Career Trends: Insulation Workers

Insulation workers install and replace the materials used to insulate buildings to help control and maintain the temperatures in buildings.

Insulation workers generally work indoors in residential and commercial settings. Mechanical insulators work both indoors and outdoors. They spend most of their workday standing, bending, or kneeling, often in confined spaces.

Most floor, ceiling, and wall insulation workers learn their trade on the job since no formal education is typically required. Most mechanical insulation workers complete an apprenticeship program after earning a high school diploma or equivalent.

Overall employment of insulation workers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth rates, however, will vary by occupation. Floor, ceiling, and wall insulators are expected to face strong competition for jobs because they often compete with other construction trade workers.

This occupation supported 52,200 jobs in 2012 and 55,700 jobs in 2014, reflecting an increase of 6.7%. In 2012, this occupation was projected to increase by 37.5% in 2022 to 71,800 jobs. As of 2014, to keep pace with prediction, the expected number of jobs was 56,100, compared with an observed value of 55,700, 0.7% lower than expected. This indicates current employment trends are about on track with the 2012 trend within this occupation. In 2014, this occupation was projected to increase by 14.0% in 2024 to 63,000 jobs. Linear extrapolation of the 2012 projection for 2022 results in an expected number of 75,700 jobs for 2024, 20.2% higher than the 2014 projection for 2024. This indicates expectations for future employment trends are much worse than the 2012 trend within this occupation.