BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasCement Masons and Concrete Finishers

O*NET · 47-2051.00

Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

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.

Also called Cement Finisher · Cement Gun Operator · Cement Mason · Cement Mason Concrete Finisher · Cement Patcher · Cementer · Column Precaster · Concrete Construction Laborer
30 more

Concrete Cutter · Concrete Cutting Operator · Concrete Fence Builder · Concrete Finisher · Concrete Floater · Concrete Floor Installer · Concrete Form Setter · Concrete Grinder Operator · Concrete Laborer · Concrete Mason · Concrete Placement Equipment Operator · Concrete Pointer · Concrete Polisher · Concrete Rubber · Concrete Setter · Concrete Smoother · Concrete Specialist · Concrete Stone Finisher · Concrete Swimming Pool Installer · Concrete Tech · Concrete Technician (Concrete Tech) · Curb Builder · Finisher · Float Operator · Floor Grinder · Joint Finisher · Joint Setter · Mason · Placement Specialist · Swimming Pool Installer

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Fence Erectors

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional3.27
  • I Investigative2.29
  • A Artistic1.66
  • S Social1.00
  • E Enterprising1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma52%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent35%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate13%
Related work experience
None (26%)
On-site or in-plant training
None (34%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (29%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Monitoringbasic3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Coordination3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Quality Control Analysis3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Time Management3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Speakingbasic3.12.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Complex Problem Solving3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Active Listeningbasic3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.02.1Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Operation and Control2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Operations Monitoring2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Mathematicsbasic2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
Show the other 23
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Instructing2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Social Perceptiveness2.51.9Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.41.9Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Troubleshooting2.41.8Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Service Orientation2.31.6Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Active Learningbasic2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Equipment Selection2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Persuasion2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Writingbasic2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Systems Analysis2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Systems Evaluation2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Negotiation2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Equipment Maintenance2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Repairing1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Management of Financial Resources1.80.9
  • Technology Design1.80.8
  • Operations Analysis1.40.4
  • Installation1.4—
  • Sciencebasic1.3—
  • Programming1.1—

Tasks

19 core · 7 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Check the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed.4.2
  2. Set the forms that hold concrete to the desired pitch and depth, and align them.4.1
  3. Spread, level, and smooth concrete, using rake, shovel, hand or power trowel, hand or power screed, and float.4.1
  4. Monitor how the wind, heat, or cold affect the curing of the concrete throughout the entire process.4.0
  5. Mold expansion joints and edges, using edging tools, jointers, and straightedge.3.9
  6. Signal truck driver to position truck to facilitate pouring concrete, and move chute to direct concrete on forms.3.9
  7. Produce rough concrete surface, using broom.3.8
  8. Direct the casting of the concrete and supervise laborers who use shovels or special tools to spread it.3.8
  9. Operate power vibrator to compact concrete.3.7
  10. Apply hardening and sealing compounds to cure surface of concrete, and waterproof or restore surface.3.7
  11. Wet surface to prepare for bonding, fill holes and cracks with grout or slurry, and smooth, using trowel.3.6
  12. Waterproof or restore concrete surfaces, using appropriate compounds.3.6
Show the other 14
  1. Install anchor bolts, steel plates, door sills and other fixtures in freshly poured concrete or pattern or stamp the surface to provide a decorative finish.3.6
  2. Mix cement, sand, and water to produce concrete, grout, or slurry, using hoe, trowel, tamper, scraper, or concrete-mixing machine.3.5
  3. Cut out damaged areas, drill holes for reinforcing rods, and position reinforcing rods to repair concrete, using power saw and drill.3.3
  4. Wet concrete surface, and rub with stone to smooth surface and obtain specified finish.3.3
  5. Chip, scrape, and grind high spots, ridges, and rough projections to finish concrete, using pneumatic chisels, power grinders, or hand tools.3.3
  6. Clean chipped area, using wire brush, and feel and observe surface to determine if it is rough or uneven.3.2
  7. Build wooden molds, and clamp molds around area to be repaired, using hand tools.3.2
  8. Sprinkle colored marble or stone chips, powdered steel, or coloring powder over surface to produce prescribed finish.3.3
  9. Fabricate concrete beams, columns, and panels.3.2
  10. Polish surface, using polishing or surfacing machine.3.2
  11. Cut metal division strips, and press them into terrazzo base so that top edges form desired design or pattern.3.1
  12. Push roller over surface to embed chips in surface.3.0
  13. Apply muriatic acid to clean surface, and rinse with water.2.9
  14. Spread roofing paper on surface of foundation, and spread concrete onto roofing paper with trowel to form terrazzo base.2.8

