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- Prepare building and civil engineering sites and carry out manual jobs once work starts
- Option to progress to site supervision, estimating and construction management
- Your working environment may be at height, outdoors in all weathers and physically demanding.
"At the start of a job as a Construction labourer, you'll help to prepare the site by putting up huts, unloading and storing building materials, and setting up ladders and scaffolding. Much of this will be hard physical work. Once work gets underway, your day-to-day tasks may include: groundworking (marking out and digging shallow trenches for foundations and drains), formworking (putting up panels that hold setting concrete in place), steel fixing (bending and fixing the bars used to reinforce concrete structures), steel piling (joining steel sheets to form temporary retaining walls for excavations), concreting (layering and smoothing concrete for foundations, floors and beams), or road working (concreting, laying kerbs, paving and resurfacing).
You'll use various hand, power, and machine tools. With further training, you may operate construction plant equipment like dumper trucks and excavators.
Overtime and various allowances may increase your income. Self-employed labourers set their own rates. Overtime at weekends and evenings may be required to meet deadlines. Seasonal work is common and overnight stays may be necessary. You'll wear protective clothing and work mostly outdoors in all weather. The work often involves carrying heavy loads.
You could train on the job to become a qualified tradesperson or with experience, become a site supervisor, estimator or construction manager.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Preparing the site by putting up huts
- Unloading and storing building materials
- Setting up ladders and scaffolding
- Groundworking (marking out and digging shallow trenches for foundations and drains)
- Formworking (putting up panels that hold setting concrete in place)
- Steel fixing (bending and fixing the bars used to reinforce concrete structures)
- Steel piling (joining steel sheets to form temporary retaining walls for excavations)
- Concreting (layering and smoothing concrete for foundations, floors and beams)
- Road working (concreting, laying kerbs, paving and resurfacing)
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
Much of your work will be hard physical work, and you'll use various hand, power, and machine tools.
Overtime and various allowances may increase your income. Self-employed labourers set their own rates. Overtime at weekends and evenings may be required to meet deadlines. Seasonal work is common and overnight stays may be necessary. You'll wear protective clothing and work mostly outdoors in all weather. The work often involves carrying heavy loads.
You'll need
This role requires you to be physically fit, thorough and pay attention to detail and have the ability to work well with your hands.
You can apply directly for jobs as there are no set requirements, though it will be helpful if you've got on-site experience.
To work with plant machinery like excavators or dumper trucks, you'll need to be 18 or over and have a driving licence.
You'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site.
College courses in building or construction skills could give you some of the skills you'll need, or you may be able to get into this career through a groundworker or construction operations intermediate apprenticeship.
CAREER PROSPECTS
You could train on the job to become a qualified tradesperson or with experience, become a site supervisor, estimator or construction manager.
With further training, you may operate construction plant equipment like dumper trucks and excavators.