Jobs with Higher Than Average Growth Rates: Insulation Workers

According to the US Dept. of Labor, the job outlook for experienced insulation workers is pretty bright. Job growth in this industry is moving along at a higher than average rate and when combined with the fact that much of its work force is older than average and younger workers often leave due to health issues and you've got the perfect storm for getting a job. Speculation and prediction based on statistical models place the rate of job growth among those working with insulation much higher than the average. The question, of course, is do you have what it takes to get on this action.

First you have to understand why insulation workers are in such high demand. And that can be answered with one word: money. The simple fact is that businesses in particular stand to save significantly on their power bills by making sure that their insulation is more efficient and up to date. If you think that insulation begins and ends with that scratchy pink stuff in your attic, you need to think again. Companies are spending money on upgrading their insulation not only of open spaces like behind walls and above the ceiling, but around boilers and steamers, pipes, refrigeration systems and as added layer of protection around expensive mechanical equipment and technological products.

So what is required to install this insulating material? A high school diploma is definitely going to look better than no diploma, but you'll be glad to know you probably won't need a college degree. If you are currently a high school student, or even better a middle school student about to move up, you can improve your odds of employment if you have the choice of going to a high school that offers a job training path. Look for curricula that includes classes in subjects ranging from reading blueprints to woodworking and don't skimp on the science classes. Any kind of educational background with a focus on general construction elements will lift your application out of the slush pile.

Students and those young enough to procure a position as an apprentice or get into some kind of on the job training program should definitely take advantage of the opportunity. Many of those in the insulation field rise through the ranks not by gaining experience in school, but from learning on the job. Your apprenticeship or trainee period may mean long hours of low level work like lugging the insulation around, but stick with it and you can soon acquire more and more responsibility. With greater responsibility comes higher wages. Those just starting out can expect to earn between minimum wage and nine bucks an hour. That may not sound like a very lucrative career, but keep in mind that those on the high end of the wage spectrum likely started out making about three bucks an hour and currently top out around thirty bucks for that same hour of labor. Rising wages means that by the time you get to their level, you may be taking home 40 bucks for an hour's worth of your time.

What makes experienced insulation workers worth that kind of money? Because it is not the type of job that many people want. Expect long hours spent on your feet or, worse for your back, bent over. Health concerns are another aspect that justifies such high wages: insulation material has the potential to result in everything from minor irritations of the skin and eyes to more serious and chronic respiratory problems. If you enjoy working outdoors, forget about this job entirely as you can expect to spend almost all day indoors, sometimes in very cramped quarters. Before you go to thinking that heath concerns are a completely negative aspect, keep in mind that it is precisely those health issues that are the root cause of the heavy turnover that keeps insulation work a growth industry. If you can stand the physical demands and take a proactive approach to ensure good health, you just may be able to keep the effects of another Bush Presidency recession at bay should the occasion ever unfortunately arise.

Sources:

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Career Planner

Job Descriptions.net