Talk to your school counselor about programs and classes like woodworking that are offered at your school so you can start learning skills that will get you started in this field.

Find a class to jump-start your construction skills.

Is someone you know (a neighbor, family member, friend, etc.) working on a home improvement DIY project? Volunteer to help in order to get practice using hand tools, taking measurements, problem solving, and more!

Volunteer to help with a home improvement project.

Search online for how-to videos to see how hard this work is to master--and whether it's something you think you'd like. Does seeing this kind of work in action make you more interested in trying it?

Watch tutorials on how to do this kind of work.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.

The ability to see details at a distance.

Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

Help painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or stucco masons by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Helpers, Construction Trades

Construction and Extraction Occupations

Perform support duties to assist painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or masons.

Apply protective coverings, such as masking tape, to articles or areas that could be damaged or stained by work processes.

Fill cracks or breaks in surfaces of plaster articles or areas with putty or epoxy compounds.

Smooth surfaces of articles to be painted, using sanding and buffing tools and equipment.

Mix plaster, and carry plaster to plasterers.

Place articles to be stripped into stripping tanks.

Remove articles such as cabinets, metal furniture, and paint containers from stripping tanks after prescribed periods of time.

Apple iWork

Microsoft Office software

Construction Software Center EasyEst

Evergreen Technology Eagle Bid Estimating

Sage Construction Anywhere

Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal

Microsoft Excel

A-Systems JobView

Airless paint guns

Paint spray guns

Plaster spraying machines

Bosun chairs

Swing stages

Paint application rollers

Pressure rollers

Single-cut mill saw files

Plastering trowels

Drywall stilts

Measuring tapes

Darbies

Protective masks

Spirit levels

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Every day

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Extremely important

Important

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Once a week or more but not every day

Once a year or more but not every month

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions

Once a month or more but not every week

How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

Never

How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?

Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

Overview

Career

What Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons Do

Other Job Titles Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons

Overview

Career

What Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons Do

Other Job Titles Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons