Two vacancies published by the Andalusian Employment Service (SAE) for a construction project in Albox, Almería, have reignited the debate on the wage gap between trades and university degrees. The positions are for a bricklayer and a civil engineer, both with a planned start date of September 1st, indefinite contracts, and full-time hours (08:00 to 16:00).
The gross monthly salary difference offered is a mere 100 euros: 1,600 euros for the bricklaying position and 1,700 euros for the civil engineering role. If two prorated extra payments are included, the gross annual remuneration would amount to 22,400 euros for the bricklayer and 23,800 euros for the engineer, an annual difference of 1,400 euros.
The offer for the bricklayer requires at least twelve months of experience in the occupation's specific tasks. The civil engineer position includes functions of control, study, monitoring, and planning of works, in addition to offering a company vehicle and phone.
This situation, occurring in the same town with very similar working conditions, highlights a narrow pay gap and relates to the difficulty in recruiting qualified labor for trades such as bricklaying, plumbing, or electrical work, which require practical experience and face generational succession challenges.
From Comisiones Obreras de Almería (CCOO), they emphasize that the salary offered for the engineer is strikingly low. According to the Construction agreement for the province for 2026, the lowest category, that of an ordinary laborer, should receive a gross annual salary of 23,188 euros, exceeding the SAE's offer. Similarly, a higher education graduate like an engineer should earn 33,833 euros gross annually, over 10,000 euros more than offered in the vacancy.
