What is Public Works?
Public Works usually include the divisions of water, wastewater, street, landfills, airports, and parks and fall under the control of city managers or some other city staff.
How is Public Works used?
Zippia reviewed thousands of resumes to understand how public works is used in different jobs. Explore the list of common job responsibilities related to public works below:
- Produced proposals and statement of qualifications with win strategies for new business development for public works departments in Nevada.
- Reviewed and implemented critical engineering decisions relating to design, construction and maintenance of public works facilities.
- Prepared required documentation and conducted and attended required meetings as representative for the Public Works Department.
- Direct a professional online training program for public works professionals seeking advancement in responsibility and credentialing.
- Standardized operations related to public works for municipality by creating and updating policies for all departments.
- Developed and implemented public works operational policies as well as procedural policies for developers and contractors.
Are Public Works skills in demand?
Yes, public works skills are in demand today. Currently, 4,301 job openings list public works skills as a requirement. The job descriptions that most frequently include public works skills are public works director, public health worker, and city administrator.
How hard is it to learn Public Works?
Based on the average complexity level of the jobs that use public works the most: public works director, public health worker, and city administrator. The complexity level of these jobs is advanced.
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What jobs can you get with Public Works skills?
You can get a job as a public works director, public health worker, and city administrator with public works skills. After analyzing resumes and job postings, we identified these as the most common job titles for candidates with public works skills.
Public Works Director
Job description:
Public Works Directors can expect an average salary of $70K per year in a career that will demand strong communication skills, planning, organizational, and problem-solving skills. Also, strong leadership will be a must for implementing and recommending alternative courses of action for administrative problems. This career choice requires a bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, liberal arts, or law and presents responsibilities such as daily maintenance of a city's infrastructure services, such as sewer, sanitation, or street maintenance, as well as sanitary sewer operations.
- Public Works
- Infrastructure
- Building Maintenance
- Oversight
- Project Management
- Storm Water
City Administrator
Job description:
A city administrator is a government employee who works under the authority and direction of the mayor. City administrators supervise, monitor, and coordinate the activities and functions of the office. The administrators make the plan and direction of the administrative activities of a certain city. They establish and enforce internal procedures and policies. Also, they evaluate the employees of the city and take actions for operation improvement.
- Public Works
- Local Government
- Financial Reports
- Community Development
- Municipal Government
- Public Safety
Public Works Inspector
- Asphalt
- Construction Projects
- Traffic Control
- Public Works
- Construction Sites
- Construction Methods
Public Service Director
- Public Service Announcements
- Press Releases
- Public Affairs
- Public Works
- FCC
- Community Organizations
Building Official
Job description:
A building official has the authority to enforce building codes within their jurisdiction. Usually working for government agencies, a building official is in charge of conducting building inspections to determine if the construction complies with the safety standards and regulations. They may also approve or deny permit applications, review requirements, and verify documents. Moreover, a building official also has managerial office duties such as supervising and leading staff to reach goals, setting daily objectives and guidelines, establishing timelines, delegating responsibilities among teams, and implementing policies and regulations.
- Community Development
- Code Compliance
- Plumbing
- Public Works
- Code Enforcement
- State Building
City Manager
Job description:
A city manager is responsible for monitoring city operations and manage staff to advise programs and initiatives for the benefits of the citizens. City managers oversee community projects and allocate adequate resources to support functions and societal activities. They also serve as a liaison to clear political disputes and officer conflicts. A city manager attends community events and meetings to represent the city, provide progress updates, and coordinate with other local organizations for sponsorship and funding events.
- Human Resources
- Economic Development
- Oversight
- Customer Service
- Public Works
- Payroll
County Administrator
Job description:
A county administrator oversees the day-to-day activities of a county government, ensuring operations run smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities often entail developing and reviewing plans for different projects, assessing the budget for various departments, implementing programs, and communicating with department heads and the public. They also manage and supervise administrative staff, attend events like council meetings and public dialogues, and take part in relief operations during emergencies.
- County Government
- Service Delivery
- Federal Laws
- Public Works
- Financial Management
- County Services
City Engineer
Job description:
A city engineer is a civil engineer employed by the city government. City engineers handle structural component fabrication programs for the applications of flight hardware. The engineers design bridges, design, and any other infrastructure projects. They make sure that they adhere to environmental and budgetary requirements. It is their job to oversee project execution requiring management skills. They are also expected to have skills in the planning, budgeting, presentation, and supervision of engineering projects.
- Civil Engineering
- Project Management
- Cost Estimates
- Public Works
- GIS
- Capital Improvement Projects
How much can you earn with Public Works skills?
You can earn up to $88,965 a year with public works skills if you become a public works director, the highest-paying job that requires public works skills. Public health workers can earn the second-highest salary among jobs that use Python, $42,507 a year.
| Job title | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Public Works Director | $88,965 | $43 |
| Public Health Worker | $42,507 | $20 |
| City Administrator | $64,965 | $31 |
| Public Works Inspector | $48,864 | $23 |
| Public Service Director | $86,483 | $42 |
Companies using Public Works in 2025
The top companies that look for employees with public works skills are RGA Environmental, A Terracon Company, City of Houston, and Fifth Third Bank. In the millions of job postings we reviewed, these companies mention public works skills most frequently.
