Public works and maintenance labourers
Career Overview
Public works and maintenance labourers:
- Perform a variety of labouring activities to maintain sidewalks, streets, roads and similar areas
- Work for municipal, provincial and federal government public works departments
- Also work for private contractors under contract to governments
Job Titles
Duties
Public works and maintenance labourers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Clean and maintain sidewalks, streets, roads and public grounds of municipality and other areas, working as member of crew
- Sweep debris and shovel snow from streets, sidewalks, building grounds and other areas, and load snow and debris into carts or trucks
- Shovel cement and other materials into cement mixers, spread concrete and asphalt on road surfaces using shovels, rakes and hand tampers, and perform other activities to help with maintenance and repair of roads
- Spread sand or salt on sidewalks for snow and ice control
- Dig ditches and trenches using shovels and other hand tools
- Operate jackhammers and drills to break up pavement
- Load and unload trucks with supplies and equipment
- Collect money from coin boxes of parking meters along established route
- Collect and load refuse on garbage trucks
- Help equipment operators to secure attachments to equipment or trucks
- Help with routine maintenance and repair of equipment
- Help skilled tradespersons such as carpenters, plumbers and mechanics
- May operate mobile sidewalk-cleaning equipment
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
3,325% Employed Full Time
55%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place indoors and outdoors in various weather conditions such as snow
- Workers may be exposed to hazardous substances such as insecticides
- Work takes place near or with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools that may be a source of accident or injury
- Workers may be exposed to flying particles, noise, strong vibrations, intense odours and dust
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory positions or to public works maintenance equipment operator positions is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Several weeks of on-the-job training are provided
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
3,325Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 125 | 3.8% |
| Kootenay | 120 | 3.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,925 | 58.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 145 | 4.4% |
| Northeast | 50 | 1.5% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 435 | 13.1% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 530 | 16.0% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
1,250Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | 0.8% |
| Kootenay | 40 | 0.2% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 710 | 1.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | -0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 190 | 1.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 250 | 1.5% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Public Administration | 640 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 230 |
| Construction | 90 |
| Manufacturing | 60 |
| Utilities | 50 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
