Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
The short answer
This job is less likely to change much. Most of the work is the kind AI can't help with. In New York State, the number of these jobs is expected to shrink over the next decade, with about 153 openings expected each year.
Where your job stands
Compared with other New York jobs, this one is in the least exposed fifth for how much AI could touch it. Most of what it involves isn't the kind of work AI can take over.
How much AI could touch this job
Looking at the job itself, AI could help with a small part of this job's tasks.
What this means
Compared with other New York jobs, this one is in the least exposed fifth, out of 656 jobs we could rank. Read more in the methodology.
What AI can and can’t help with in this job
This job is in the least exposed fifth of New York jobs for AI exposure. The tasks below show why: most of what it involves is work AI can't simply take over.
AI can help with or automate about 10% of the tasks in this job.
Tasks AI can help with or automate
Read blueprints, and select appropriate insulation, based on space characteristics and the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material.
AI could help, but needs extra software
Tasks AI can't do much of
Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, power saws, knives, or scissors.
AI is unlikely to speed this up
Fit, wrap, staple, or glue insulating materials to structures or surfaces, using hand tools or wires.
AI is unlikely to speed this up
Cover and line structures with blown or rolled forms of materials to insulate against cold, heat, or moisture, using saws, knives, rasps, trowels, blowers, or other tools and implements.
AI is unlikely to speed this up
Distribute insulating materials evenly into small spaces within floors, ceilings, or walls, using blowers and hose attachments, or cement mortars.
AI is unlikely to speed this up
Move controls, buttons, or levers to start blowers and regulate flow of materials through nozzles.
AI is unlikely to speed this up
Jobs you could switch to
If you're thinking about a change, these are jobs your experience already fits—related work you could move into. Pick your area to see local options.
See related jobs in
The closest matches by the skills they use—each has projected openings in New York State, pays within reach of your job now, and is no more exposed to AI than your job. Each card shows what the move would take.
Insulation Workers, Mechanical
Very similar workabout the same pay110 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about the same—$60,716 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
A step up—usually requires a high school diploma or equivalent, plus apprenticeship.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Extent Flexibility
- Mechanical
- Manual Dexterity
New skills to build
- Education and Training
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
Very similar work+4% pay95 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 4% more—$63,024 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus moderate-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Extent Flexibility
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Mechanical
- Manual Dexterity
New skills to build
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Customer and Personal Service
Tile and Stone Setters
Very similar work+4% pay267 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 4% more—$62,915 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus long-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Extent Flexibility
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Multilimb Coordination
- Visualization
New skills to build
- Mathematics
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
Very similar work+4% pay277 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 4% more—$62,936 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus moderate-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Extent Flexibility
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Manual Dexterity
- Gross Body Equilibrium
New skills to build
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
Plasterers and Stucco Masons
Very similar work+103% pay80 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 103% more—$123,437 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus long-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Extent Flexibility
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Manual Dexterity
- Multilimb Coordination
New skills to build
- Design
Roofers
Similar work+12% pay424 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 12% more—$67,802 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus moderate-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Extent Flexibility
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Manual Dexterity
- Multilimb Coordination
New skills to build
- Education and Training
- Coordination
- Gross Body Equilibrium
- Design
- Customer and Personal Service
Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Similar work+43% pay245 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 43% more—$86,702 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
A step up—usually requires a high school diploma or equivalent, plus apprenticeship.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Extent Flexibility
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Multilimb Coordination
- Manual Dexterity
New skills to build
- Engineering and Technology
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
- Static Strength
- Public Safety and Security
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Similar work+31% pay3,557 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 31% more—$79,594 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
A step up—usually requires a high school diploma or equivalent, plus apprenticeship.
Getting ready typically takes one to two years.
Skills you already have
- Building and Construction
- Extent Flexibility
- Manual Dexterity
- Trunk Strength
- Mechanical
New skills to build
- Engineering and Technology
- Installation
- Design
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
Similar work+5% pay74 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 5% more—$63,700 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus short-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Building and Construction
- Extent Flexibility
- Trunk Strength
- Multilimb Coordination
- Mechanical
New skills to build
- Wrist-Finger Speed
- Static Strength
Construction Laborers
Similar workslightly less pay6,031 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays slightly less—$57,446 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus short-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Manual Dexterity
- Multilimb Coordination
- Mechanical
New skills to build
- Static Strength
- Public Safety and Security
Sheet Metal Workers
Somewhat similar work+25% pay471 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 25% more—$75,758 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
A step up—usually requires a high school diploma or equivalent, plus apprenticeship.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Building and Construction
- Multilimb Coordination
- Manual Dexterity
- Mechanical
- Control Precision
New skills to build
- Mathematics
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
- Installation
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
Somewhat similar work+8% pay608 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 8% more—$65,776 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus moderate-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Extent Flexibility
- Building and Construction
- Trunk Strength
- Multilimb Coordination
- Manual Dexterity
Your current skills largely cover this move.
Pipelayers
Somewhat similar work+19% pay26 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job nowPays about 19% more—$72,282 vs your $60,702 here.
What the move takes
Usually requires no formal educational credential, plus short-term on-the-job training.
Getting ready typically takes up to about a year.
Skills you already have
- Building and Construction
- Mechanical
- Control Precision
- Trunk Strength
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
New skills to build
- Installation
- Engineering and Technology