Elevator Constructors

Elevator Constructors are the invisible heroes who keep our lives running smoothly every day.  We don’t think about the simple miracle of elevators, ferrying us back and forth in our offices and apartments in comfort and safety. We press a button and step in and step out without much thought about the highly skilled and highly technical work that goes into installing, operating, and maintaining those marvelous machines. Their hard work and dedication to their craft keeps our nation moving, quite literally.

Responsible for not just elevators but also escalators, moving walkways, Automated People Movers, dumbwaiters, and other lifts, Elevator Constructors do highly technical work with no room for error.  They’re responsible for the lives of every passenger, and they take the task of getting people from point A to point B very seriously. Their craft is so specialized that each type of work —installation, maintenance, service, and repair—requires a different skill set.

Elevator Constructors are highly trained and receive advanced instruction in the mechanical operation of complex machinery.  It’s important and challenging work, and they are paid appropriately for it.  Elevator Constructors have the highest average salary of any trade, and there are local unions in every major US city.  

How to become an elevator constructor:

Elevator Constructors learn the trade through a registered apprenticeship program run by the International Union of Elevator Constructors through the National Elevator Industry Educational Program. Apprenticeships offer a superior education at little to no cost to the apprentice through on-the-job and classroom training. You’ll receive a salary during your training, and veterans may claim their GI Bill benefits during their apprenticeship.  Once you complete an apprenticeship and pass a capstone Mechanic Exam, you’ll become an Elevator Constructor journeyworker, well on your way to a rewarding and fulfilling career.