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Street sweeper

Also called leaf vacuum operator, leaf-sucker operator, street sweeper driver

Street sweepers operate sweeping equipment and machinery to remove waste, leaves or debris from streets. They maintain records of sweeping operations and maintain, clean and perform minor repairs to the equipment used.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospects39 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Refuse workers and other elementary workersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €700 (Bulgaria) to €4,000 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Refuse workers and other elementary workersWhat do I need to study?Basic schooling4 in 10 have basic schooling only. 4 in 10 train through vocational routes.Refuse workers and other elementary workersWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Sweepers and related labourers · ILO

What you'd do

Sweepers and related labourers · ILO
  • Sweeping streets, parks, airports, stations and similar public places
  • Shovelling snow
  • Beating dust out of carpets by using a carpet-beater
  • Cleaning rubbish, leaves and snow from driveways and grounds
Empty community waste collection binsManage wasteEnsure compliance with waste legislative regulationsMaintain street sweeping machineOperate mechanical street sweeping equipment+ 17 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Mostly outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Lots of contact with people, including the public
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the related, broader US job "Highway Maintenance Workers"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

Many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as refuse workers and other elementary workers in the EU
2.04m2.13m2.42m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
247,000 new jobs 599,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Refuse workers and other elementary workers39
All jobs29
Right now
3 of 27 countries report a shortage of sweepers and related labourers, 5 a surplus.
Sweepers and related labourers · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €700 a month (Bulgaria) to €4,000 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among elementary occupations in the EU, women earn 9% less per hour than men. Elementary occupations · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Basic schooling

Most people start with basic schooling and learn on the job.

Highest qualification of refuse workers and other elementary workers (EU, 2025)
Degree 7%Vocational 36%General secondary 13%Basic schooling 44%
Field that teaches it
Community sanitation
Vocational route, EU
4 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.09 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 4 tasks
Cleaning rubbish, leaves and snow from driveways and grounds0.12
Sweeping streets, parks, airports, stations and similar public places0.10
Beating dust out of carpets by using a carpet-beater0.09
Shovelling snow0.06

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for sweepers and related labourers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).