Engineering construction craftworker
Engineering construction craftworkers fit and repair machinery and equipment on structures ranging from oil rigs to sports stadiums.
Salary Range: £18,000 to £30,000
How to become an engineering construction craftworker
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills needed for the job. This may help you to find a trainee craft position with a company once you finish. Courses include:
- Level 2 Certificate in Engineering
- Level 2 Certificate in Mechanical Engineering
- Level 2 Certificate in Engineering Operations
- Level 3 Diploma in Fabrication and Welding Practice
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
More information
Apprenticeship
You could start by doing an engineering operative intermediate apprenticeship. The exact apprenticeship you do will depend on your area of work. Examples are:
- welding
- pipefitting
- mechanical fitting
- electrical installation
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
More information
Direct application
You could apply directly for craft jobs if you’ve got experience and qualifications from other areas of engineering, construction or the armed forces.
More information
Registration
- you’ll need an industry safety certificate like the Client Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG) Safety Passport Scheme for many jobs
Further information
You’ll find more advice about careers and training in craft engineering from the Engineering and Construction Industry Training Board and Tomorrow’s Engineers.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You’ll need:
- knowledge of building and construction
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to use your initiative
- physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work well with your hands
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
What you’ll do
Day-to-day tasks
Your day-to-day duties will depend on your job. Roles you might work in include:
- steel erecting – putting up and fixing the girders and sections that make up a structure
- pipefitting – positioning, shaping and fixing pipework
- welding – cutting, shaping and joining metal plates and pipework
- plating – cutting, shaping, assembling and inspecting sheets of metal
- mechanical fitting – assembling, installing and repairing machinery
- electrotechnical installation – fitting, testing and repairing control panels, motors, valves and pumps.
Working environment
You could work on a rig, on a construction site or in a workshop.
Your working environment may be physically demanding and you’ll travel often.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could move into a chargehand or supervisory management role.
With further training you could become an engineering technician.
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