Entry Level Qualification 

8

Career Fields 

Architecture & Planning

For Specially Abled 

Career Entrance Exam 

JEE MAIN BARCH, NATA

About Career 

1. Construction Laboratory Technicians need to check the construction materials in the laboratory before they are used on-site. From bricks to cement, they need to check the quality of every construction material. They need to check the concrete in the field and laboratory for air content, slump, and temperature, casting of concrete cylinders, de-molding, and compression testing.

2. Construction Laboratory Technicians need to set up, conduct, and analyze standard field and lab tests following prescribed procedures. They might also need to regularly visit the site to collect samples. They should possess thorough knowledge of the materials and should be able to detect the quality of the materials used. After the checking is done, they need to assist in documenting on-site test results and also need to explain unusual findings. They generally work with their team. Thus, they need to cooperate with everyone and keep up the teamwork. Since they work with construction materials, they need to follow the safety protocols strictly.

3. As a Construction Laboratory Technician, you will be responsible for sample collection and test specimen preparation to perform various tests of construction materials including sand, cement, bitumen, aggregate, soil, brick, asphalt, and concrete blocks. You will generally work under the strict supervision of senior technicians, civil engineers, or project managers in laboratories (laboratory technicians) or at construction sites (field technicians).

4. You will have to constantly check the working conditions of instruments and accessories. You will have to monitor and record temperatures or use weighing balances. You will be selecting, running & maintaining test instruments and apparatus used for cement, concrete, brick samples, aggregate testing, soil or bitumen testing.

5. Construction Laboratories and Field Technicians generally have to work in laboratories or offices in a production setting to conduct their tests. However, you may have to occasionally visit sites and conduct their tests outdoors (field testing). You will be exposed to dust and soot and you will have to deal with lots of machinery. Generally, construction laboratory workers will have to work for 6-8 per day which is around 40 hours per week.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

As a Construction Laboratory Technician, you will be engaged with one or more of the following roles and responsibilities: -

1. You will have to read and understand relevant standard test procedures, and technical specifications before beginning the tests for construction materials like sand, asphalt, cement, aggregate, bricks, and concrete blocks.

2. You will have to collect product samples and prepare them for laboratory analysis or testing.

3. You will weigh or measure materials, equipment, or products using volume meters, scales, rules, or calipers.

4. You will be selecting, operating, and maintaining different test equipment and instruments used for testing.

5. You have to carry out soil testing or bitumen testing at construction sites or a laboratory.

6. You will have to document the quality, quantity, weight, type, test result data, and value of materials or products for maintaining shipping, receiving, and production records and files.

7. You will have to store tested samples safely in the laboratory for specified durations.

8. You will have to ensure that tested samples are reused or safely disposed of as required.

Career Entry Pathway 

Class 10 all subjects as per the scheme of studies – NSQF Level 4 training and certificate for ‘Construction Laboratory & Field Technician’ or similar.

After Class 10, you can go for National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) Level 4 Training and Certificate programs for ‘Construction Laboratory & Field Technician’ or similar courses. The total number of training hours range is 400.

After Class 10, you can go for training at any Industrial Training Institute (ITI), National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Regional Vocational Training Institute (RVTI), National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Industrial Training Center (ITC) or other vocational institutes for ‘Structural Engineering (Civil)’, ‘Civil and Construction Engineering’, ‘Civil Draughtsman’, ‘Civil and Construction Engineering’, ‘Civil Supervisor & Drafts Man’, ‘Civil Engineering’ or similar. You will sit for the All India Trade Test (AITT) to get a National Trade Certificate (NTC) after this course. This exam is held twice a year in February and July.

After Class 10, you can go for training at any Industrial Training Institute (ITI), National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Regional Vocational Training Institute (RVTI), National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Industrial Training Center (ITC) or other vocational institutes for ‘Structural Engineering (Civil)’, ‘Civil and Construction Engineering’, ‘Civil Draughtsman’, ‘Civil and Construction Engineering’, ‘Civil Supervisor & Drafts Man’, ‘Civil Engineering’ or similar. You will sit for the All India Trade Test (AITT) to get a National Trade Certificate (NTC) after this course. This exam is held twice a year in February and July. Then you can go for the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) Level 6 Training and Certificate program for ‘Quality Technician’ or similar under the Construction Skill Development Council of India. The total number of training hours is 1000.

After Class 10, you can do a Diploma (Civil Engineering) from any Polytechnic college or a similar institute. Diploma (Civil Engineering) is a 3-year course.

After Class 10, you can go for training at any Industrial Training Institute (ITI), National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Regional Vocational Training Institute (RVTI), National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Industrial Training Center (ITC) or other vocational institutes for ‘Structural Engineering (Civil)’, ‘Civil and Construction Engineering’, ‘Civil Draughtsman’, ‘Civil and Construction Engineering’, ‘Civil Supervisor & Drafts Man’, ‘Civil Engineering’ or similar. You will sit for the All India Trade Test (AITT) to get a National Trade Certificate (NTC) after this course. This exam is held twice a year in February and July. The minimum duration of the ITI training has to be 2 years. Then you can be admitted directly to the 2nd year of a Civil Engineering Diploma in Polytechnic colleges or similar institutions through a lateral entry route.

