Being a Labourer | Increase Your Salary and Job Opportunities

Labourer Meaning

 

A labourer is somebody who works with manual labour jobs, such as within construction industry, bricklaying or scaffolding, for example. Other examples includer plumbers, electricians and carpenters. Labourers generally work outside and are no stranger to heavy equipment, tools and long days. That being said, many labourers attract a rewarding salary with experience and hard work. Whether you choose to be a self-employed labourer or through an agency, you’ll need to build up a good reputation to gain customers in a fiercely competitive industry. Gaining extra qualifications and memberships is a great way to show your competence and commitment to your role.

Labourer Jobs

 

Finding jobs as a labourer is often fairly easy, but sometimes they are not the jobs you are looking for. By using the tips laid out in this article you can discover many more job opportunities in your area and possibly beyond. With the construction industry constantly evolving and technology ever-changing, it’s important to try and stay as up-to-date with your knowledge as you can. Many start as a labourer after completing an apprenticeship as a groundworker as this gives on-the-job skills and you learn as you go.

It is possible to take a college course before becoming a labourer, but an apprenticeship is the favoured choice as it provides a more practical approach to learning and you can gain experience from somebody who has expertise in the industry.

Duties of a Labourer

 

Your duties as a labourer will differ, depending on your profession. More likely than not, labourers will use dangerous machinery, it is down to each individual to be properly training to use the equipment. This is an important factor during labouring work. It’s important to be in control of your tools and know how to use, store and clean them adequately. This will minimise risk to yourself, your co-workers or members of the public. As a labourer you’ll also need a critical-eye and a strong work ethic.

Labouring jobs are often very physical and you’ll need to be physically fit in order to lift and construct heavy objects. A labourer needs a great attention to detail and patience. Often, labouring work requires a precise and accurate work to ensure the best possible quality. This is extremely important as satisfaction from the customer is important for repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Construction Industry

 

Being a labourer in the construction industry is an ever changing and dynamic job. You’ll need enthusiasm and patience to deal with often long hours. The satisfaction of working in construction is usually high, following a project from start to completion and usually feeling a sense of pride at the end of it all. Most importantly, following health and safety regulations and keeping workforces and public safe should be your priority at all times. With a CSCS Labourer Card you will be tested extensively on the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test. This is a crucial foundation of knowledge which should be followed at all times within any construction role. There are

Labourer Salaries

 

Salaries can vary from labourer to labourer. It really depends on the field you have specialised in. A new starter just finishing an apprenticeship can expect anywhere from £14,000 upwards. More experience means a higher salary; some experienced labourers can be earning around £30,000. Having extra skills and qualifications will help you gain higher-paying jobs and builds your reputation within the industry.

Each job will have differing salaries, for example experienced electricians may earn upwards of £34,000, but start-up electricians will earn less. By constantly growing your knowledge bank and experience, you can expect rising salaries as you gain expertise in the field. This is not something that will happen overnight, you’ll always need to be determined to better yourself. There’s a tough competition in labouring sectors, as firms will always be fighting for business. Becoming a member of CIOB is one way you can put yourself above your competition.

How to Up Your Game as a Labourer

 

As a labourer, you should always be striving to produce your customers and the industry the best quality work you can. This alone will be constantly teaching you new skills and perfecting old ones. Being a professional and quality labourer in your trade can earn you repeat and loyal customers.

There is constantly ways that you can be developing your career, some ways are easier and some are more time-consuming than others. All in all, it is so worth investing in your career in order to make the most of your skills and increase your expertise and salary along the way.  It is important to always seek development, not just your professional life, but personally also. Gaining new skills is exciting and it helps you to be the best tradesperson you can be.

CSCS Labourer Card

 

If you will be frequently working on a construction site, you will find it essential to apply for a CSCS Labourer Card. The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), is a body awarding coloured cards based on your skills level. A labourer card is a green card which demonstrates your skills as an adequately trained tradesperson. The main purpose of the CSCS Labourer Card, or any CSCS card, is to show your understanding of Health and Safety procedures and your commitment to the role.

These cards show an essential benchmark of knowledge and that you can appropriately perform your job. If you already have a card or want to know more, check out our CSCS Card Checker, here.

Taking Online Courses

 

Taking online courses is an excellent way to develop your knowledge in a particular subject. As a labourer, you may think online courses are of little use to you, and they won’t be relevant to your subject field. This is not the case. At the College of Contract Management, we focus mainly on courses in the construction industry. We have courses accredited by top organisations in the industry, such as the CIOB, RICS and ICES. It’s never been a better time to develop your labouring career into something much more diverse and rewarding. Taking a course online means you can continue in your job or apprenticeship while learning new skills along the way.

