Despite fluctuations in the economy and housing market, the building and construction industry offers excellent career opportunities in a variety of occupations. Including the self employed, about 10 million people in the U.S. work in construction jobs, and that number should grow steadily in the coming years. Workers in the specialty trades, i.e. plumber, mason, electrician and carpenter jobs, typically must have a technical education from a trade or vocational school. Work experience or on-the-job training is usually sufficient for those seeking a construction job as a general laborer. Slightly more than half of all construction management jobs are held by self-employed workers; job requirements for construction managers vary, but a bachelor’s degree in a building-related field is a strong asset. A bachelor’s degree, licensure and several years of relevant work experience is standard for holders of architecture jobs or civil engineering jobs (see our Engineering & Architecture section for related job listings). For generalists or “jacks of all trades,” building maintenance jobs offer stable employment and an interesting variety of work.