Groundworker Apprentice

Taylor Woodrow; Doncaster; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction company in Doncaster seeks a Groundworker Apprentice. This role involves outdoor work, preparing construction sites, and aims to achieve a Level 2 Groundworker Apprenticeship. Duties include digging trenches, installing drainage, and operating machinery safely. Candidates should have GCSEs in English and Maths (grade C/4), alongside strong communication and problem-solving skills. The apprenticeship provides vital training for a successful career in construction with an emphasis on health and safety practices.

Benefits

Apprentice CSCS card

Training with experienced professionals

Qualifications

• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Good level of physical fitness required for manual tasks.
• Willingness to learn and adhere to safety procedures.

Responsibilities

• Marking out and digging shallow trenches for foundations.
• Installing drainage and manholes efficiently.
• Maintaining and using power tools safely.
• Mixing mortars and concrete as required.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Team working

Physical fitness

Education

GCSE in English (grade C / 4)

GCSE in Maths (grade C / 4)

Job description

Groundworker Apprentice – Doncaster

Join our team in Doncaster as a Groundworker Apprentice. In this hands‑on role, you'll work alongside experienced supervisors and engineers to help prepare construction sites for upcoming projects. If you thrive outdoors, enjoy practical work and love being part of a team, this could be the perfect start to your career. Groundworkers are employed on construction sites that involve ground preparation such as foundations or footing for new buildings. Your day‑to‑day tasks may include:

Responsibilities

• Ground working – marking out and digging shallow trenches for foundations and drains
• Form working – putting up or dismantling the shuttering that holds setting concrete in place
• Installing drainage and manholes
• Concreting
• Minor road working – laying kerbs, paving and re‑surfacing
• Using hand tools and small plant machinery, work safely and securely in compliance with organisational policies and procedures, and current health, safety and welfare legislation including procedures for working in contaminated ground
• Conform with productive working practices and completing work in accordance with the programme of work
• Interpret and follow verbal and written work instructions from supervisors and site managers
• Access, interpret and use drawings and specifications
• Select required resources including tools and fixtures
• Move, handle and store resources complying with relevant legislation & guidance
• Use and maintain power tools and equipment (including compactor plates, boning rods, portable power tools, levels, straight edges, lines, pins and laser equipment)
• Gauge and mix mortars and concrete by hand and by mixer
• Select and use basic setting out equipment including tape measures, levels, straight edges, lines and pins, boning rods and laser equipment under supervisor guidance
• Install, maintain and remove temporary protection and safety arrangements for the work area relating to barriers and temporary structures, including protection, safety notices and safety lighting
• Install and test basic drainage and ducting
• Measure, mark, cut and install geo‑membranes to stabilise soil for re‑instatement and excavations
• Transport and place, then compact and finish concrete to slabs/bases, footing oversights, paths, form slab edgings including positioning reinforcement and kerbs
• Set out and lay flags, pavements and edging to paths, driveways and other areas
• Install ironworks relating to access covers and frames, and gully grates and frames including preparatory brickwork
• Locate and excavate to expose buried utility services using electronic location instruments
• Provide and remove temporary works including shallow excavation support (up to 1.2 metres)
• Form and reinstate excavations and surfaces to sub‑grades, sub‑bases and road bases
• Prepare to, then direct and guide the movement of vehicles, plant or machinery

Training and Qualifications

Training schedule: You will achieve the Level 2 Groundworker Apprenticeship Standard by attending CP Assessments Training Centre in Denaby Main, Doncaster to undertake 7 block‑release training sessions (4 days), every 10‑12 weeks. The successful candidate will work towards achieving Functional Skills Level 2 in both maths and English if they have not achieved this prior or have an equivalent. Apprentices will also receive an apprentice CSCS card which can be upgraded on completion of the apprenticeship.

GCSE requirements:

• English (grade C / 4)
• Maths (grade C / 4)

Key skills and attributes include:

• Communication skills
• Problem‑solving skills
• Team working
• Physical fitness – this is a manual role that will require a good level of physical fitness and you will be working outdoors in a variety of weather conditions.

About Taylor Woodrow: Whether we are delivering small‑scale improvements or a major project, Taylor Woodrow’s success is founded on the teams that we build, the relationships we develop and the engineering solutions that we provide. We have a strong regional presence across the UK, where local people bring local solutions across a range of infrastructure and civil engineering projects as part of long‑term frameworks. Our projects support the UK's energy transition, deliver improvements to the highways network and enhance rail infrastructure. The strategic infrastructure that we construct is the building blocks for growth and this includes a role in delivering the UK's low‑carbon transport future through High Speed 2. We operate across all stages of the project lifecycle, with our Engineering Services team supporting clients through the development and design phase of infrastructure projects to foster the right solutions. Sustainability is at the heart of our approach and we are committed to respecting and protecting the environment in everything that we do. Taking the time to understand and make a positive difference to each community that we work within is an integral part of our work to ensure that our projects leave a lasting legacy. Taylor Woodrow is committed to creating a working environment that is inclusive and diverse.