After Class 10, you can go for training at any Industrial Training Institute (ITI), National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Regional Vocational Training Institute (RVTI), National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Industrial Training Center (ITC) or other vocational institutes for ‘Structural Engineering (Civil)’, ‘Civil and Construction Engineering’, ‘Civil Draughtsman’, ‘Civil and Construction Engineering’, ‘Civil Supervisor & Drafts Man’, ‘Civil Engineering’ or similar. You will sit for the All India Trade Test (AITT) to get a National Trade Certificate (NTC) after this course. This exam is held twice a year in February and July. Then you can enroll for a Modular Employable Skills (MES) course for ‘Quality Inspector - Concrete’, ‘Production Supervisors (Construction)’ or similar based on the Skill Development Initiative Scheme (SDIS) framework under the Ministry of Labour and Employment of India.

After Class 10, you can go for the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) Level 5 course for ‘Civil Engineering Assistant’ or related disciplines. This is a 2-year course with 4 semesters of 6 months each. Then you can go for the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) Level 6 Training and Certificate program for ‘Quality Technician’ or similar under the Construction Skill Development Council of India. The total number of training hours is 1000.

Required Qualification & Competencies 

After Class 10, you can go for:

1. NSQF courses.

2. Diploma courses

3. ITI training.

4. CTS courses.

Competencies Required

1. You should have interests for Realistic Occupations. Realistic occupations involve more practical and hands-on activities than paperwork or office work. Realistic occupations often involve physical activities for getting things done using various tools and equipment. 

2. You should have interests for Conventional Occupations. Conventional occupations involve repetitive and routine tasks as well as fixed processes or procedures for getting things done. These occupations involve working more with data, systems, and procedures and less with ideas or creativity.

3. You should have interests for Investigative Occupations. Investigative occupations involve working with ideas and quite a lot of thinking, often abstract or conceptual thinking. These involve learning about facts and figures; involve use of data analysis, assessment of situations, decision making and problem-solving.

4. You should have knowledge of Civil construction - materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as industrial factories, dams, bridges, highways and roads.

5. You should have knowledge of Engineering and Technology - various applications of Civil Engineering Science to construct or erect various structures. This includes knowledge about design, development, prototype testing, manufacturing, construction, installation, repair and maintenance.

6. You should have Manual Dexterity – The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

7. You should have Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

8. You should have Critical Thinking Skills - analysis of complex situations, using of logic and reasoning to understand the situations and take appropriate actions or make interpretations and inferences.

9. You should have Active Listening Skills - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, understanding the points being made by others, asking questions, etc.

10. You should have Deductive Reasoning Ability - apply general rules and common logic to specific problems to produce answers that are logical and make sense. For example, understanding the reasons behind an event or a situation using general rules and common logic.

11. You should have Mathematical Reasoning Ability - choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

12. You should have Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

13. You should have Inductive Reasoning Ability - combine pieces of information from various souces, concepts, and theories to form general rules or conclusions. For example, analysing various events or sitations to come out with a set of rules or conclusions.

14. You should have Information Ordering Ability - arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

15. You are always or mostly disciplined in your action and behaviour.

16. You are always or mostly organised in your day-to-day life and activities.

17. You can always act independently or could do so in most situations.

18. You are always practical or in most situations.

19. You always prefer to experience new things and have new experiences or you mostly do.

Career - Job Opportunities & Profiles 

You may get job roles like:

1. Construction Laboratory Technician

2. Lab Technician (Construction Material Testing)

3. Quality Technician

4. QC Lab Technician

5. Technician – Soil and Asphalt

6. Quality Assurance and Quality Control – Technician

You will mainly find work in industries like:

1. Real Estate

2. Construction

3. Cement

4. Infrastructure

Career Growth

You may grow through roles like Senior Laboratory Technician, Quality Technician, Site Supervisor, Head Quality Technician, Chief Laboratory Technician, Laboratory Supervisor, etc.

Salary Offered  

1. At the beginning of your career as a Trainee, you will be earning about Rs. 14,000-16,000 per month.

2. After 2-3 years of experience, you will be getting about Rs. 19,000-21,000 per month.

3. When you acquire about 7-8 years of experience, you can earn about Rs. 25,000-30,000 or even more per month.

4. After 12-15 years of experience, you can earn about Rs. 30,000-35,000 or more per month.

Monthly Earnings In Indian Rupee

1. Entry level: 0 - 2 years of work experience

2. Junior Level: From 1 to 12 years of work experience

3. Mid-Level: From 5 to 20+ years of work experience

4. Senior Level: From 10 to 25+ years of work experience (there could be exceptions in some high-end technical, financial, engineering, creative, management, sports, and other careers; also shortly, people will reach these levels much faster in many careers and some careers, these levels will have no meaning as those careers will be completely tech skill driven such as even now, there is almost no level in a Cyber Security Expert’s job)

Famous Personalities 

Not Available

Work Activities 

1. Inspecting equipment, systems, structures, and materials - Inspecting equipment, systems, structures, and materials to ascertain quality, performance, defects, causes of errors, etc.

2. Handling and moving objects and materials - Using hands or otherwise using physical strength to handle and move objects and materials; maneuver, install, lift, place, manipulate, etc.

3. Operating machines, equipment, devices, systems, and processes - Using various methods and techniques to operate equipment, devices, systems, and processes in industrial and other settings.

4. Performing physical activities - Performing physical activities that require use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

5. Using computers for work - Using computers for day-to-day office work; using computer software for various applications in day-to-day professional work; entering data and processing information; for writing.

6. Communicating with co-workers and others - Communicating with people in writing, verbally or otherwise inside your workplace and various other people who have professional relationships with your place of work including vendors, government officials, etc., or with people at large.

7. Working in a team - Working in a team of people; developing a team; and maintaining professional relationships among team members.