Jobs in the construction industry that don’t require formal qualifications

The construction industry offers employment opportunities to people of all skill levels, from those just starting out to very senior managers and professionals. While many of the jobs available will require some level of training or qualification, there are also numerous jobs that are accessible without qualifications.

You might see these types of jobs referred to as ‘unskilled’, however this doesn’t mean to say that the person doing it doesn’t have any skills. It simply means that the job typically does not require a formal qualification.

Entry-level job titles

Job titles that you might see advertised which fall into this category might include ‘worker’, ‘helper’ or ‘labourer’. These jobs offer a good opportunity for those getting started to see what working in construction might be like, and to gain valuable experience for future employment. These jobs are the quickest routes into construction, as they do not require qualifications.

All of these jobs will require manual labour so they are physically demanding, but they provide a supporting role for other jobs on the construction site. It is therefore important that a person in these roles is able to clearly follow instructions and be aware of potential risks and hazards.

Responsibilities range widely but often include cleaning sites, carrying materials, loading and unloading. In time you may also get to undertake other tasks that include the use of machinery, with supervision and training.

Health & safety training

It may not surprise you to learn that all construction jobs will require a basic level of understanding of health and safety. Sometimes employers will expect you to have this before you start the job, and others will provide this as part of your induction or training. One example is the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) health, safety and environment test.

When investigating construction jobs, you might also see reference to card schemes, construction skills cards or similar. You can explore what a card scheme is by looking at the drop-down menus on the CITB website.