Have you ever wondered about the most crucial skills for a general labourer to hold?
Getting started as a general labourer can seem a little tricky in many cases. Fortunately, today, we’re here to help you find out more about the key general labourer skills and duties you should know.
Hopefully, this may help you decide whether becoming a general labourer might be right for you.
What Skills Do I Need for a General Labourer Role?
Before we go any further and consider how to get started, it’s first crucial that we address the main skills you’ll need for a general labourer role.
These vary depending on the exact project, of course. However, in most cases, some of the most common skills include:
- Team-working abilities
- Close attention to detail
- Ability to think “outside of the box”
- Excellent time management
- Problem-solving skills
- Strength and physical endurance
- Some specialist technical knowledge
- Knowledge of construction industry safety standards
General Labourer Duties
The construction site is a busy, challenging place – and with this in mind, it’s vital to have staff on hand to help keep things running smoothly.
This is the main role of the general labourer, whose duties include maintaining equipment, ensuring all tasks are properly set up, creating paths and road systems, and directing traffic.
General Labourer Wages
The average general labourer wages for most businesses in Australia fall at around $29 per hour.
However, this naturally varies with numerous factors such as experience, employer, and so on. Furthering your knowledge and skills may also be a good way to increase the rate of pay you’re able to achieve.
How to Become a General Labourer
In a growing number of cases, commercial businesses are partnering with professional labour hire teams for general labourer support.
However, whether you partner with a labour hire team or a private company, you’ll first need to complete several steps to become a general labourer.
Obtaining Your White Card
Typically, most people first start by deciding which industry they want to specialize in, such as demolition or construction.
From there, you can complete your white card training program to become certified to work on construction sites and the like.
Growing Your Skills
From there, it’s mainly just a case of getting experience; an apprenticeship can often be a good place to start in this regard. Alternatively, you could complete TAFE courses to further enhance your knowledge and increase your employability.
Ensure You’ve got the Right Equipment
Before you can begin fully working as a labourer, you’ll need to ensure you’ve got the right equipment.
Some employers may provide this, but ensuring you own high-vis clothing, steel toe cap boots, work gloves, and the like can be a good way to prove your dedication and ensure you’re safe while on the job.
Finding Employment
Once you’ve got the skills, equipment, and your white card, you can now begin looking for a proper job as a general labourer. Fortunately, general labourers are in massively short supply.
As such, in many cases, finding a job role shouldn’t be too difficult; simply keep an eye out on local construction boards and the like to find new opportunities.
Final Thoughts
If you have wondered about the crucial skills for a general labourer to hold and how to get started as a general labourer, then hopefully, today’s guide will have shed more light.
Indeed, getting started can sometimes seem tough. Still, with the right preparation – and after checking you’re qualified with skills for a general labourer role and duties – you can begin your new journey towards your new job role after all.
Contact us today to find out our general labourers rates!
