How to get a job in Australia with no experience

If you don’t have a skill or qualification and have little or no experience, it can be difficult to get a job. The good news is that there are jobs in the construction industry in Australia that require little or no experience and minimal qualifications. Perhaps you are looking to fill a calendar gap while travelling, to accommodate a career break, or to simply work outdoors. Unskilled blue-collar labour work is a great option to get into the construction industry or just earn cash doing something different.

Five entry level construction jobs in Melbourne to get you started with no experience

1. General labourer: A general labourer can work on any site although you will predominantly work on a building site. Specific knowledge or training is not required. General labourers normally follow instructions from a site supervisor. Tasks can be physically demanding, and long hours are often required, but you can expect to receive good rates of pay. Overtime and double time are a benefit if you wish to work longer hours.

What are the duties of a general labourer?

• Performing manual labour such as shovelling materials and sweeping up on site.
• Cleaning up materials after tasks or transferring them to different locations.
• Assisting fellow site personnel set up equipment such as scaffolding.

What does a general labourer earn?

On average, a general labourer earns $35 per hour. The option of overtime and double time is usually available which is an incentive to work more hours.

2. Landscape labourer: A landscape labourer helps to maintain existing landscapes or prepare new areas. There is a range of tasks involved in landscaping, which generally covers gardens or public parks. Hard landscaping includes work on patios or with paving slabs. You will pick up first-hand experience on the job on how to operate handheld machinery such as a hedge trimmer, leaf blower or a whipper snipper. Attention to detail is required in a role that can require working at heights.

What are the duties of a landscape labourer?

• Providing exterior property maintenance such as trimming hedges, mowing grass lawns, pruning and shaping garden trees, shrubs, or plants.
• Raking leaves, or loose grass, and hauling waste away from the site.
• Sweeping up and cleaning areas after maintenance is carried out.
• Removing weeds, and cleaning alongside curbs using a garden hoe.

What does a landscape labourer earn?

On average, a landscape labourer earns $34 per hour.

3. Waste management labourer: A waste management labourer assists the collection and disposal of waste and recycling. Generally, you will work on the streets or in a waste management yard. In residential areas or busy streets, early morning starts are part of the job. 

What are the duties of a waste management labourer?

• Collecting litter using a handheld grab or litter picker.
• Emptying and replacing bin bags on waste and recycling containers on the streets.
• Assisting with the installation of new waste bins where required.
• Sorting rubbish into different piles in a waste management yard.

What does a waste management labourer earn?

On average, a waste management labourer earns between $33 and $35 per hour.

4. Bin puller/runner: A bin puller and runner work in pairs to empty waste bins in residential or commercial settings. You won’t need any experience in this job, however it is a physically demanding role. The bin puller and runner will work in pairs to empty waste bins. Expect to start early in the mornings. 

What are the duties of a bin puller/runner?

• Collecting waste and recycling along serviced routes.
• Loading and unloading waste, recycling, or glass containers onto a waste truck
• Placing the containers back to the kerbside where they were collected

What does a bin puller/runner earn?

On average, a bin puller/runner earns $35 per hour.

5. Traffic controller: Traffic controllers manage traffic flow at roadworks or busy events, using a two-way radio and a Stop/Slow bat. You don’t need any experience, however you will need a traffic control ticket which is easy to get and just takes one day to complete. With experience and additional tickets, you can progress to work as a traffic manager, with a higher rate of pay.

What are the duties of a traffic controller?

• Flicking a Stop/Slow bat.
• Loading and unloading cones, barriers, and signs for transportation.
• Remaining patient and giving instructions to oncoming drivers or pedestrians.

What does a traffic controller earn?

On average, a traffic controller earns $33 per hour.

EWS Recruitment pays superannuation for blue-collar construction jobs. This is paid weekly in addition to your wages.

What do you need for entry level jobs in construction?

To be considered for trade and labour work you will need:

• A construction White Card, which is the basic requirement to enable you to work on a construction site. It is a one-day course which lasts for three years – required.
• Your own transport method to get to and from site – desirable.
• Good intellectual and communication skills – desirable.

For workers that already have on-site experience, other construction tickets such as a moxy or dump-truck ticket would be an advantage. If you stay with the same company, there is a good chance you will progress to the likes of a site supervisor.

What industries employ unskilled workers in the construction sector?

Virtually every construction industry needs unskilled labour. In the waste management and landscaping industries, casual and part time opportunities are constantly available. 

At present there are good opportunities in waste management, landscaping, and residential construction.

How to find work in Melbourne and Victoria?

EWS Recruitment specialises in construction recruitment in Melbourne and Victoria. We’re experts in blue- and white-collar recruitment across the following specialisations: civil infrastructure, landscape and urban development, construction and building, waste management and renewables. If you are interested in getting work, browse jobs here. 

Register with us if you are looking to get started in a construction job here.

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