Groundworker apprenticeship

Summary

We are offering an exciting opportunity for mature, hardworking individuals to join our production teams across the country as a groundwork apprentice. This is a great chance to build your knowledge and experience in a sought-after trade, learning fundamental practical skills whilst gaining valuable work experience and life lessons.

Wage

Competitive

Competitive wage offered

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Groundworker (level 2)

Hours

You will be working on a construction site Monday to Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm with two half hour breaks.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 22 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

2

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

Groundworkers are the first contractors to begin work on a construction site. They work closely with all construction trades, such as bricklayers, and plant operatives, to prepare the site ready for building works to begin.

You will receive a site safety briefing and a schedule of work for the day and be expected to work as part of a team to complete tasks set for that project.

You will undertake a variety of tasks such as:

Foundations, hard landscaping and earth works
Concreting
Traditional drainage and pipe laying
Benching, channelling manholes and gullies
Road works, laying kerbs, paving
Surfacing and tarmac laying
Utility ducting and laying
Use of plant/machinery
Steel fixing and piling

In order to work on site you will be required to sit a Health and Safety Operative test to gain your CSCS card.

Where you’ll work

MARK HANDFORD HOUSE
960-962 YARDLEY WOOD ROAD
BIRMINGHAM
B14 4BT

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

SALUTEM LIMITED

Your training course

Groundworker (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Work safely and securely in compliance with given information, organisational policies and procedures, and current health, safety and welfare legislation including following the procedures for working in contaminated ground
Conform with productive working practices and completing the work in accordance with the programme of work
Interpret and follow verbal and written work instructions from supervisors and site managers
Access, interpret and use drawings and specifications
Select the required resources including tools and fixtures
Move, handle and store resources complying with relevant legislation & guidance
Use and maintain power tools and equipment (including;. compactor plates, boning rods, portable power tools, levels, straight edges, lines, pins and laser equipment)
Gauge and mix mortars and concrete by hand and by mixer
Select and use basic setting out equipment including tape measures, levels, straight edges, lines and pins, boning rods and laser equipment under guidance of the supervisor
Install, maintain and remove temporary protection and safety arrangements for the work area relating to barriers and temporary structures, including protection, safety notices and safety lighting
Install and test basic drainage and ducting
Measure, mark, cut and install geo-membranes to stabilise soil for re-instatement and excavations
Transport and place, then compact and finish concrete to slabs/bases, footing oversights, paths, form slab edgings including positioning reinforcement and kerbs
Set out and lay flags, paviours and edging to paths, driveways and other areas
Install ironworks relating to access covers and frames, and gully grates and frames including preparatory brickwork
Locate and excavate to expose buried utility services using electronic location instruments
Provide and remove temporary works including shallow excavation support (up to 1.2 metres)
Form and reinstate excavations and surfaces to sub-grades, sub-bases and road bases
Prepare to, then direct and guide the movement of vehicles, plant or machinery

Your training plan

The apprenticeship lasts for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 18 months. You will be trained onsite by our staff and also attend 10 weeks of training at Salutem in Aston, B6 5RS which takes place throughout the year in block release to study the following:

Health and safety
Environmental and health hazards
Basic principles of building information modelling
The differences between modern and traditional construction methods
Principles and methods of working in confined spaces
Locating and excavating to expose buried utility services
Basic principles of drainage

The training you receive onsite from experienced workers will help you produce a portfolio of evidence for your end point assessment.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4)
Maths (grade 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Physical fitness

Other requirements

This apprenticeship will be based outdoors and will require you to be physically fit. You must be able to get to a site for 8.00am every morning. We are looking for individuals with an excellent work ethic, motivated and willing to learn, flexibility and resilience with a positive attitude.

About this company

J A Burke Construction Ltd have been trading since 1991 and over that time have worked hard to establish themselves as a leading sub-contractor for groundworks, civil engineering, and construction. They continue to expand and develop whilst remaining true to the values of a family run business - a dedication to the wellbeing, safety and training of our employees which ensures our clients receive the highest standards of work, skill and commitment. They have built long standing relationships with some of the leading construction companies across the UK and work on schemes of varying size from £50,000 to over £4.5 million, becoming a preferred groundworks contractor to clients such as Morgan Sindall, Vinci UK, Tilbury Douglas & Willmott Dixon.

https://jaburke.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

After successful completion of the apprenticeship, we would expect to employ you within our business as a groundworker with the potential to progress to team leader, site supervisor and beyond. You could also specialise to become a machine excavator operator.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SALUTEM LIMITED

Emily Humphrey

emily.humphrey@salutem.co.uk

0121 326 1450

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000316099.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 6 June 2025

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