Groundworker
Careers Explorer:
Creatives who take design specs to prepare a construction site ready for structural building works to take place.
Overview
One of the best jobs for a start to a career in construction, and anyone who enjoys working outdoors
As a Groundworker (aka Labourer), you are the first tradesperson onto a construction and civil engineering site and work closely with supervisors and engineers in ensuring structural building work is ready to take place.
You are a Jack (or Jill) of all trades and will continue your work throughout the construction phase, working with all onsite construction trades, such as bricklayers and plant operatives, up to and including the final completion activities of the project.
In this role, your work will include setting out and preparing the sub-surfaces ready for the structural work to begin, installing drainage systems, concreting, constructing roads and pathways, and carrying out the finished hard landscaping.
You’ll be able to juggle role, transferring between heavy construction and civil engineering sites as well as house building, commercial building and general building sites.
Top 5 Tasks
- Work alongside skilled tradespeople, helping with every aspect of the building process.
- Juggle various roles
- Follow all safety procedures
- Mixing and pouring concrete to make foundations, beams or floors
- Operating hand machinery.
Salary
A Groundworker starting out will typically earn around £15,000 and those at a more senior and experienced level will earn much more, approximately £30,000.
Salaries typically range depending on location, employer and overtime.
Am I Suited?
- Friendly
- Planner
- Flexible
- Creative
- Hands-on
Many Construction Managers and other construction professionals started their careers as apprentices.
Qualifications
Groundworkers can either accept their posts by becoming fully qualified or by proving their experience through time served with existing contractors, construction companies, or other recognised and registered trades.
Employers take on many apprentice trained Groundworkers or take extension courses such as the Groundworking NVQ or equivalent City and Guilds qualifications.
For those without suitable construction references, they will be able to use a valid CSCS or CPCS skills card in their place. While these sorts of skills cards are necessary for most sites, some workers may be permitted on site at the contractor’s liability and personal discretion by holding a temporary General Operative Green Card, which is issued directly by the site foreman.