Who are the CIOB?

 

The CIOB, or, Charted Institute of Building, is an awarding body within the construction industry which provides courses and qualifications. These qualifications are regarded highly in the industry and anybody with a CIOB course under their belt is showing their future employers their adequate skills knowledge and expertise.

The CIOB operates worldwide and is therefore very well-recognised. You’ll have many opportunities around the world to find employment when accredited by the CIOB. Their courses promote quality and competence within candidates and those successful will excel above their competition. It is worth looking into CIOB courses or looking at becoming a member. The College of Contract Management offers both.

CIOB Diploma in Site Supervisory

 

At the College of Contract Management, we offer a course accredited by the CIOB called CIOB Level 3 Diploma in Site Supervisory. Throughout the course, you’ll learn all about Site Supervisory and how to safely run and oversee a construction site. In order to be eligible to apply for this course, you must have two years of experience within the construction industry, a Level 2 NVQ qualification, or a minimum of 60 UCAS points. The course will provide you with the confidence you need to supervise and oversee a site.

By taking this course, it will also give you the opportunity to progress to the CIOB Level 4 Certificate and Diploma in Site Management. Furthermore, this management course will make you a full qualified manager and eligible to apply for the CSCS Black card (this is a highly-regarded managerial card).

CIOB Chartered Membership Programme

 

The College of Contract Management also offers a CIOB Chartered Membership Programme. This is for those who are seeking Membership of the CIOB to become MCIOB. This post-nominal accreditation shows employers that you have undertaken extensive assessments to prove your competence and understanding in the industry. This membership will give you all the guidance you need in order to progress as an MCIOB. Becoming an MCIOB involves completing the membership programme and the Professional Review.

The Professional Review is a complete assessment of your competence within the industry and will test your understanding of procedures and regulations with examples of your own experiences. Many find this part daunting, but our Chartered Membership Programme and Professional Review Coaching courses will give you all the help you need to succeed.

CPD Hours

 

Being a member of the CIOB, or other professional bodies, will mean undertaking yearly CPD hours. As a labourer in the construction industry, it is important to keep your knowledge topped-up and relevant. This requires completing several CPD hours each year. You can do this in many ways, online courses, such as the College of Contract Management’s Health, Safety and CDM Regulations course will give you 10 formal CPD hours.

Using this time to really develop and refine your skills is an excellent opportunity to learn new things and transfer them to your professional career. They are most important in today’s world as well, due to constantly evolving technologies and equipment. It is important to stay informed with new techniques, equipment and laws.

Benefits of Online Courses

 

By taking a course online, you can indulge in all the benefits of at-home study. All you need to complete our online courses is a computer and in internet connection. You can interact with our industry expert lecturers each week during your weekly lecture. Feel free to ask questions in real time or through message chat. Also, you can also save money by taking a course online, as the fees are often much lower than traditional courses, and you won’t have any travel expenses as you can study from home.

Why the College of Contract Management?

 

Most importantly, here at the College of Contract Management we pride ourselves on our quality courses and innovative delivery methods. We provide a convenient timetable around standard working hours, meaning you can continue to work while studying. Many of our courses are accredited by well-known institutions in the industry. By taking these accredited courses you are showing that you have quality assured knowledge and understand health and safety regulations. To summarise, our courses are affordable and can be studied around your schedule.

Study in Your Free Time

 

Many of those working as a labourer simply can’t take time off to study a course at a college or university to develop their career. This is where the wonder of online courses allow you to study in your free time. While many online courses provide pre-recorded stale and sometimes outdated content. On the other hand, at the College of Contract Management, we deliver lecturers live online every week for you to enjoy. If you can’t make the live sessions, you can catch up when you’re available as they are all recorded for your convenience.

Career Pathways

 

Choosing a career as a labourer is often not that easy. It depends which field you want to specialise in, as the term labourer is quite vague. If you know which speciality and role you want to go into, you investigate all the relevant qualifications, licenses and skills you need. By choosing an online course you can streamline your course into a supervisory or managerial role, or you can simply use our courses to help gain your membership to the CIOB.

Regardless, live online courses are an excellent way to gain knowledge from experts and develop your professional skills and qualifications. Furthermore, all of these achievements will look excellent on your CV and will help your career opportunities.