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<b>Hot Job</b></br> Work by estimator Bill Fisher helped EllisDon Corp. win the contract to build a new hospital in Oakville, Ont. In his job, Mr. Fisher estimates the cost of constructing a building in order for the company to win the bid and keep costs low. He is in high demand.</br></br> In this picture, Sammy Ayoub, a senior project director with EllisDon Corp., stands at the site before construction began.Tim Fraser/The Globe and Mail

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<b>The Employer</b></br> EllisDon chief executive officer Geoff Smith says few people are aware that construction estimating is a hot job with long-term career prospects. But it’s not got as high a profile as some other jobs in the field.</br></br> Mr. Smith says when there’s a job available, it’s often the candidate interviewing EllisDon and the company waiting anxiously to hear if it was successful.Jupiterimages

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<b>The Estimator</b></br> Bill Fisher, an estimator for EllisDon, keeps close to the Oakville, Ont. site of its new hospital, a contract he helped his company win. </br></br> Mr. Fisher earned a construction management degree at Fanshawe College in London, Ont. and then learned on the job with a mentor. It’s a complex role with a steeper and longer learning curve, he says, but it’s a really rewarding job.Kevin Van Paassen/The Globe and Mail

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<b>The Education</b></br> Estimators can get the job with a college or university degree. Co-op placements are beneficial to candidates and they’re highly sought after because they have on-the-job training as well as the right education. </br></br> Many companies will give employees training in order to keep their best talent.

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