Construction Operatives

Job holders in this unit group operate insulating equipment, fix plasterboard to ceilings and walls, help construct, maintain, repair and demolish buildings and clean and resurface eroded stonework, lay, join and examine pipe sections for drainage, gas, water or similar piping systems, install lighting systems in roads, domestic and commercial settings and carry out a variety of other construction operative tasks.

Wages

New workers
AVERAGE
Experienced
£ 16,171
£ 26,120
£ 39,749

Available jobs

In the past year there were 68,790 vacancies for this type of job

Related courses

People work towards these careers by taking these courses at college and uni.

What they do most days?

  • Installs electrical lighting in streets, homes and business/manufacturing settings.

  • Tests joints with electronic test equipment or by filling piping with water, smoke or compressed air.

  • Joints pipe by sealing with rubber, cement, lead, etc., connects piping to manholes and attaches pipe junctions as required.

  • Selects appropriate asbestos, clay, concrete, plastic or metal pipe sections and lowers them into prepared trenches using hoisting equipment.

  • Cuts, shapes and fits wood, lays bricks and tiles, cleans exterior surfaces of buildings and resurfaces eroded stone or brickwork, and performs other tasks in the construction, alteration, repair and demolition of buildings.

  • Fills machine with insulating mixture, positions hose, drills access hole and fills cavities or coats surfaces to prevent loss or absorption of heat and provide fire protections.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Demolition

  • Construction

  • Asbestos Awareness

  • Carpentry

  • Machinery

  • Excavation

  • Manual Handling

  • Hand Tools

  • Power Tool Operation

  • Painting

Soft Skills

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Communication

  • Detail Oriented

  • English Language

  • Customer Service

  • Willingness To Learn

  • Strong Work Ethic

  • Teamwork

  • Management

  • Loading And Unloading

  • Enthusiasm

How do I get a job like this?

People in these types of job started their career paths after studying courses like the ones below.