8159 Construction operatives n.e.c.: SOC 2020 occupation code

In short

ONS unit group 8159, in minor group 815 (Construction operatives) and major group 8 (Process, plant and machine operatives).
Appendix Skilled Occupations (figures as at 3 August 2026, re-checked 26 October 2026): Not on the list: Table 6.
Going rate as the tables print it:

What the ONS says

Description

Job holders in this unit group operate insulating equipment, fix plasterboard to ceilings and walls, help construct, maintain, repair and demolish buildings and clean and resurface eroded stonework, lay, join and examine pipe sections for drainage, gas, water or similar piping systems, install lighting systems in roads, domestic and commercial settings and carry out a variety of other construction operative tasks not elsewhere classified in minor group 815: Construction operatives.

Typical entry routes

There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided on-the-job. NVQs/SVQs in Building and Construction at levels 1, 2 and 3 and apprenticeships in some areas are available.

Tasks

fills machine with insulating mixture, positions hose, drills access hole and fills cavities or coats surfaces to prevent loss or absorption of heat and provide fire protections
cuts, shapes and fits wood, lays bricks and tiles, cleans exterior surfaces of buildings and resurfaces eroded stone or brickwork, and performs other tasks in the construction, alteration, repair and demolition of buildings
selects appropriate asbestos, clay, concrete, plastic or metal pipe sections and lowers them into prepared trenches using hoisting equipment
joints pipe by sealing with rubber, cement, lead, etc., connects piping to manholes and attaches pipe junctions as required
tests joints with electronic test equipment or by filling piping with water, smoke or compressed air
installs electrical lighting in streets, homes and business/manufacturing settings

Related job titles

Asbestos remover
Cable layer
Demolition worker
General handyman
Maintenance man
Public lighting operative
Thermal insulation engineer

What the Appendix Skilled Occupations says

The Appendix lists this code in the table below, with the table’s own caption and the row as printed. Read the full table, and any condition in it, on GOV.UK.

Table 6: SOC 2020 occupation codes which are not eligible for the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility or Scale-up routes

SOC 2020 occupation code

8159 Construction operatives not elsewhere classified

Examples of related job titles (non-exhaustive)

Asbestos remover
Cable layer
Demolition worker
General handyman
Maintenance man
Public lighting operative
Thermal insulation engineer

Other unit groups in minor group 815

Sources

Occupation text: Office for National Statistics, SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions of unit groups (file dated 27 August 2026, version V13). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0. Tables: Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations on GOV.UK, page updated 3 August 2026; re-checked against the page updated 8 October 2026 on 26 October 2026, tables unchanged.

All 412 occupation codes

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8159 Construction operatives n.e.c.