How to become a Paving and Surfacing Labourer

Performs routine tasks associated with laying bituminous and other paving materials on roads, runways, parking areas and other surfaces to be paved.

Main tasks

• Sweeps paving bases prior to laying asphalt and other surfaces
• Sprinkles and brushes hot and cold-mix asphalt over surfaces to be paved and repaired to bond asphalt toppings to bases
• Operates tank-truck distributors and hoses to spray tar and road oils and emulsions on graded surfaces prior to paving
• Trips tailgate levers to discharge hot-mix asphalt into paving machines, and spreads stone chips, gravel and cold-mix asphalt onto road surfaces
• Removes water and debris from potholes or damaged areas, and trims damaged surfaces before repair
• Shovels asphalt mix into areas inaccessible to paving machines and compacts mix using rakes and hand tampers
• Erects and dismantles barriers
• Loads and unloads equipment and cleans work sites
• May direct traffic

Ways in

• TAFE and VET: Certificate II in Construction (CPC20120); Certificate II in Bituminous Surfacing (RII20819); Certificate II in Landscaping (AHC21624); Certificate II in Resources and Infrastructure Work Preparation (RII20120)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $71,916 a year
• About 6,900 people work in this job group now, and about 6,900 are projected by 2035. (+0.5%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Steel Fixer
• Structural Steel Erector
• Plumber's Assistant
• Scaffolder
• Asbestos Removalist
• Builder's Labourer

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a Paving and Surfacing Labourer?

Ways in include: Certificate II in Construction; Certificate II in Bituminous Surfacing.

How much does a Paving and Surfacing Labourer earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $71,916 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Paving and Surfacing Labourer a growing career in Australia?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 6,900 people now and 6,900 later (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Paving and Surfacing Labourer?

Usually not. Only 2% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate II in Construction; Certificate II in Bituminous Surfacing.

Will AI change the work of a Paving and Surfacing Labourer?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04