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Tasks, salary, training and current vacancies for groundworkers throughout Flanders. Choose your region and see the distance to your door immediately.
A groundworker carries out preparatory earthworks and excavation work on sites: digging trenches, levelling terrain, preparing foundations, laying sewers and operating machinery such as excavators. You work outdoors, often in a team, and lay the foundation for roads, buildings and utilities. It is a physical job with a lot of variety.
As a groundworker, you are the first link on every construction site. You make sure the ground is ready for roads, sewers, foundations and pipes. Without a groundworker, no house, no bridge, no industrial zone. The job is physical, varied, and you literally see the result of your work every day.
The tasks vary per site, but these are the most common:
You usually work in a team with other groundworkers, road workers and machine operators. The job is outdoors, in all weather. In winter it can be tough, but many groundworkers appreciate the outdoor life and the variety.
A groundworker's salary depends on your experience, your region and whether you are allowed to operate machinery. In Flanders, a starting groundworker typically earns between €15 and €18 gross per hour. With a few years of experience and a VCA certificate or driving licence C, that rises to €18 to €22 gross per hour. An experienced groundworker who is also allowed to operate an excavator sometimes earns €25 gross per hour or more.
Monthly, that amounts to a gross salary of €2,600 to €3,800 for a full-time job of 38 hours, depending on shift premiums, overtime and sector bonuses. In the construction sector you often also get eco vouchers, meal vouchers and a year-end bonus. With some employers you can choose a company car or a fuel card if you are active on multiple sites.
Want to know exactly what a groundworker earns in your municipality? On our site you can see the real salary for each vacancy, not just a vague promise. You choose your region and compare immediately.
For most groundworker jobs you don't need a specific diploma. Employers mainly look at your commitment, physical condition and willingness to learn. A VCA certificate is a big plus, because it shows that you can work safely. Many construction companies also ask for a driving licence B; additional certificates are required for operating heavier machinery or trucks.
No experience yet? Then you can often start as a labourer or apprentice groundworker. You learn the trade on site, alongside experienced colleagues. Some employers offer internal training, for example for operating a mini excavator or laying sewers. Through VDAB or Syntra there are also short courses to become a groundworker or road worker, often in cooperation with construction companies that hire immediately afterwards.
Those with technical insight, who work accurately and enjoy physical work, will quickly feel at home in this job. You must be able to work shifts, get up early and be able to take a knock. In return, you are almost certain to find work after your training, because groundworkers are in demand throughout Flanders.
Groundworkers are needed everywhere: in urban areas such as Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven, but also in rural municipalities where new housing developments or roads are being built. Demand peaks in spring and especially in September, when construction projects restart in full after the summer holidays. In July demand is lower, because many sites are closed during the construction holiday.
You can search via VDAB, temp agencies, or directly with groundworks contractors. But on our site you will find all open groundworker vacancies in one place, filtered by region. For each job you see the salary, the hours and the distance to your door, without lengthy registrations. Prefer to work part-time? Flexi-jobs in construction are also possible, especially for technical profiles who already have experience.
As a groundworker you can grow into a crane operator, team leader, road worker or even site manager. With additional certificates for excavators, forklifts or trucks you increase your salary and your opportunities. Some groundworkers later start their own groundworks business, but that requires entrepreneurial spirit and a client base.
The construction sector is investing heavily in young workers. Those who are motivated can quickly take on extra responsibility. A job as a groundworker is therefore not a dead end, but a stepping stone to a long career in construction.
The job is tough, but honest. As an electrician in flanders you work outdoors, you move, and you see every day what you have achieved. The pay is good, demand is high, and you don't need years of study to start. Moreover, there is a real team spirit on site. Those who like working with their hands and don't mind a bit of mud will find a stable future in this job.
Ready to apply? Check out the open groundworker vacancies in your area and send a spontaneous application today. The right construction boss is waiting for you.
Practical questions
On every construction site, groundworkers and electricians work closely together. First, the groundworker lays pipes and foundations, then the electrician pulls cables and installs fuse boxes. Many groundworkers switch to electrical work because the pay is higher and demand keeps growing. Here you can read what the profession involves.
An electrician installs, maintains and repairs electrical installations. This ranges from lighting and sockets in homes to complex switchboards in factories. You work with low voltage and sometimes high voltage, depending on your specialisation.
As an electrician, you can focus on different areas. A residential electrician works mainly in houses and apartments. An industrial electrician maintains machines and production lines in companies. There are also electricians who specialise in tertiary buildings such as offices, schools or hospitals. Some specialise in home automation, security systems or renewable energy.
You don't need any specific prior education to become an electrician. VDAB offers a recognised training course, usually combined with an internship on a real construction site. SYNTRA organises evening and weekend courses for those who already work. Dual learning is also possible: you learn four days on the job and one day at school. Allow six to twelve months of training for the basic level.
A starting electrician earns gross between €16 and €20 per hour. After five years of experience, this rises to €20 to €28 per hour. Self-employed electricians typically charge €40 to €60 per hour excluding VAT, depending on the region and the complexity of the job. In and around Antwerp, for example in Wilrijk, Deurne and Merksem, rates are often at the top of that scale.
As an electrician, you rarely work alone in an office. You are often on construction sites, in private homes or in industrial buildings. The work is physical: you crawl through crawl spaces, stand on ladders and carry heavy materials. Safety comes first, so a helmet, safety shoes and sometimes a cherry picker certificate are required. Most electricians work full-time during the day, but on-call services may require evening or weekend work.
With a few years of experience, you can become a team leader or site manager. Some choose a specialisation in industrial automation or renewable energy, which further increases pay. Those with an entrepreneurial spirit start their own business and set their own rates. Demand for electricians has only increased in recent years, partly due to the energy transition and the ageing of the profession.
Besides groundworker and electrician, there are other construction jobs in constant demand. Formworker and roofer are two examples with a similar profile: you work outdoors, you see results quickly and you earn a decent wage. Both professions often follow on from the work of a groundworker.
A formworker makes wooden or metal moulds into which concrete is poured. Think of foundations, walls, columns and bridges. You work closely with the groundworker, who prepares the ground, and with the steel fixer, who places the reinforcement. Formwork requires precision and spatial awareness. Training via VDAB or a construction school takes an average of six months. Starters earn gross between €15 and €19 per hour, experienced formworkers up to €23 per hour.
A roofer installs and repairs roofs: tiles, slates, EPDM, zinc or flat roofs. You work at height, often in wind and weather, so a head for safety is essential. The training usually takes a year and combines theory with practice. Pay starts around €16 per hour and can rise to €24 per hour for specialised roofers. In Flanders, there is an acute shortage of roofers, so anyone who knows the trade finds work quickly.
Both formworker and roofer are shortage occupations. That means you can often start work immediately after your training, sometimes already during the training via an internship contract.
Practical questions
View open vacancies in your region and apply spontaneously to construction companies that suit you. See directly the salary, hours and distance to your door.
Construction worker: duties, salary and jobs in Flanders