DRAINLAYING APPRENTICESHIP
Do you like keeping fit and working outdoors?
The variety and hands-on nature of working as a drainlayer may be right for you. Our drainlaying apprentices lay and repair sewer and stormwater drainage systems, including septic tanks, and disinfection systems, install and repair wastewater treatment systems. They excavate and level, installing excavation supports where required and construct brick or concrete pits.
This can be on large commercial construction projects, as well as small scale residential projects.
Career Opportunities
What can I do when I'm qualified?
Working in the drainlaying industry can be an interesting career. You won't just be digging trenches but you'll be working with a range of equipment and in different situations.
Residential
Your tasks could include drainlaying and repair. Dealing with stormwater pipes and help to remedy run off and flooding issues.
Commercial
You could be installing pipes and drainage systems for new buildings, drain surveying or maintenance.
Industrial
Working within industrial plants you could be installing pipes or wastewater treatment systems, or maintaining existing systems.
Questions about a Drainlaying Apprenticeship
We know there can be a lot questions about apprenticeships. Have a look at our FAQs to find your answer. If we haven’t answered your question here, please get in contact so we can help you.
- Huge shortage of skilled labour, driving demand for qualified drainlayers
- Opportunity to work on a wide range of jobs
- As your career grows, you gain more freedom and flexibility in your life
- Good future salary potential
- Earn while you learn
Drainlaying apprenticeships are 2 years (4,000 hours of practical work experience).
You will work on the job with your host business during the week who will teach you the practical side. You will also attend four block courses over the two years where you learn the theory around your trade and carry out bookwork and assessments.
Your ATT area manager will support you throughout your whole apprenticeship, mentoring you and providing practical advice and help. to successfully get you through to completion.
Drainlayers need to be:
- Great communicators - listening to your customers, understanding the problem and responding in an easy-to-understand and relaxed way are crucial
- Good problem solvers - you'll need to evaluate a situation, assess the options and determine the proper course of action
- Physically fit - you'll need physical strength and coordination. Working with tools and drainage systems requires good hand-eye coordination. You will often be required to lift heavy items, dig and climb in and out of trenches
- Have technical aptitude, so you can follow plans
- Safety-conscious
- Organised and able to follow instructions
- Good at working independently or in a team
Newly licensed drainlayers usually earn $27 to $30 an hour.
Experienced drainlayers can earn between $30 and $50 an hour.
A standard workweek is five eight-hour days. However, as with most construction careers, sometimes you have to work overtime and there may be periods when work is scarce.
Additional hours vary based on the sector and region where you work and the requirements of individual projects.
You will work outdoors in all weathers, and in conditions that can be dirty, messy, smelly, cold, wet, hot or confined.
You usually travel locally to job sites.
Your ATT area manager will arrange all your off-job training courses and make sure that you have completed all the pre-course requirements. They'll remind you when courses are coming up and chase you up to make sure you're ready!
Our ATT training manager keeps on top of any changes in your training requirements and lets you know about them.
Before you start, you will have had an interview with your host business. You will also have met with your ATT area manager, who will be your day-to-day contact.
Your area manager will have arranged all your paperwork and will have arranged for you to complete a basic site-safe and first aid course. They will also have arranged a start-up toolkit (free) and relevant basic PPE (boots, goggles, gloves etc).
When you arrive at your host trade business, they will meet with you, assign you a supervisor and your practical training will begin.
Your ATT area manager will check in with you after your first few days to make sure you have everything you need and answer any questions you may have. You then have regular catch-ups with your area manager to make sure you're on track, but you can also contact them at any point you do have questions or concerns.
"Drainlaying allows me to get stuck into physical outdoors work that I enjoy. It also gives me the opportunity to upskill into machinery and heavy vehicle operation and licences."
Robbie - ATT Drainlaying Apprentice
