Construction Laborer

O*NET: Construction Laborers·47-2061.00

The Verdict:Construction sites are chaotic and unique — digging trenches, erecting scaffolds, handling materials in mud, wind, or tight spaces demands human dexterity and adaptation no robot matches yet. AI aids planning and measurement but cannot perform the physical labor. Persistent shortages and infrastructure demand secure the role's future.

Resilience Score

/100

Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$47k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

+7.3%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 0 of 27 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role's core work is hard to automate.
24 of 27 tasks require human judgment, presence, or trust. The 11% that are AI-leverage offer an edge — professionals who learn these tools will outperform those who don't.

0exposed

3AI leverage

24human-essential

View all 27 tasks

AI Can Handle This0 tasks

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

No exposed tasks identified

AI Leverage3 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.

Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.

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.

Human Advantage24 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.

Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.

Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.

Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.

Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.

Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.

Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes.

Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones.

Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment.

Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments.

Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools.

Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures.

Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons.

Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces.

Raze buildings or salvage useful materials.

Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection.

Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts.

Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines.

Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures.

Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces.

Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers.

Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement.

Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air.

Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls.

Resilience Landscape

Construction Laborer lands in Stable, Lower Pay

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