Civil Construction is booming at the moment, so we have quite a lot of jobs available in this space right now. We are also getting a lot of candidate calls asking how they can secure a job in this area.
So in response to this, I have compiled a list of the 5 top most in-demand roles in civil construction at the moment, and have included what tickets/qualifications you’ll need to apply.
Can’t wait? If you are keen to get into Civil Construction ASAP and can’t hold off until you get more qualifications? Well, while you are waiting to complete your short courses to get certain tickets, if you have your white card you can start working as a Civil Labourer straight away.
Scroll down to read about the hottest jobs in Civil Construction right now..
1. Roller Operator
We have seen a steady increase in demand for this role since the Government pledged record breaking amounts of funding towards improving Victoria’s infrastructure. The most common Roller Operator roles are the ‘Padfoot Roller’ and the ‘Smooth Drum Roller’.
What kind of qualifications or tickets do you need?
To be able to operate either machine you must hold a current White Card along with a valid ticket. This ticket can be obtained by completing the course RIIMPO317E – Conduct Roller Operations. This is a 2-day course costs $690 per person, or there is a shorter 1-on-1 training course which is $500 per day.
2. Electrical Spotter
With the increase in machine work in the civil sector, there must be measures in place to ensure these are operated safely. When machines are working around live services, such as overhead power lines, there has to be a registered Electrical Spotter present. We are finding this trade in high demand at present, and it’s a good way to differentiate yourself from candidates who either have no tickets, or just machine tickets.
What kind of qualifications or tickets do you need?
Along with your White Card, you’ll need to take a 1 or 2 day course on Spotting. The course is 22325VIC Course in Workplace Spotting for Service Assets. This is a 2 day course which costs $420 per person. There is also a 1 day course (with credit transfer for first aid unit): $280 per person.
3. GPS Excavator Operator
A lot of the newer machines on the market are fitted with GPS units. The most common are ‘Trimble’ and ‘Topcon’, although there are some other brands around such as ‘Leica’. I predict that, slowly over time, old machines will be phased out or fitted with GPS units as they are a much more accurate method of digging. We are finding some opportunities out there for Excavator Operators with no GPS experience to learn on the job. If you come across an opportunity like this, I recommend you grab it with both hands! More often than not though, our clients ask us for Operators who have experience using GPS as they want people who can hit the ground running. Here is a great article on using GPS for Excavators.
What kind of qualifications or tickets do you need?
Once again you’ll need your white card, along with an excavator operator ticket. There is no specific course to take to be able to operate a GPS Excavator, you learn that part on the job – so gaining experience is key!
4. Pipelayer
From experience this is always the most in-demand trade within the Civil market. A good pipelayer with genuine experience is hard to come by and can always generate opportunities. The main areas we focus on are sewer and stormwater but there also jobs available for water and gas pipelayers.
What kind of qualifications or tickets do you need?
You probably guessed it, you’ll need your White Card for this one too! Although a qualification isn’t essential, there may be more opportunities for someone who is new to the industry if they have the following: RII31309 – Certificate III in Pipelaying. A pipelayer can also earn more than a labourer so if you’re looking for a good career path this could be a very good option. As there is a general shortage of good pipelayers in the market we have seen these salaries increase over the past 12 months.
5. Multi-skilled Labourer
We are always on the look out for good, skilled labourers to help our projects in many different areas. Usually we find that the candidates with subdivision experience are in high demand, as they have had exposure to many different disciplines such as pipelaying, concreting, trenching, spotting, steel fixing, plant operation, and more. As we are a labour hire company we only get used by our clients for people with experience as they can find inexperienced people themselves. My best advice if you are just starting out is to call companies you want to work for, or turn up to job sites and ask for an opportunity. You can’t teach a good attitude and willingness to work!
Apply for Multi-skilled Labouring jobs while you wait to complete courses for the other jobs in points 1-4!
What kind of qualifications or tickets do you need?
Just like all other Civil jobs, you’ll need your White Card. Additional training or qualifications aren’t required for labouring jobs, just gaining more experience is all that is necessary. But if you did want to increase your knowledge and undertake a well-rounded training course, then the following course is recommended: RII30915 – Certificate III in Civil Construction. This is by no means essential, as we find experience outweighs qualifications every time, but it may be worth looking into if you want to obtain your plant tickets and training in multiple civil disciplines.
