Working in the British Construction Scene
| The Opportunity | How to Prepare | FAQs |
When searching for a job in construction during a working holiday, many choose to travel to the UK for the range of positions that are available across a variety of specialisations. Because the demand is currently quite high, you're able to tailor your experience to your travel schedule. Take on several short-term contracts and take time for adventrues in between, or select a long-term position and get immersed in daily life in the UK. To connect with a variety of opportunities in construction quickly, trying registering with agencies.
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Employment Scope |
Demand |
Lifestyle |
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Diverse opportunies mean you can choose to balance work with travel or commit to a long-term opportunity. |
Construction professionals with more than 12 months of experience will thrive. | Structure your contracts to allow for travel or embrace daily life in the UK. |
| Building | Civils | Quantity Surveying | Estimating Positions | Construction Engineer (Structural) |
Construction professionals get a free copy of "Cracking the UK Job Market" when you register with agencies or apply to jobs
Open Opportunities
There are many positions available for those who wish to work in construction. Positions range from short to long-term and exist across a wide variety of specialisations. We also cover engineering here, however construction also covers engineers who work for construction companies.
Get Hired in 2 Weeks
As there is no shortage of opportuniites in construction as we speak, qualified candidates can likely expect to find a job in the construction field within 2 weeks of landing in the UK when they register with agencies prior to arrival. Agencies have the resources to set up interviews either before you arrive or even before you leave home.
Lifestyle: How Much You'll Earn
Expect to earn between £12 and £25 per hour, depending on your level of experience and expertise. Recent graduates or those with 1-3 years of experience can expect to make between £12 and £17. Find a more detailed list of rates below.
Tip: Consider finding housing after securing a job. It is not uncommon to have an hour long commute from one part of London to another, so basing your housing around your job can be a lifesaver.
How to Prepare
Past Experience
While necessary past experience varies depending your desired position, ideal candidates generally have 1-3 years of experience in their field or are recent graduates. Once you have a bit of experience, you're likely to find plenty of opportunities working in construction in the UK from abroad.
Formatting Your Resume
- Be Specifc:
Make sure your resume includes specific details of your construction project experience. The most common complaint we hear from UK recruitment consultants is, "there's not enough detail." For example, for each project indicate the type of project and works carried out, your job position, your duties and responsibilities, the approximate project value, duration and project result if applicable.
- Include a Maximum of 5-6 Projects:
If you have far too many projects to list, please choose five or six representative projects.
- Tailor Your Resume for Each Application
If the scope of your project experience seems too wide – you are better off leaving information on and your UK recruitment consultant can tailor your experience to a given job.
Tip: You can upload and update your resume for your WORKgateways file at any time from your log-in. Your resume is then online and can be viewed by the UK based construction recruitment companies with whom you choose to register.
Specialisations
Building Construction |
Building construction projects are ongoing nearly UK-wide and include residential, commercial, retail, institutional and light industrial. Multi-storey office blocks continue to go up in all major urban centres with the result that specific construction experience with high-rise projects is in high demand. Site-based positions include, but are not limited to, Project Manager, Project Engineer, Site Manager, Site Engineer, Cost Manager, and Construction Manager. Contact Administrators are required as are engineers experienced in putting together professional tenders for building construction works.
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Civils Construction |
Civils projects are concentrated in the South East and include a full range of projects such as roads & highways, water (dams, flood prevention works, distribution networks and treatment stations), and earthworks. Site-based positions include, Project Manager, Project Engineer, Site Manager, Site Engineer, Cost Manager, and Construction Manager. Contact Administrators are also required as are engineers experienced in putting together tenders for civils construction works. Surveyors or civil engineers with surveying experience can find work on roads and highway projects.
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Quantity Surveying |
Candidates with either, experience in Quantity Surveying and a degree in construction management will find opportunities to be very good on a fairly consistent basis even in downturns. There is a shortage of Quantity Surveyors; a year or two of relevant experience is sufficient for most positions. Projects include both civils and building construction and rates of pay are relatively high. Jobs are available UK-wide, including busy central London. It is very helpful if you are flexible as to the location Both professional Quantity Surveyors and those from a QS contractor background will find good opportunities though WORKgateways and our UK partners.
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Estimating Positions |
There tends to always be a shortage of experienced Estimators in the UK. Those with estimating and/or tendering experience from within either the building or civils construction industry will find that there are positions available frequently. Rates of pay are quite good comparatively and projects located throughout the UK and in central London.
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Construction Engineer (Structural Bias) |
Construction Engineers with a Structural background should check out our Engineering Page page as well.
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Is there currently a high demand for construction works from overseas in the UK?
Yes! The current market for job seekers in the field of consturction is quite high and likely to increase as the economy continues to improve. If you're qualified, this means the likelihood of you being hired in construction in the UK is high, espeically when you register with agencies.
Where are construction jobs in the UK generally located?
Opportunities are most heavily concentrated in London but available across the UK. There is a higher demand for certain specialisations than others in certain areas.
For most recently graduated or qualified individuals (two to three years experience) the average starting contract rate is usually between £12 to £17 per hour. This is approximate and does not take into account your tax status.
Those arriving for work with four or more years of industry experience may expect their contract rates to start around £15 to £20 per hour. It is also important to note that your contract rates often increase relatively quickly as you gain UK experience.
Specialists, or those with skills and experience in high demand, can sometimes start on relatively high contract rates, or permanent salaries without having UK experience.
Within construction examples include Civils projects and Building/Structures projects - Project Engineering/Management especially alongside strong experience in cost control and planning packages like Primavera P3 or MS Project. In these cases you might expect a contract rate of over £17 and sometimes even up to £25 per hour initially. Even just a few months UK experience will also increase your next contract rate.
How soon should I start registering with agencies to find a construction job?
You're able to register with agencies who will connect you with ideal job opportunities for you up to 2 years before your arrival. Alternatively, due to the fact that there are a good amount of available positions, you can register shortly before your departure date and expect to find a job within a couple weeks of arriving.
What's the easiest way to find a job in construction in the UK?
There are three options: searching job boards here at WORKGateways, registering with recruitment agencies or applying to jobs on your own. Because finding opporunities on your own can be quite the challenge, we suggest registering with agencies who do the most difficult work for you by finding and qualifying the best job opportunities.
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