Introduction To Labouring Jobs In Construction

If you are looking for part time jobs and you want to be working outdoors, doing hands on manual work, then labouring jobs could be ideal for you.

There are lots of different types of labouring jobs out there, including for those of you who are looking to work part time. For example, if you live in a rural area or close to a farm, part time farm labouring jobs might suit you. We’ve written about outdoor farm jobs in the past. For this article, however, we will concentrate on part time outdoor labouring jobs in the construction sector: how you become a labourer and what the main duties and responsibilities are.

If you think you might be interested in working outdoors in the construction sector doing part time labouring jobs, then read on to find out more so that you can decide if you are definitely cut out to do this type of role.

How Do I Become A Part Time Labourer?

Well, the good news is, if you are looking for part time work outdoors and you like the idea of being a construction labourer but you have no previous experience, you could still land yourself a role if you can demonstrate your enthusiasm. Labouring is an entry level job and an ideal way to get some work experience in the world of construction. Part time labouring jobs can be a good stepping stone if you are looking to build a future career in construction or they might also prove useful for getting back into the world of work after illness, a long period of unemployment or if you have family commitments, for example.

Outdoor jobs as a part time construction labourer could see you working for a variety of companies or organisations. You could work for:

• Part Time Labouring Jobs With Local Authorities: Local authorities often employ labourers either directly or as part of a team of contractors. Jobs could involve building new council-owned premises or maintaining existing buildings belonging to local councils. This could be schools, hospitals, care homes, clinics, council offices of various departments or park buildings and other amenities.

• Part Time Labouring Jobs With Utility Companies: Utility companies – electricity and gas suppliers for example – have their own engineering teams and labourers are needed to assist those engineers out in the field. Labouring jobs can be for maintenance purposes such as ongoing repairs, but it could also be for the construction of new facilities to improve services to customers. These types of outdoor labouring jobs could be temporary or permanent roles.

• Part Time Labouring Jobs With Building Companies: How many building companies are you aware of? You could probably brainstorm quite a few without doing any research. Part time, outdoor labouring jobs could also see you working for well known national, or even international, building companies. You could be a labourer for those with a trade working on brand new housing estates, industrial estate construction or even regeneration of a whole area of town. Labourers on construction sites like this can be working directly with plumbers, electricians, bricklayers or roofers, to name just a few. Part time labouring jobs with national building companies could see you working away from home, elsewhere in the UK, for periods of time.

• Local Construction Firms: If you are looking for entry level, part time labouring jobs on construction sites but you have commitments at home, you could also look for work with local construction companies. These types of companies might do work on private homes – building from scratch or building extensions, for example – or they could work as contractors for larger firms who are working in the area on a temporary basis.

• Sole Traders: If you have been out of work for a period of time or you are looking for your first part time job and you have no previous work experience, labouring jobs can be a good idea. You might still find some companies asking for experience of being on building sites, but working for a sole trader can be a good way to get your feet on the construction ladder. Perhaps you know someone locally or have friends or family members who would like an extra pair of hands. You can earn some extra cash and pick up lots of valuable skills along the way.

Part time labouring jobs, working outdoors on construction sites, are entry level jobs and, on many occasions, you might be able to get a role without previous experience. We’ve got tips for making sure you land that dream part time job.

What Are The Duties Of A Labourer?

Now you have some ideas about how you can become a part time labourer in construction, let’s take a look at some of the duties that would be expected of you whilst you are on site. Whatever type of site you are working on, as a labourer, someone will be responsible for you and you will usually be working under their instruction and guidance. On occasion, you could be working alone and also working as part of a team, depending on the size of the job.

Some of the bigger jobs you are working might include:

• Road Construction: Depending on who you are working for, part time construction labouring jobs could be working outdoors building and maintaining roads. If you are working on building a new housing estate, for example, you will be building roads and lining them with kerbs and pathways. You could be working with concrete, tarmac, paving stones and cobbles.
• Concreting: Part time labouring jobs could see you preparing and mixing concrete and, once you have more experience, laying and smoothing it onto foundations, floors of buildings, gardens and pathways, for example. You could also be dealing with the putting together of steel frames to retain the concrete.
• Groundworking: Construction labourers could also be required to mark out and dig holes for drainage construction, for the laying of foundations or laying cables.

