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Construction labourer

Construction labourers work on practical tasks on construction sites from the start to the end of building projects.

Annual Salary

£17,000 to £32,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

42 to 44 a week

You could work: evenings / weekends; away from home

5.8%
Future employment

There will be 5.8% fewer Construction labourer jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

Your exact duties will depend on your area of work, for example you might:

  • do groundwork like marking out and digging trenches for foundations and drains
  • put up formwork panels to hold concrete in place as it sets
  • bend and fix bars to reinforce concrete structures
  • join steel sheets to form retaining walls for excavations - steel piling
  • lay concrete for foundations, floors and beams
  • set up roadworks, resurface highways and lay kerbs and paving
  • keep tradespeople on site supplied with materials, like bricks, mortar and timber

Working environment

You may need to wear protective clothing.

You could work on a construction site.

Your working environment may be at height and outdoors in all weathers.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
College

You could start by taking a college course like:

  • Level 1 Certificate in Construction Skills
  • Level 2 Certificate in Construction Operations

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • funding advice|https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/financial-help
  • search for courses|/find-a-course
Apprenticeship

Intermediate apprenticeships relevant to this role include:

  • groundworker
  • road surfacing operative
  • piling attendant

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Direct application

You can apply directly for jobs. There are no set requirements but it may help if you have:

  • construction site experience
  • knowledge of building materials
  • worked at a builder's merchants or yard

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • Some jobs involve using plant machinery, like excavators or dumper trucks. To do this, you'll need to be 18 or over and have a driving licence.
  • have a good level of fitness

More information

Further information

You can find out more about working in construction from:Go Construct; House Building Careers

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You could train on the job to be a qualified tradesperson or plant operator. You could also work in demolition.

With experience, you could become a site supervisor.

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Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of building and construction
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • the ability to work well with others
  • physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • physical fitness and endurance
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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