John Gill Commentary 1 Kings 11:28

"And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labor of the house of Joseph." — 1 Kings 11:28 (ASV)

And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour
A man of great strength of body, and fortitude of mind:

and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious ;
in what he was set about in the above buildings and repairs:

he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph ;
the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, to be a prince or a deputy governor of them; or rather to collect the king's tax from them, or the revenues of that part of the country, see (22:29) .