jobfacts

Elementary construction occupations n.e.c.

SOC 2020 9129

Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of general labouring and construction duties to assist building, civil engineering and related trades workers in the performance of their tasks not elsewhere classified in minor group 912: Elementary construction occupations.

Also calledConstruction labourerConstruction operativeGroundworkerContractorForemanSurveyor's assistantand 203 more titles
Typical full-time pay£28,6002025 Provisional
People in the job92,000across the UK
New adverts a month2,800↓ 15%on last year · 65th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time elementary construction occupations n.e.c. earn between £24,700 and £34,400 a year.

What full-time elementary construction occupations n.e.c. earn, 2025
£28,600 typical£21,300lowest 10%£24,70025%£36,300top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£24,700–£34,400)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£21,300
Lowest 20% earn less than£23,800
25%£24,700
Median£28,600
75%£34,400
Top 20% earn more than£36,300
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Many (35%) of elementary construction occupations n.e.c. work for themselves. These pay figures only cover employees, so they may not reflect what self-employed elementary construction occupations n.e.c. earn.
Typical pay by regionUK median £28,600
London!£30,900
North East!£30,900
West Midlands!£30,400
East Midlands!£30,000
East of England!£29,500
Wales!£28,600
Scotland!£28,000
South West!£27,900
South East!£27,200
Yorkshire and The Humber!£26,400
North West!£25,900
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £28,600
London£30,900 (small sample)
North East£30,900 (small sample)
West Midlands£30,400 (small sample)
East Midlands£30,000 (small sample)
East of England£29,500 (small sample)
Wales£28,600 (small sample)
Scotland£28,000 (small sample)
South West£27,900 (small sample)
South East£27,200 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£26,400 (small sample)
North West£25,900 (small sample)
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £24,800
  • 2024 £26,500
  • 2025 Provisional£28,600
↑ 15% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 2,800 jobs for elementary construction occupations n.e.c. are advertised each month.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20262,895
Jul 20263,477
Jun 20262,651
May 20262,973
Apr 20262,794
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20262,503
Jan 20262,542
Dec 20251,077
Nov 20252,748
Oct 20253,303
Sept 20253,626
Aug 20253,553
Jul 20254,071
Jun 20253,691
May 20253,706
Apr 20253,022
Mar 20253,485
Feb 20253,480
Jan 20252,560
Dec 20241,376
Nov 20242,773
Oct 20243,839
Sept 20244,060
Aug 20244,209
Jul 20244,555
Jun 20243,837
May 20244,194
Apr 20243,350
Mar 20242,166
Feb 20242,155
Jan 20242,474
Dec 20231,338
Nov 20231,786
Oct 20231,905
Sept 20232,248
Aug 20232,800
Jul 20232,958
Jun 20235,090
May 20234,184
Apr 20233,632
Mar 20233,970
Feb 20233,738
Jan 20234,384
Dec 20223,021
Nov 20224,625
Oct 20225,119
Sept 20225,562
Aug 20225,489
Jul 20225,177
Jun 20225,184
May 20225,500
Apr 20224,250
Mar 20226,079
Feb 20225,166
Jan 20225,435
Dec 20213,528
Nov 20215,045
Oct 20215,248
Sept 20215,202
Aug 20214,772
Jul 20215,819
Jun 20215,075
May 20214,864
Apr 20214,607
Mar 20215,423
Feb 20213,216
Jan 20213,176
Dec 20202,371
Nov 20203,293
Oct 20204,274
Sept 20204,119
Aug 20204,144
Jul 20203,139
Jun 20202,072
May 20201,331
Apr 20201,467
Mar 20203,140
Feb 20203,878
Jan 20203,687
Dec 20192,393
Nov 20193,733
Oct 20194,442
Sept 20194,259
Aug 20194,817
Jul 20195,225
Jun 20194,248
May 20194,638
Apr 20193,022
Mar 20193,513
Feb 20193,232
Jan 20194,113
Dec 20182,010
Nov 20183,663
Oct 20184,620
Sept 20184,650
Aug 20184,713
Jul 20184,526
Jun 20184,782
May 20183,696
Apr 20183,499
Mar 20183,587
Feb 20183,213
Jan 20184,077
Dec 20172,229
Nov 20173,763
Oct 20174,551
Sept 20174,997
Aug 20175,558
Jul 20176,069
Jun 20176,209
May 20175,244
Apr 20174,531
Mar 20174,943
Feb 20173,564
Jan 20173,010
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
35%against 27% for all jobs
DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London646
North Yorkshire125
Bristol, City of123
Somerset100
Wiltshire95
Buckinghamshire89
Manchester82
Oxford82
Cornwall81
City of Edinburgh79
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where elementary construction occupations n.e.c. are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of elementary construction occupations n.e.c.
34%!
23%!
12%!
12%!
15%!
5.5%!
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
16–2434% (small sample)
25–3423% (small sample)
35–4412% (small sample)
45–5412% (small sample)
55–6415% (small sample)
65+5.5% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!11%
Higher education below degree!0.8%
A levels or equivalent26%
GCSEs or equivalent27%
Other qualifications17%
No qualifications14%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent11% (small sample)
Higher education below degree0.8% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent26%
GCSEs or equivalent27%
Other qualifications17%
No qualifications14%

