How to become a Groundworker
Official title: Groundworkers
Also called: Groundworker, Pipe tester, Drain tester, Trench digger, Ground worker, Drainage worker, Drainage contractor
Groundworkers prepare construction sites for building work by digging out and levelling the ground and laying concrete foundations, installing pipes and drainage and building paths, roads and driveways.
Main tasks
- Mark out site area set up the construction site
- Prepares site and lays concrete for shallow foundations and fabricates steel cages
- Installs drainage and pipes and redirects waterways away from site
- Builds paths, roads, kerbs and footpaths, using flagstones, paving and tarmac
How to become one
No academic qualifications are required. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Vocational qualifications in Ground Works Operations at level 2 and apprenticeships are available.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Groundworker (level 2). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0513.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £37,925 a year The middle half earn £31,416 to £44,540.
- About 39,700 people work in this job now, and about 37,500 are projected by 2035. (-5.5%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Groundworker?
No academic qualifications are required. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Vocational qualifications in Ground Works Operations at level 2 and apprenticeships are available.
How much does a Groundworker earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £37,925 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £31,416 to £44,540.
Is a Groundworker a growing career in the UK?
Employment is projected to fall 5% by 2035, from about 39,700 to about 37,500 people (Department for Education).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03