Online Licensing and Certifications That Can Increase Your Pay Immediately
As a construction worker, the quality of your work can be based on your skills. Some of these skills may not be usable by law because you do not have the proper requirements. Some of these requirements may be licensing and certifications to be able to perform certain job functions. The more job functions you can perform, the more you will be worth to your employer.
Having these certifications is also relevant to general contractors and construction company owners. It may not be optimal to get higher degrees for branding when there are so many things to consider before getting a major degree, even if it is online. Especially when there are easier and quicker degrees that clients can see the value in.
It is important to have these Licenses and certifications as a contractor, so you do not depend on your employees for everything. You meeting the legal requirements for certain skills can save you money from outsourcing or relying on an employee to be available. It can also open you up to testing out new sectors of construction to increase your revenue stream.
Forklift Operating License
Operating a forklift is a daily task in construction, and not having a license to operate them can be detrimental to your paycheck or unnecessary risk. Not having a forklift while operating them can make you and your employer liable for any mistake that is made. The exam and training can be done in as little as 30 minutes and can have a price as low as $38.
Commercial Driving License
You will need this license for many different applications. Some states require that you have a commercial driving license to operate most of the heavy machinery on most construction sites. You need a commercial driving license to operate a bulldozer, dump truck, excavator, and others.
Aerial Lift Training
Aerial lifts are heavy machines that lift a platform vertically and horizontally. If you are in construction, you will have most likely worked with these before. They are different from scissor lifts that only move vertically. Because of the degrees of freedom, there are a lot of things to consider when operating a machine that puts the person on the platform or under in serious danger if not operated correctly. Especially since falls are among the most common injuries in construction, the total costs of fatal and non-fatal injuries in the construction industry are estimated at $11.5 billion, and simply having trained with these lifts can prevent some of them. Some training can be done in as little as an hour for $75 or more. More training should be required, but this certification will set you apart from other construction workers.
Contracting Class A, B, Or C License
If you are not already a contractor and are in construction with a lot of experience under your belt, you should consider getting a contracting license to increase your revenue. You will need a certain class license to work on projects over a certain project cost amount. Class C allows you to work on a project from $1000-$9,999, class B allows you to work on projects from $10,000 to $119,999, and class A allows you to work on projects over $120,000. To get this license, you are required to take an online contracting pre-license and exam prep. Once you do that, you can begin your own contract work within those cost ranges.
Gas Fitting License, HVAC License, And Plumbing License
You can get different certifications and licenses for these specific trades. Getting a certification or lower grade license allows you to start working and get trained in more services. These are highly demanded skills for construction workers, and having them can increase your pay and ability to be hired. You can also get licensed in these trades to have your own service that is allowed by the state you are in to place bids for contracts.