Main employers: construction of residential and non-residential buildings (51%), other specialised construction activities nec (4.9%), electrical installation (3.2%), joinery installation (3.2%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
11%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
GCSEs or equivalent
held by 27%
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work
Self-employed
35%
of people in the job

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a college course in construction skills or construction operations.

Courses like these may help you when applying for jobs.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship with a construction firm.

Apprenticeship examples include:

  • groundworker
  • construction plant operative
  • piling attendant
  • road surfacing operative
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Apply directly

You can apply directly for jobs. There are no set requirements but it may help if you have:

  • construction site experience
  • knowledge of building materials
  • experience in a builder's merchants or yard

You may need your own safety boots, hard hat and hi-viz top, though some employers will supply these.

Registration and professional bodies

Registration
  • you'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site
Further information

You can find out more about working in construction from:

  • Go Construct
  • House Building Careers

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for construction labourer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • conveys blocks, bricks, stone, mortar, roofing, felt, slates, wood and other building materials to the work area
  • assists with the erection of ladders, scaffolding and work platforms, the rigging of cradles of hoisting equipment and the attaching of slings, hooks and guide ropes
  • mixes mortar, grouting material, cement screed, and plaster, prepares adhesive, primer and paints and similar construction material, and undertakes basic decorating, painting, plumbing and other maintenance and repair tasks
  • cleans equipment and tools, clears work area and otherwise assists building and woodworking trades workers as directed
  • performs general labouring tasks such as loading and delivering materials and equipment, removing wall coverings, and preparing surfaces by cleaning, sanding, filling, etc.
  • covers ceilings, floors, walls and exposed surfaces of boilers, pipes and plant with insulating material
  • heats and breaks up blocks of asphalt, bitumen or tar, stirs melting mixture, adds aggregate if required, pours mixture into buckets
  • measures and fixes timber and other structures to support excavations, cables or other rail, signal and telecoms equipment
  • maintains land drainage systems and prepares graves for burial
  • operates, cleans and lubricates valves and sluices, removes weeds, dead animals and other debris from waterways and carries out minor repairs to banks and footbridges
  • helps diver into and out of diving suit, maintains communication with submerged diver and checks equipment and time spent under water

Skills

  • apply finish to concrete
  • check compatibility of materials
  • dig soil mechanically
  • follow health and safety procedures in construction
  • inspect construction supplies
  • inspect masonry work
  • install construction profiles
  • install wood elements in structures
  • mix concrete
  • move soil
  • operate digging construction equipment
  • place drywall
  • pour concrete
  • prepare surface for painting

Knowledge

  • building construction principles
  • building materials industry
  • carpentry
  • construction industry
  • construction methods
  • demolition techniques

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for elementary trades and related occupations, a group of 8 jobs that includes elementary construction occupations n.e.c..
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 21%about 97,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 203556,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.