Job growth in construction industry

Job opportunities are expected to be excellent for insulation workers in several industries, including the construction industry where asbestos removal is performed by highly trained workers. Because there are no strict training requirements for entry, many people with limited skills work as insulation workers for a short time and then move on to other types of work, creating many job openings. In addition, openings will arise from the need to replace workers who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons.

In addition to the regular need to replace workers, some new jobs will arise as employment of insulation workers is expected to increase more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2014. In contrast to other construction workers, insulation workers work mainly on new construction, which is expected to moderate some over the next decade.

Growth also will be limited by the increased efficiency of these workers and installation techniques, such as blow-in and spray-in insulation, which allows more work to be done in a shorter time and with fewer people. Insulation also is increasingly being installed by other workers in other occupations. Some demand for insulation workers will be spurred by the continuing need for energy efficient buildings, which will generate work in existing structures as well as new construction.

Insulation workers in the construction industry may experience periods of unemployment because of the short duration of many construction projects and the cyclical nature of construction activity. Workers employed to perform industrial plant maintenance generally have more stable employment because maintenance and repair must be done on a continuing basis. Most insulation is applied after buildings are enclosed, so weather conditions have less effect on the employment of insulation workers than on that of some other construction occupations.