Groundworker apprenticeship
M Lambe Construction Ltd
Birmingham (B6 5RS)
Closes on Tuesday 16 June 2026
Posted on 24 March 2026
Contents
Summary
We are offering an exciting opportunity for sensible, hardworking individuals to join our production teams as a groundwork apprentice. This is a great chance to build your knowledge and experience in a sought after trade learning fundamental and transferrable practical skills whilst gaining work experience and life lessons.
- Wage
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£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Groundworker (level 2)
- Hours
-
You will be working on a construction site Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:30pm.
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 28 September 2026
- Duration
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1 year 2 months
- Positions available
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15
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Groundworkers are the first contractors to begin work on a construction site. They work closely with all construction trades, such as bricklayers, and plant operatives, to prepare the site ready for building works to begin.
You will receive a site safety briefing and a schedule of work for the day and be expected to work as part of a team to complete tasks set for that project.
You will undertake a variety of tasks such as:
- Foundations, hard landscaping and earth works
- Concreting
- Traditional drainage and pipe laying
- Benching, channelling manholes and gullies
- Road works, laying kerbs, paving
- Surfacing and tarmac laying
- Utility ducting and laying
- Use of plant/machinery
- Steel fixing and piling
In order to work on site you will be required to sit a Health and Safety Operative test to gain your CSCS card. This will be organised by M. Lambe.
Where you'll work
Catherine Street Aston
Birmingham
B6 5RS
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SALUTEM LIMITED
Training course
Groundworker (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Work safely and securely in compliance with given information, organisational policies and procedures, and current health, safety and welfare legislation including following the procedures for working in contaminated ground
- Conform with productive working practices and completing the 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 the 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 guidance of the supervisor
- 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, paviours 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 schedule
You will be trained on site by our staff and also attend up to 10 weeks of training at Salutem in Aston, B6 5RS to gain a Level 2 Groundworker Apprenticeship standard.
More training information
The training takes place throughout the year in block release and you will study the following:
- Health and safety
- Environmental health hazards
- Basic principles of Building Information Modelling
- The differences between traditional and modern methods of construction
- Principles of working in confined spaces
- Locating and excavating to expose buried utility services
- Basic principles of drainage
The training you receive on site from experienced workers will help you produce a portfolio of evidence for your end point assessment.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
The apprenticeship will be based outdoors and will require you to be physically fit. You must be able to get to site for 7:30am every morning. We are looking for individuals with an excellent work ethic, motivated and willing to learn, flexibility and resilience with a positive attitude.
About this employer
Founded in 1983, M. Lambe Construction — or Lambe's, as our friends call us — is a groundworks and civil engineering partner for forward-thinking housebuilders.
We believe making groundworks more transparent and predictable helps housebuilders deliver more value to their customers.
We help you eliminate risk with proactive updates, clear tenders, live site data and staged handovers.
After this apprenticeship
After successful completion of the apprenticeship we would hope to employ you within our business as a groundworker with the potential to progress to team leader, site supervisor and beyond.
You could also specialise to become a machine excavator operator or continue with your education to become an engineer.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SALUTEM LIMITED
Megan Whitson
megan.whitson@salutem.co.uk
0121 326 1450
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000314484.
Apply now
Closes on Tuesday 16 June 2026