Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
In the Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers occupation, workers smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. One core duty is to check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed. The strongest interest signal is Realistic (7.0 of 7), then Conventional (3.3) and Investigative, which gives it the code RCI. Plan on a few months to a year of learning on the job; O*NET labels this some preparation. Strength in monitoring, time management, and speaking helps most here. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need helping, teaching or caring for people.
What they do
Smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. Align forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; and use saws to cut expansion joints.
Main tasks
- Check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed.
- Set the forms that hold concrete to the desired pitch and depth, and align them.
- Spread, level, and smooth concrete, using rake, shovel, hand or power trowel, hand or power screed, and float.
- Monitor how the wind, heat, or cold affect the curing of the concrete throughout the entire process.
- Mold expansion joints and edges, using edging tools, jointers, and straightedge.
- Signal truck driver to position truck to facilitate pouring concrete, and move chute to direct concrete on forms.
Skills
- Monitoring
- Time Management
- Speaking
- Quality Control Analysis
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on monitoring and time management.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You want helping people to be at the center of your work. Social rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want a career built on years of advanced study.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCI takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Less than a High School Diploma. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Cement Finisher
- Cement Mason
- Concrete Finisher
- Concrete Mason
- Finisher
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.