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Demolition operative

Demolition operatives dismantle buildings and structures, remove hazardous waste and identify reusable materials.

Annual Salary

£17,000 to £30,000

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 / bank holidays; away from home

5.8%
Future employment

There will be 5.8% fewer Demolition operative jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

In this job, you could:

  • put up guard rails, safety screens and lay dust sheets
  • strip out fittings, remove doors and windows and dismantle roofs
  • cut metal beams and girders into pieces ready for removal
  • operate a crane-mounted magnet to recover metals
  • separate reusable materials from waste
  • load rubble and debris into mechanical crushers
  • prepare sites for explosive demolition
  • operate plant machinery to demolish structures
  • dispose of hazardous materials, like asbestos, safely

Working environment

You may need to wear protective clothing.

You could work on a construction site.

Your working environment may be physically demanding.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly
College

You could do a college course to learn some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. You could then apply to a demolition company for a trainee position.

Relevant courses include:

  • Level 1 Certificate in Construction Skills
  • Level 2 Diploma 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
Apprenticeship

You could do a demolition operative intermediate apprenticeship.

Another option is to start on a groundworker or construction plant operative intermediate apprenticeship. Then you could move into demolition training when you have experience of working on site or with machinery.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
For more information
Work

You may be able to work as a site labourer, plant operator or construction tradesperson and complete on-the-job training in demolition.

Direct application

You can apply for jobs directly with demolition contractors if you're over 18 and have construction work experience. Some employers may ask for GCSEs or equivalent in maths, English and design and technology.

More information

Further information

You can find out more about working in demolition from Go Construct.

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With further training, you could specialise in a particular demolition method, for example the use of explosives.

With experience you could become a site supervisor, safety officer or move into contract management.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • concentration skills
  • knowledge of public safety and security
  • physical skills like lifting, bending and carrying
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
  • observation and recording skills
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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