- 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
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- knowledge of maths
- the ability to use your initiative
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Your day-to-day tasks may include:
- groundworking - marking out and digging trenches for foundations and drains
- formworking - putting up panels that hold setting concrete in place
- steel fixing - bending and fixing bars used to reinforce concrete structures
- steel piling - joining steel sheets to form temporary retaining walls for excavations
- concreting - laying concrete for foundations, floors and beams
- road working - laying kerbs, paving and resurfacing
You'll also help tradespeople on site, like bricklayers, by keeping them supplied with materials and mortar.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work on a construction site.
Your working environment may be at height, outdoors in all weathers and physically demanding.
You could train on the job to become a qualified tradesperson or with experience, become a site supervisor, estimator or construction manager.
You can find out more about working in construction from Go Construct and House Building Careers.
