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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Groundworker

💰 Competitive & Based on Experience

ConstructionSkilled TradesCivil Engineering

🎯 Role Definition

A Groundworker is a skilled construction professional responsible for the initial and foundational stages of a building project. They prepare the ground for construction, installing vital infrastructure like drainage and utilities, and creating substructures such as foundations and floor slabs. This role is physically demanding and requires a broad range of practical skills, from excavation and concreting to paving and finishing. Groundworkers are the backbone of the construction site, ensuring the project starts on a solid and well-prepared footing, adhering to strict safety standards and engineering specifications.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • General Construction Labourer
  • Groundworks Apprentice
  • Construction Site Operative

Advancement To:

  • Site Foreman / Supervisor
  • Ganger / Team Leader
  • Skilled Plant Operator (e.g., 360 Excavator Operator)

Lateral Moves:

  • Specialist Pipelayer
  • Specialist Concrete Finisher

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Performing deep excavation and creating trenches for foundations, drainage systems, and utility services, ensuring all work complies with safety regulations for shoring and trench support.
  • Installing, testing, and connecting various types of drainage systems, including foul and storm water pipes, manholes, and soakaways, to precise gradients and levels.
  • Accurately setting out works from engineer's drawings and specifications, using tools such as laser levels, dumpy levels, and string lines to establish correct positioning and elevations.
  • Laying kerbs, edgings, and channels to form roads, footpaths, and car parks, ensuring they are correctly aligned, bedded, and haunched with concrete.
  • Executing all aspects of concreting, including preparing formwork/shuttering, placing reinforcement steel, and pouring, levelling, and finishing concrete for foundations, slabs, and other structures.
  • Conducting reinstatement of excavated areas by backfilling with appropriate materials in layers, compacting each layer using rollers or whacker plates to achieve specified density.
  • Preparing and laying sub-bases using crushed stone or other aggregates, ensuring they are evenly spread and compacted to form a stable base for paving, roads, or floor slabs.
  • Laying various types of surfacing, including block paving, paving slabs, and tarmac, to create durable and aesthetically pleasing driveways, patios, and pedestrian areas.
  • Safely operating a range of small plant and equipment, such as forward-tipping dumpers, ride-on rollers, and compact excavators, while holding the relevant competency tickets (CPCS/NPORS).
  • Reading, interpreting, and working from technical construction drawings, site plans, and specifications to ensure all groundworks are completed as per the project design.
  • Assisting with the installation of substructure blockwork and brickwork up to the damp-proof course (DPC) level.
  • Carrying out site clearance, including the removal of topsoil, vegetation, and existing obstructions to prepare the area for new construction activities.
  • Building manholes, inspection chambers, and catch pits using precast concrete rings or brickwork, ensuring they are watertight and correctly positioned within the drainage network.
  • Applying various finishing techniques, such as trowelling, floating, and power floating, to achieve the required surface finish on concrete slabs and structures.
  • Maintaining a strict adherence to all on-site health, safety, and environmental policies, participating in daily briefings and reporting any hazards or incidents immediately.
  • Managing and organising construction materials on-site, ensuring they are stored safely and waste is minimised through efficient use and planning.
  • Collaborating effectively with site management, engineers, and other trades to ensure smooth workflow and coordination of construction activities.
  • Identifying and installing appropriate trench support systems, such as trench boxes or sheeting, to prevent collapse and ensure a safe working environment in excavations.
  • Performing hand-digging duties around live underground services, utilising cable avoidance tools (CAT & Genny) to prevent service strikes and ensure personal safety.
  • Conducting daily pre-use checks on all tools and equipment, reporting any defects or maintenance requirements to the site supervisor to ensure operational readiness and safety.
  • Breaking out existing concrete, tarmac, and other hard standings using breakers and other demolition tools as part of site preparation or remedial works.
  • Installing service ducts and drawing pits for utilities such as electricity, water, gas, and telecommunications, ensuring correct depth and protection is applied.

Secondary Functions

  • No secondary functions defined for this role.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Deep and shallow drainage installation techniques.
  • Kerb, flag, and block paving laying to a high standard.
  • Concreting, including shuttering, reinforcement, and finishing.
  • Competence in reading and interpreting engineering drawings and setting out plans.
  • Certified operation of plant machinery (e.g., Dumper, Roller, Excavator below 10 tonnes).
  • Trenching and installation of shoring/support systems.
  • Reinstatement of various surfaces, including granular fill, tarmac, and topsoil.
  • Proficient use of hand tools, power tools, and levelling equipment (laser, dumpy level).

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional health and safety awareness and a proactive approach to safe working.
  • Strong physical stamina and the ability to work in all weather conditions.
  • Excellent teamwork and communication skills to coordinate with the site team.
  • Problem-solving ability to overcome on-site challenges and unforeseen issues.
  • A high degree of attention to detail and a commitment to quality workmanship.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

A good standard of general education. Possession of a valid CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card is essential.

Preferred Education:

NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Construction Operations and Civil Engineering Services (Groundworks).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Construction Operations
  • Civil Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

A minimum of 2-3 years of proven experience working as a Groundworker on commercial, residential, or civil engineering projects.

Preferred:

A comprehensive portfolio of experience covering all key aspects of groundworks, from drainage and foundations to finishing. Possession of specific plant tickets such as CPCS or NPORS for dumper and roller is highly advantageous. Experience with street works (NRSWA ticket) is also a significant plus.

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