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Construction plant mechanic

Construction plant mechanics service and repair heavy plant machinery like diggers, dumper trucks and cranes.

Annual Salary

£22,000 to £40,000

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

Working hours

38 to 44 a week

You could work: evenings / weekends; away from home

4.1%
Future employment

There will be 4.1% fewer Construction plant mechanic jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a construction plant mechanic, you'll:

  • service and repair plant equipment and machinery
  • inspect engines, gearboxes, electrics and hydraulics
  • identify problems using computerised diagnostic tools
  • dismantle parts to fix faults before reassembling them
  • use hand and power tools and other specialist equipment
  • carry out tests and safety checks before signing off jobs

Working environment

You may need to wear protective clothing.

You could work on a construction site or in a workshop.

Your working environment may be dirty, noisy, physically demanding and you may spend nights away from home.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
College

You could start by taking a course that will give you the skills you'll need to find a trainee job after you finish.

Courses include:

  • heavy vehicle maintenance
  • construction plant or machinery maintenance
  • mechanical engineering

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Construction Equipment Maintenance Mechanic Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.

This takes around 2 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and off-site study.

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 could apply for jobs directly if you have experience or qualifications in large goods vehicle (LGV) mechanics, or mechanical and electrical engineering maintenance.

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • have a full driving licence

More information

Further information

You'll find more details about how to become a construction plant mechanic from Go Construct.

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With experience, you could become a:construction plant technician; technical services representative; site supervisor or workshop manager

You could also set up your own business or train apprentices.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
  • problem-solving skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to analyse quality or performance
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • observation and recording skills
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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