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CAREER PROFILE

Concrete Finisher

As a concrete finisher, you can finish building foundations, sculpt floors and walls, and shape concrete to create new structures.

What’s it like to work as a concrete finisher?

Concrete finishers spend lots of time outside. In addition to finishing work, job duties include:
  • Waterproofing
  • Polishing and smoothing
  • Installing bolts and plates in concrete
  • Ensuring proper concrete curing
Concrete finishers may also supervise other workers or work with teams on larger projects.

Concrete finisher salary

Average annual salary:

$57,046

Average hourly wage:

$27.91

How to train for a career in concrete finishing

OPTION 1:

Construction Ready Construction Training Program

  • Cost:
    $0.00 — The program is fully funded, so participants pay nothing
  • Duration:
    20 days
  • Other Info:

    Graduates meet their future employers during training.

    97% of graduates secure a job before training ends.

OPTION 2:

Community or Technical College Program

  • Cost:
    A few thousand to several thousand dollars; grants and scholarships may be available
  • Duration:
    Several months to over a year
  • Other Info:
    Certificate or associate’s degree programs may be available in your area.

OPTION 3:

Employer Apprenticeship Program

  • Cost:
    Varies — Some employers may pay a full wage and others may not
  • Duration:
    Varies
  • Other Info:

    Apprenticeship programs are rare and may not be available in your area.

    Not all employers offer on-the-job training.

Dontavious says, “was a jumpstart to a career – like putting battery cables on a battery and giving it that boost.”

“Construction Ready is a wonderful opportunity because they help you with a career, not just a job.”
– Dontavious Greene

Evan Magee began a high-earning construction career right out of high school

“We got to talk to electricians, welders – any type of construction career path that you can think of, we got a little taste of it. I saw these different opportunities and I thought, ‘This is what I want to do.”
– Evan Magee

Further reading

What Are Construction Trades and How Do You Learn One?

January 9, 2023
If you’re like a lot of people looking for a new job, you might have heard that there are many opportunities in the trades. But what are construction…

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