The building safety industry provides opportunities for lucrative, fulfilling careers
Each May, the International Code Council celebrates Building Safety Month to raise awareness of the need for the adoption of up-to-date building codes and the ways they contribute to the safety and resiliency of our communities. Building safety professionals serve an essential function in our society by helping to keep us safe and secure in our homes, schools, offices and throughout our communities. Over the next 15 years, the building safety industry is poised to explode with opportunity for young professionals. As seasoned industry veterans prepare to retire from the building safety industry, countless jobs are set to open up for a new generation of building inspectors and construction professionals.
Building safety jobs are available nationwide. Every community needs building safety officials to administer safe building regulations—those needs increase in areas vulnerable to natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. For young professionals looking to enter the workforce directly out of high school, or for members of the military transitioning to back civilian life, building safety can be a great career choice. Building safety jobs are also portable. Since jurisdictions throughout the United States require a credential issued by the Code Council as a qualification of employment, ICC certification can open doors to jobs almost anywhere in the country.
Code Council certification leads to good-paying jobs with plenty of room for growth. The 2014 median salary for code officials was between $50,000 and $75,000 per year, with 20% of officials making between $75,000 and $100,000 per year. These figures are all well above the median nationwide household income.
Today, achieving ICC certification is more convenient than ever. The Code Council’s online testing center, PRONTO, gives users the ability to take national certification exams 24/7 from a secure location. In addition, the Code Council provides a full array of education and technical resources, including webinars, online courses, certification academies, study guides, code commentaries and technical handbooks.
The Code Council’s Safety 2.0 initiative offers a full suite of resources to help people enter, advance and succeed in the building safety profession. High School and College Technical Training Programs teach students how to use the International Codes in the field of construction. The Military Families Career Path Program helps veterans to transition their military skills to building safety jobs. Safety 2.0 provides essential tools for anyone considering a career in building safety.
Building safety professionals help shape the safety of the world around us. Their work is neither seen nor heard, but is evident in every safe building where people live, work and play. Building safety professionals advance the Code Council’s vision to protect the health, safety and welfare of people by creating safe, sustainable and resilient buildings and communities. There is no better time to enter the profession than now. Take advantage of the opportunities opening every day and consider a career in building safety.
About the Author
Dominic Sims is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Code Council. Since 2012, he has served as the CEO and is responsible for leading the strategic direction and financial performance, of the organization, including its subsidiaries.
During his 22-year tenure with the organization, Sims also served as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President. He has held board positions on the National Institute of Building Sciences, the Federal Alliance for Home Safety, ANSI National Policy Advisory Group, and the Florida Governor’s Building Code Study Commission. Prior to his work with the Code Council, Sims served as the CEO of the Southern Building Code Congress International and guided its consolidation with the Code Council in 2003. Before joining SBCCI, he with the Planning, Zoning and Building Department of Palm Beach County, Florida, completing his service there as Executive Director of the Department.
Sims earned his B.A. in Organizational Management and Business from Palm Beach Atlantic University. He is currently on the board of directors for the International Building Quality Center and is an adjunct professor at the University of Canberra, Australia. Sims is also active in several other professional associations including ASTM, ASCE and AIA.
