Installing a retail store display window… or securing the glass panels of a skyscraper... takes the craftsmanship of a glazier. Glaziers cut and install glass for a variety of structures, and ensure it is secured and weatherproof for all seasons. In homes, glaziers install or replace windows, mirrors and shower doors as well as fitting glass for tabletops and display cases. On commercial projects, glaziers install items such as decorative room dividers, security windows, or skylights, and replace storefront windows. On large-scale construction jobs, glass arrives on a project already cut and mounted into frames. Glaziers position and secure the windows in place, with the help of construction workers using cranes or hoists to guide the pieces into place. The work is physically demanding. Glaziers spend most of the day standing, bending, or reaching, and often must lift and maneuver heavy, cumbersome materials. They have a higher than average rate of injuries and illnesses— typically from falls and overexertion. Most glaziers work full time, and the majority work for building contractors. Some work for building material and supplies dealers. Glaziers typically train in a 4-year apprenticeship, after completing a high school education. Unions and contractor associations typically sponsor apprenticeship programs in this field. A few states require licensure.
What they do:
Install glass in windows, skylights, store fronts, and display cases, or on surfaces, such as building fronts, interior walls, ceilings, and tabletops.
On the job, you would:
Fabricate or install metal sashes or moldings for glass installation, using aluminum or steel framing.
Determine plumb of walls or ceilings, using plumb lines and levels.
Fasten glass panes into wood sashes or frames with clips, points, or moldings, adding weather seals or putty around pane edges to seal joints.
Engineering and Technology
building and construction
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Business
customer service
Basic Skills
reading work related information
thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Hand and Finger Use
keep your arm or hand steady
hold or move items with your hands
Endurance
exercise for a long time without getting out of breath
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Dependability
Attention to Detail
Cooperation
Integrity
Achievement/Effort
Self Control
You might use software like this on the job:
Operating system software
Microsoft Windows
Project management software
American Glazing Software AGS WindowPricer
BidMaster
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
high school diploma/GED or no high school diploma/GED usually needed