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Civil engineering workers

How to become a Construction Labourer

Also called: Building labourer, Concrete worker, Riverbank works labourer, Landscaping labourer, Civil works labourer

Does detailed work that construction machines cannot handle and other tasks that are hard to mechanise on building and civil engineering sites.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualifications are needed to start. People come into the job in many ways: straight from junior high or high school, by changing from another industry, or as seasonal workers during the farming off-season. Before starting, for safety, workers are briefed on the work, company rules, site discipline and danger zones. Highly skilled tasks require qualifications suited to the work: driving light bulldozers or small cranes requires special training, and gas welding or slinging requires completing a set skills course. The work involves long stretches of standing, bending and simple, repetitive tasks, so stamina and endurance are needed. Much of it is done in teams, so cooperation is needed too. Some work settings can be dangerous, so you need to be attentive and focused to prevent accidents and work comfortably. Training for construction and civil works labourers, such as skills courses under the Industrial Safety and Health Act, is run by bodies such as the Japan Construction Occupational Safety and Health Association. New machines you have not used before may be brought onto your site, and you often work near machines as well as driving them, so you need some knowledge of how machines work. With an ordinary driving licence you can carry materials short distances (for example, around the site) in a small truck. With knowledge, experience and leadership, you can become a work leader (also called sewayaku), who directs work on the front line of the site. No qualification is required for promotion to work leader, though some people hold qualifications such as certified civil engineering construction manager, excavation and earth retaining support work chief, or slinging operator. Above all, a work leader needs the ability to manage work so it goes safely and smoothly, and the skills and leadership to train newer workers.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Construction Labourer?

No particular education or qualifications are needed to start. People come into the job in many ways: straight from junior high or high school, by changing from another industry, or as seasonal workers during the farming off-season. Before starting, for safety, workers are briefed on the work, company rules, site discipline and danger zones. Highly skilled tasks require qualifications suited to the work: driving light bulldozers or small cranes requires special training, and gas welding or slinging requires completing a set skills course. The work involves long stretches of standing, bending and simple, repetitive tasks, so stamina and endurance are needed. Much of it is done in teams, so cooperation is needed too. Some work settings can be dangerous, so you need to be attentive and focused to prevent accidents and work comfortably. Training for construction and civil works labourers, such as skills courses under the Industrial Safety and Health Act, is run by bodies such as the Japan Construction Occupational Safety and Health Association. New machines you have not used before may be brought onto your site, and you often work near machines as well as driving them, so you need some knowledge of how machines work. With an ordinary driving licence you can carry materials short distances (for example, around the site) in a small truck. With knowledge, experience and leadership, you can become a work leader (also called sewayaku), who directs work on the front line of the site. No qualification is required for promotion to work leader, though some people hold qualifications such as certified civil engineering construction manager, excavation and earth retaining support work chief, or slinging operator. Above all, a work leader needs the ability to manage work so it goes safely and smoothly, and the skills and leadership to train newer workers.

How much does a Construction Labourer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,352,100 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Civil engineering and railway track workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Construction Labourer?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 14% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Construction Labourer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026