Career Suggestion

Construction plant mechanic

Construction plant mechanics service and repair heavy plant machinery like diggers, forklift trucks and cranes.

Average salary (a year)

£26000.0 to £44000.0 (starter to experienced)

Typical hours (a week)

40.0 to 44.0

You could work

evenings / weekends away from home

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

College

You could start by taking a course that will teach you some of the skills you'll need to find a trainee job.

Courses include:

  • heavy vehicle maintenance
  • construction plant or machinery maintenance
  • mechanical engineering

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship with a company that services and repairs heavy plant machinery.

Training options include:

  • Construction Equipment Maintenance Mechanic Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Construction Equipment Maintenance Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Lift Truck and Powered Access Vehicle Engineering Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

These take between 2 and 3 years to complete and are a mix of on-the-job training and study off site.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

Direct Application

You can apply directly for jobs if you've got experience in mechanical engineering or the service and repair of heavy vehicles, like:

  • construction plant machinery
  • forklift trucks
  • lorries and buses
  • military vehicles
  • agricultural machinery

More Information

Registrations

you'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site

Further Information

You'll find more details about how to become a construction plant mechanic from Go Construct.

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
  • problem-solving skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to analyse quality or performance
  • customer service skills
  • observation and recording skills
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

  • have a full driving licence

Day-to-day tasks

As a construction plant mechanic, you could:

  • visit clients for routine work and attend breakdown calls
  • identify problems using tools and digital diagnostic equipment
  • service plant equipment, forklift trucks and heavy machinery
  • inspect engines, gearboxes, electrics and hydraulics
  • dismantle parts to fix faults before reassembling them
  • carry out tests and safety checks before signing off jobs
  • complete records for each job

Working environment

You could work on a construction site or in a workshop.

Your working environment may be dirty, noisy, physically demanding and you may spend nights away from home.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

With experience, you could become a:

  • construction plant technician
  • technical services representative
  • repair workshop supervisor or manager

You could also set up your own service and repair business or train apprentices.

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