →
• Brickmasons and Blockmasons · 47-2021.00 Compare →
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators · 47-2073.00 Compare →
• Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters · 47-3011.00 Compare →
• Carpenters · 47-2031.00 Compare →
• Maintenance Workers, Machinery · 49-9043.00 Compare →
• Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing · 51-7042.00 Compare →
• Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters · 47-2152.00 Compare →

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Construction Laborers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
• AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
• ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
• IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
• Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
• Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-role-47-2061-00,
  title  = {Construction Laborers},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-2061-00}
}