Skilled and general workers: why the difference changes your request
A request for “10 workers” is enough when you need loading, moving and site cleaning. But when you need someone to run electrical wiring, weld a structure or operate a crane, the number alone says nothing. A skilled worker is requested by their skill: the type of work, the tools, the experience, and the license if the profession requires one.
That is why a well-written request for skilled workers reaches whoever has the right workers, and saves both sides calls that never lead to an agreement. People search for this with phrases like “skilled labor leasing”, “skilled workers for projects” and “skilled manpower supply”, and in a business context they all mean the same need: craftsmen and technicians for a set period.
Professions and what to specify for each in your request
| Profession | What to write in the request |
|---|---|
| Electrician | Building wiring, maintenance or industrial electrical work, and reading drawings |
| Plumber | New installations or maintenance, and the types of pipes and fittings |
| AC technician | The type of system: split, central or industrial cooling, and installation or maintenance |
| Welder | The type of welding, the metals and the positions, and whether they will take a test before starting |
| Blacksmith | Rebar work for concrete, or metalwork and steel structures |
| Carpenter | Formwork for concrete, or finishing carpentry, doors and furniture |
| Mason | Block, stone or plastering, and the daily output expected |
| Painter | Interior or exterior, and the types of paints and treatments |
| Equipment operator | The type of equipment by name: forklift, excavator or crane, and the type of license |
| Heavy vehicle driver | The type of vehicle and load, the type of license, and the routes |
| Maintenance technician | Building or equipment maintenance, preventive or emergency |
| Cook | The type of kitchen and the number of meals, and the health certificate |
Ajeerk has a list of forty professions, and if you cannot find yours, choose “Other profession” and type it the way people in the trade know it.
Write a request for skilled workers in six lines
A good request for skilled workers is short and specific. Here is an example of what a contractor writes in the details of a “Lease request”; change the numbers and professions to suit you:
- Profession and number: 6 electricians for wiring residential buildings.
- Skill: reading drawings, laying conduits, pulling cables, and installing sub-distribution boards.
- Site: one site in the city, housing provided by our company, transport provided by the providing company.
- Period: 4 months, which can be extended, starting at the beginning of next month.
- Hours: a morning shift, and overtime only with written approval from the site supervisor.
- Before starting: a short practical test on site, and a trial period in the first week with the right to a replacement.
With these lines, the providing company knows which of its workers really fit, and you receive offers you can compare.
The trade mix by project phase
A project does not need all the trades at once. Planning when each team comes in and leaves stops you from paying workers who are waiting for a phase that has not started, and monthly leasing suits this turnover because it ends when the phase ends.
| Phase | Main trades | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Excavation and earthworks | Equipment operators, heavy vehicle drivers and general laborers | Equipment and driving licenses before they come on site |
| Concrete structure | Formwork carpenters, rebar fixers and masons | Coordinating the concrete pours with the number of carpenters and rebar fixers |
| Electromechanical (MEP) | Electricians, plumbers and AC technicians | Finishing the installations before the ceilings are closed |
| Finishing | Tilers, painters, and gypsum, aluminum and insulation technicians | The order in which teams come in, so that one does not spoil another’s work |
| Handover and operation | Cleaners and maintenance technicians | Cleaning after construction, and handing over the systems |
Electromechanical and finishing teams
What most often gets stuck on sites is the overlap between teams. The electrician, the plumber and the AC technician work in the same ceiling, and if one of them is late, everyone is late. Request them in balanced numbers, and give them one supervisor who knows the sequence. In finishing, the gypsum technician comes in before the painter, and the tiler before the final cleaning, so write in your request the expected start dates for each trade.
Check the skill before you rely on the worker
- A short practical test on site: a sample weld, wiring a small board, or installing a unit. An hour of testing saves you weeks of rework.
- An agreed trial period: a few days at the start of the period, with the right to a replacement if the worker does not suit the work.
- Licenses: the licenses of drivers and equipment operators must be valid and suitable for the equipment, so check them before any operation.
- Health certificates: for those who work in preparing and serving food.
- The profession on the residence permit: a leased worker works in the same profession that is licensed for them, so match the profession you need with the registered one.
- Restricted professions: some professions are governed by special requirements or are restricted to certain groups, so check the status of the profession before you post or request.
Safety on site
A leased worker comes onto a site they do not know, so make their first day an induction to the site and its hazards. Set out in the agreement who provides personal protective equipment, who is responsible for work injuries, and who supervises work at height and on scaffolding. Do not let a worker climb or operate equipment until you are sure of their training and gear.