General duties of a part time building labourer could also include:

• Mixing cement, both by hand and by machine, for the builders on the site.
• Unload and carry necessary tools and materials to the tradespeople you are labouring for on site.
• Take care of any materials that are delivered to the site. Part time labouring jobs mean you might have to unload these goods from delivery trucks and stack them safely in a designated area of the site.
• Construction labouring duties will also see you making sure the site is kept clean – and therefore safe for workers – whilst work is ongoing. This involves making sure tools and machinery and kept in safe places and the ground is regularly cleared of debris. It is also your job to make sure everything is cleared at the end of each working day and any tools that need to be taken away are carried back to the necessary vehicles.
• Depending on the size of the construction site you are working on, part time laboring jobs could see you working as part of a team to erect and dismantle steel scaffolding so that people can work safely.
• You might be required to move power tools around the site and, with training, use these power tools for breaking up concrete flooring or demolishing parts of buildings.
• Whatever duties you are carrying out, part time construction jobs as a labourer mean you will have to work within the safety guidelines of the site so you will need to make yourself familiar with them and adhere to them. This will include movement around the site and also the safe and correct use of necessary tools for the job you are working on.
• IT and Admin duties. Not all part time labouring jobs require you to be IT savvy but it could be beneficial to you if you have some basic IT skills. Some labouring jobs might require you to record stock, for example, and admin duties might be centred around filing invoices for building materials. Large construction companies usually have separate staff for this but if you are working for a sole trader or small firm, these are tasks you might carry out as a team.

Who Becomes A Labourer?

So, what type of person works outdoors doing part time labouring jobs in construction? Well, it’s certainly not a role that is going to suit everybody, that’s for sure, but there are those of you out there who could find this role really fulfilling and rewarding. If you want to do part time labouring jobs in construction, you will need to be the type of person who is:

• Physically fit – Right from the start of the shift to the end, part time labourers will be hands on, working hard around the site, lifting heavy tools and machinery and carrying equipment to different areas. Your part time labouring job could be a temporary role, working full time hours over a period of weeks so bear in mind that you could be lifting heavy goods on a daily basis.

• Not afraid of heights – If you have any fear of heights or climbing ladders, then working outdoors as a part time construction labourer is not for you. Some buildings are many storeys tall and you could find yourself working high up on the roof or working a few storeys up, erecting and deconstructing scaffolding. If you love taking in the views, on the other hand, from working on high, then this is one of the perks of outdoor labouring jobs.

• Willing to learn – As we said above, part time labouring jobs in construction are entry level roles and are a perfect stepping stone, if you want to develop a career in construction in the future. You must be willing to learn and listen to superiors as well as being able to familiarise yourself with learning new skills, using machinery and making basic calculations.
• Not afraid of varying weather conditions – Well, this is an article about working outdoors, after all, and we all know how unpredictable the weather in the UK can be, even in the summer months. Part time labouring jobs require you to work outside in the wind, rain sleet and snow as well as in the sunny times. Adverse weather can mean you have to down tools and either sit in the van all day, or not go to work at all.
• Willing to be flexible – Depending on the nature of the company, you could be working under different craftspeople for different jobs. You need to be able to adapt to this and pick up new skills. The construction industry needs people who can be flexible with their time because of weather (as mentioned above), working in different locations and also working in different environments. You could find yourself with periods of time where there is no labouring work available so you need to be organised with your money so that you have enough to see you through the lean periods.
• Willing to travel – Not everyone is in a position to travel around and you could find part time jobs as a labourer locally, on occasion. If you are willing to travel, there might be opportunity for part time work, working on a temporary basis. Depending on the distances involved, you might be working away from home for a few days or you could have early starts and late nights, too.

Where Do Part Time Labourers Work?

As you can see from reading this article, working outdoors as a part time labourer in construction can see you working on a whole variety of sites from private homes to huge projects such as new housing estates or national buildings. And, if you want to travel, part time labouring roles could mean you are working in many different areas of the United Kingdom where you could spend short periods away from home. It depends on the company you are working for and the type of construction work they undertake.

Entry Requirements And Future Progression For Labourers

If you work outdoors as a part time construction labourer, does this mean you are saddled with a dead end job? Absolutely not. There are many opportunities for those who want to develop a career in the construction industry and lots of people with trades starting out their own careers labouring for a tradesperson.

Part time labouring jobs can be ideal if you are looking for outdoor work where you can just earn an extra bit of cash but if you do want to progress, experience of construction sites can give you some pointers as to which direction you want to take your career in.

Young people, for example, might decide that, after a period of doing general labouring jobs on construction sites, to specialise in a particular field and begin an apprenticeship. This could be done with your current employer or another construction firm that offers those opportunities. If you have commitments that mean you can only work part time hours, apprenticeships can also be done on a part time basis, so this shouldn’t hold you back.

And if an apprenticeship isn’t for you, you could still do qualifications in various fields of construction so that you can progress in your own time. Again, you can dşscuss this with your employer.

UK Part Time Jobs advertises many different part time roles all across the United Kingdom so if you are looking for temporary roles or you want to work a few hours a week, you have come to the right place. Take a look at the part time opportunities currently on offer and you could soon be earning some extra funds.