Construction Worker: career path and pay in the UK
Where a Construction Worker goes next, what each step typically pays in the United Kingdom, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 4 steps, from Construction Worker / Laborer to Construction Manager / General Contractor.
Also for the United States: Construction Worker in the US
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 2 years
Construction Worker / Laborer
£20K to £30K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Construction Safety Certification (required) - Global, CSCS Card (required) - UK/EU, Health & Safety Certification (required) - Global.
Step 2 · 2 to 5 years
Construction Worker / Skilled Laborer
£25K to £40K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Construction Safety Certification - Global, CSCS Card - UK/EU, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Trade-specific certifications (optional) - Global.
Step 3 · 5 to 10 years
Construction Foreman / Supervisor
£30K to £40K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Construction Safety Certification - Global, CSCS Card - UK/EU, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Supervisory Skills Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 4 · 10+ years
Construction Manager / General Contractor
£50K to £75K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Construction Safety Certification - Global, CSCS Card - UK/EU, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Construction Management Certification (optional) - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
£20K to £30K → £50K to £75K
UK estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK. Indeed publishes a hourly average for Skilled Labourer (£16.39); this band converts it at 37 hours a week.
What the work involves
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge areas
- Building and Construction
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
Education people bring
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED): 35%
- Less than a High School Diploma: 33%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree: 5%
Job Zone 2, job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Other paths from here
- General Contractor
- Construction Manager
- Trade Specialist
- Project Manager
More Skilled Trades paths in the UK
Related occupations in O*NET: Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators, Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining, Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers, Pipelayers, Structural Iron and Steel Workers.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK, UK national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor UK, Indeed UK and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to £5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.