Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

Also Called:

Concrete Finisher,

Cement Mason,

Finisher,

Cement Finisher

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.

What do they typically do on the job?

  • 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.

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

Interests

Career interests describe the perspectives and interests of people who enjoy the type of work involved in this career.

Discover what your interests are by taking the Interest Profiler Quiz

Knowledge

People who want to pursue this career have knowledge in these areas.

Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Engineering and Technology
  • Building and construction

Math and Science
  • Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Safety and Government
  • Public safety and security

Abilities

Whether you have received formal training or not, these types of abilities are helpful in this career.

Hand and Finger Use
  • Hold or move items with your hands

  • Keep your arm or hand steady

Endurance
  • Exercise for a long time without getting out of breath

Controlled Movement
  • Use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down

  • Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

Physical Strength
  • Use your lower back and stomach

Skills

People who want to pursue this career have skills in these areas.

Basic Skills
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements

  • Talking to others

Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Work Values

Work values describe how your core beliefs align with those commonly needed for this career.

Relationships

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Independence

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?

1. Do some research
  • Identify how your interests, values, and strengths match this occupation
  • Talk to someone who works in this field or spend a day job shadowing
  • Use the colleges and training directory to explore programs related to this career
2. Plan your next move
  • Talk to your college and career counselor or school admissions staff
  • Connect with a career advisor or mentor
  • Visit Idaho Launch
  • Search for available Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers jobs on Idaho Works

Data for NSI career cards comes from the following: Idaho Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, MyNextMove, and Career OneStop