5 Things to Expect When You Choose to be a Construction Labourer in NZ

Being a construction labourer in New Zealand has many rewards. First, physical labour is an intrinsic part of your profession, which means you’ll be getting much of the exercise you need to stay healthy without having to put as much effort in the gym as your regular white-collar mates. There’s also the fact that when you’re done with your work, you get a tangible sense of accomplishment and ownership as you gaze upon the project that you and your colleagues have completed.

Of course, pay in a construction position can be pretty good as well, ranging from NZD 20 to NZD 30 per hour depending on your skills and expertise. Combine all of this with the fact that no single workday will ever be a boring or monotonous one in front of a desk, and you’ve got a job that is truly worth striving for.

Before you dream of answering that advertisement for construction recruitment in Christchurch or anywhere else in the country, however, you need to be completely aware of what being a construction labourer entails. Here are some of the things to expect when you choose to work in New Zealand’s booming construction industry.

On the job training and certification

There are very few entry requirements in becoming a non-certified building and construction labourer in New Zealand. This is because you will be taught the skills required of labourers while working on the job. In order to be certified, however, you need to sign up with an industry training organisation or ITO, who can provide you on-the-job training as an apprentice and help you develop specific skills.

Apprenticeship can take anywhere from 2 to 4 years, depending on the specific trade that you want to train in. This can be for trades like carpentry, joinery, bricklaying, flooring, glazing, stonemasonry, working with concrete, and many more. At the end of your apprenticeship, you can earn National Certificates for the areas you are specialising in.

As for educational requirements when you are still in school, there are also no specific ones that you need to acquire first before you can apply for a construction job. However, background in some essentials may increase your chances of being accepted into a position. These include English, maths, mechanical technologies, workshop and design technologies, physical education, graphics, chemistry, physics, and others.

Stringent employer expectations

At the worksite, your employer will have several expectations of you as an employee, and one of these is for you to be very safety-conscious. After all, a construction site is no joke as it is full of potential hazards or dangers that you need to be careful of. These include dangerous heights, falling debris, sharp objects, caustic chemicals, heavy machinery, and so on. To be negligent or careless in such an environment could result in you or your co-workers incurring a grievous or even career-ending injury.

Some other important expectations that you need to meet include:

• Being able to follow instructions accurately and promptly
• Being highly observant and meticulous, especially with small details
• Being able to work with a diverse range of people
• Being very particular in cleaning and caring for equipment
• Having an understanding of basic construction processes and terminologies
• Having knowledge of typical worksite safety rules.

You can read up or study on these more as you are preparing your application.

Physically demanding tasks and chores

As a construction labourer, you will be made to carry out certain tasks related to the construction, repair, and maintenance of structures. These tasks include—but are not limited to—the following:

• Put up scaffolding to aid building construction
• Contribute to demolition efforts
• Level uneven ground into flat and easily manageable terrain
• Dig trenches in order to lay plumbing pipes, cables, and other utility components
• Mix, pour, and apply concrete for construction purposes
• Carry out finishing work for a completed and polished look
• Operate construction equipment such as backhoes, concrete breakers, bulldozers, and more
• Move equipment and the raw materials involved in the current construction project
• Assist in cleaning up the worksite when the work is done

Obviously, all of these tasks involve a lot of repetitive motions, lifting, and moving around, so you can expect to be completely tired or exhausted after the end of every shift. As such, you must make sure to do what is necessary to avoid musculoskeletal injuries and other types of injuries.

Challenging work conditions

Construction workers also often work outdoors, so expect to be exposed to the elements during the course of your shift. Your working environment may also prove to be hazardous to your safety and health, as well as full of distractions such as noise pollution, debris, dirt, and grime. You should therefore be prepared to endure all of this and still be able to work efficiently and competently.

Finally, you can expect to work a typical 8-hour shift every day that you’re on the job. However you may also be asked to work during weekends.

Being a construction labourer can be challenging, even if you’re used to arduous physical chores or activities. However, if you believe that you can endure and even enjoy the things listed above, then you can—most likely—expect a difficult but ultimately rewarding career in the construction industry.