| Rank | Company | % of all skills | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RGA Environmental, A Terracon Company | 13% | 533 |
| 2 | City of Houston | 12% | 68 |
| 3 | Fifth Third Bank | 11% | 1,464 |
| 4 | Milwaukee County | 6% | 26 |
| 5 | Icma-rc | 6% | 180 |
Departments using Public Works
| Department | Average salary |
|---|---|
| Construction | $45,772 |
2 courses for Public Works skills
1. Public Speaking and Presenting at Work
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++We are top Udemy instructors in the personal development category. Our courses have been taken by over 700,000+ happy students from 200 countries. We have a thriving community in the course and we are actively involved and answer questions within 24h.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Public speaking in the workplace is a common requirement for managers and leadership. However, employees can also find themselves asked to: Present at meetingsFacilitate groups or trainingDeliver sales pitchesPresenting is a great opportunity for employees to demonstrate their expertise and value, making developing your presentation skills a key to your career. Whether your goal is to inform, persuade, entertain, or train, there are core communication strategies and presentation techniques that will ensure you give a professional presentation that engages your audience and achieves your desired outcomes. Poor presentation skills or avoidance of public speaking results in leaders who fail to inspire their teams, sales people with low sales numbers, and individuals whose careers are stagnant. The good news is that public speaking skills can be learned. In this course, you'll learn how to prepare for your presentation so that you know exactly what to expect. You'll learn how to: Prevent and handle nervousness both before and during the event. Gear your presentation toward your audience, whether it's 5 or 500 Use notes, cues and memory techniques so you'll feel confident that you wont' forget what to say. You'll also develop your presentation skills. You'll learn how to: Light up the room when you enter, command the attention of your audience, and own the room. Enhance your presentation with body language, non-verbal communication, and voice tonality and projection. Present data and complex information clearly and use visual aids properly, such as PowerPoint, flip charts, videos, and more. Design and structure the content for your presentation, using proven blueprints that ensure you achieve your desired outcomes. Run meetings and group discussions like a pro, including fielding questions and handling difficult participants. So, are you ready to master the art of presenting? If so enroll now, we look forward to seeing you in the course! Guarantee: We know you will love this course. However, we offer a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee if the course does not meet your needs for any reason. So who are we? We are Joeel & Natalie Rivera. We own a digital media publishing company called Transformation Services, Inc. We provide training programs and curriculum development for entrepreneurs and small businesses. We also run a magazine and live events and conferences. We've worked with 300,000+ students, coaches and businesses from 195 countries. All of our programs are created based on over a decade of experience in education, business development and coaching, as well as my background in psychology, including my Master's in Counseling and Education and my research on happiness for my dissertation for my PH. D. in Psychology. Copyright ©️ Transformation Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved...
2. Master Public Speaking to Become a Leader at Work. Speak Up!
Do you want to uplevel your public speaking skillset, especially in front of leadership?Do you feel like your body language or voice does not convey the authority of a leader? Do you feel like you are getting passed over for the promotion to leadership that you deserve due to your communication style?Are you looking for more executive presence in your speaking and presentations?When you do speak up, do you feel like you are not being heard or taken seriously as an authority with leadership potential? Hi! I'm Rebecca Martin and I'm an executive public speaking coach. If you answered yes to any of the above questions then this public speaking course is for you. After taking my course you will have the public speaking tools and experience to communicate yourself as confident and an authority in any high-stakes situations. You will find your authentic executive presence. Here's what sets this course apart from other public speaking courses: This course is structured intelligently for you to move quickly and go deep in your public speaking journey. Your time is valuable. This course is thoughtfully crafted to give you an intensive experience that will bring your communication to the next level. You'll start at the root of the problem in your public speaking by understanding what is getting in your way of achieving your communication potential, which most likely is fear and your inner critic. You'll learn to embrace your unique communication style so that when you do speak up, you will feel authentic and know how to deliver value that you believe in as a public speaker. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach, you can tailor these public speaking lessons to you. You'll learn how to assess yourself and choose the voice and body language techniques that help you to communicate with confidence and authority. Each lecture gives you actionable homework so that by the end of the course you'll have experienced a new relationship with communication and presentation. You will learn by doing the work of public speaking. Each lecture is crafted to deliver concentrated value and to support different learning styles. Whether you're a doer, a reader, or a listener, each lecture is accompanied by a PDF and MP4. If you are looking to bring yourself to the next level in your career, and you know you need a new public speaking skillset, it's important that you understand the tools that you have at your immediate disposal. This course is packed with accessible insights and actionable steps to bring your public speaking to the next level. Reviews of Rebecca Martin Coaching: Working with Rebecca was a fantastic experience that I would absolutely recommend to anyone trying to become more persuasive, effective, and comfortable in their professional and personal communication. She was patient and helpful throughout the process, and the tools she gave me have helped me in work and life. A+. Andrew W. This has really helped me grow as a person/professional. Having this under my belt, so to speak, has given me great confidence that I actually can speak in front of crowds and do so successfully without appearing nervous or rushing through the material just so I can sit down. Being able to do this opens up doors for me in my career that I have shied away from in trying to avoid public speaking. I may never totally enjoy public speaking but it no longer controls my life and my choices about my profession. It's a great feeling to no longer have this anxiety that would plague me for even the smallest presentations. Cathy D. I reached out to Rebecca to help me with my presentation insecurities. I wanted to be more comfortable when speaking in meetings at work, when presenting and sharing my perspective. She helped me gain confidence and taught me how to be calm and expressive when speaking in public. As a result, not only have I gained several presentation opportunities, but also I ended up getting promoted. Isn't this life changing? She is an exceptional coach. Alma M...