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • English Language3.73.1Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Building and Construction3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Fix a plumbing leak in the ceiling
  • Mathematics3.12.9
  • Public Safety and Security3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Administration and Management2.62.0Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Mechanical2.62.6
  • Transportation2.51.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Customer and Personal Service2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Process a customer's dry-cleaning drop off
Show all 33
  • Education and Training2.32.5Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Design2.22.3Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Foreign Language2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Production and Processing2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Computers and Electronics2.11.0Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Chemistry1.92.0Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.91.1Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Telecommunications1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Law and Government1.81.3Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Physics1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Geography1.71.0Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Therapy and Counseling1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Economics and Accounting1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Psychology1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Sales and Marketing1.6—
  • Administrative1.51.3Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Communications and Media1.51.2Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Engineering and Technology1.5—
  • Biology1.41.3Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Food Production1.4—
  • History and Archeology1.41.0Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.4—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.3—
  • Fine Arts1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Manual Dexterity3.93.4Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Trunk Strength3.84.3Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Multilimb Coordination3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Near Vision3.63.5Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Extent Flexibility3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
  • Deductive Reasoning3.32.6Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
Show all 52
  • Dynamic Strength3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Information Ordering3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Problem Sensitivity3.32.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Stamina3.32.9
  • Visualization3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Category Flexibility3.12.5Level 2 looks like: Sort paintbrushes based on length
  • Far Vision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Finger Dexterity3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Oral Comprehension3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Oral Expression3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Selective Attention3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Recognition3.12.6Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Static Strength3.14.0Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Depth Perception3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Gross Body Coordination3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Inductive Reasoning3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Rate Control3.02.4Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Reaction Time3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Speech Clarity3.02.1Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Perceptual Speed2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Flexibility of Closure2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Auditory Attention2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Response Orientation2.52.3Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Glare Sensitivity2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Spatial Orientation2.41.9Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Number Facility2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Time Sharing2.32.4Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Explosive Strength2.11.4Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Fluency of Ideas2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Originality2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Speed of Closure2.11.8
  • Written Comprehension2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Written Expression2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Memorization2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Hand pick a bushel of apples from a tree
  • Peripheral Vision1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Night Vision1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Sound Localization1.80.9

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Handling and Moving Objects4.36.0Level 7 looks like: Load boxes on an assembly line
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.34.7Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.25.0Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Getting Information4.23.2Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.25.5Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Scheduling Work and Activities4.24.5Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.14.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
Show all 41
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.94.4Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.84.4Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.73.4Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.74.8Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.64.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Developing and Building Teams3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.43.7Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Processing Information3.44.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.43.8Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.33.0Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.33.9Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.34.6Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Thinking Creatively3.13.7Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.02.8
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.03.9Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Training and Teaching Others3.02.7
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.72.2Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.72.7
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.42.7
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert
  • Working with Computers2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.92.0Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.9
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.8
  • Spend Time Standing4.8
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.5
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.5
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.4
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.4
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4
  • Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment4.4
  • Physical Proximity4.4

Technology

10 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Tools (10)
  • ACT Contractors Forms
  • ADAPT-Modeler
  • Hard Dollar HD Project Estimating
  • HIPERPAV
  • LogicSphere Firstmix
  • Maxwell Systems Quest Estimator
  • National Concrete & Masonry Estimator
  • Shilstone seeMIX
  • Sirus GT Construction Accounting
  • Tradesman's Software Master Estimator

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
  2. Construction Laborers
  3. Brickmasons and Blockmasons
  4. Segmental Pavers
  5. Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
  6. Tile and Stone Setters
  7. Stonemasons
  8. Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
  9. Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
  10. Plasterers and Stucco Masons

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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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. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.