Tradespersons jobs are definitely for you! Most societies have added pressure of going to college and earning a degree for a 9 to 5 job. Thankfully, there are plenty of well-paying tradespersons jobs in the UK that can help you achieve your dream.
Trade jobs have high demand across Britain and do not require a college degree. This also means that you get to save a lot of money on a college education and complete your training and certification in less time. Some tradespeople even earn more than university graduates – above the average wage. Careers in trade skills are lucrative and can help fast track your future. Many people prefer to gain a few years of experience and then branch out into their own entrepreneurial ventures, eventually becoming owners of their businesses.
How To Get Into A Trade Career?
If you’re unsure about your future and need a direction, the best way to gain skills is through a fast track course. Most trade courses take several years to complete and also involve hefty tuition fees. However, with a fast track training course, you can quickly speed up the process for a fraction of the cost. However, switching careers does come at a cost. This cost is usually Time. As with any switch in employment, you would have to start at the basics, learn a new trade, and gain fresh experience.
Earlier, people could get trade jobs only through apprenticeship programs. These apprenticeships were on-the-job training meant for people fresh out of high school. It helped to start working and avoid any future avenues of education. Like we mentioned, traditional trade courses take time – sometimes even up to four years.
With the onset of technology, the education for trade skills has become experiential – with online and practical courses that will help generate income as you learn. Once you get the certificate, there are several flexible options for work, including sole traders or as employees. The resources and options available to trades jobs are immense, and you can easily manage your time while getting a pick of the types of jobs you would like to complete.
What Are The Benefits Of A Trade Job?
These are some of the most important trade job benefits.
- Paid Training: Trade jobs offer apprenticeships with stipends that allow you to earn money while learning on-the-job skills.
- No Debt: Since you would not be spending on a university degree, you would not have to worry about student debt. Most four-year college degrees are expensive, and most people spend their initial working years paying off their student debt. In a trade job, you would be earning money instead of paying off loans.
- Learn Extra Skills: Trade jobs help teach you valuable life skills that can be used daily and build a career out of helping others.
- Growth: Jobs in the trade skills are excellent for career growth since success is directly proportional to the time and effort you put. Most people start with a few jobs and eventually get the pick of the best and highest-paid projects.
- Excellent Income: Most trade jobs pay more than the average wage of college graduates. Skilled trades jobs even earn double of what graduates earn within the first year.
- Start a Business: Most hardworking trade persons start their own businesses after getting well acquainted with the work. The skills you learn in a trade job will last a lifetime and allow you to become the owner of your own business.
Which Trade Jobs Pay Well?
While money isn’t the answer to everything, it will always be one of life’s greatest motivators. The key to a healthy and enjoyable day to day life is to earn a comfortable income that helps you and your family maintain a good lifestyle.
Electrician:
Electrical engineering is a well-paid job with high demand. Most of the work is done in tight spaces, with very little room for manoeuvring, but if you enjoy operating various large and small equipment and installing wires, this is definitely the job. Electricians in the UK command a good salary and usually get a pick of the projects.
- Pros: Excellent salary, great job prospects, domestic and industrial workloads
- Cons: Not for people suffering from claustrophobia and colour blindness
- Challenges: Technical mindset, attention to small details, need to adapt to technology and intelligent systems
- Course: A level 2 or level 3 diploma course in electrical engineering can help bypass the need for an apprenticeship and allow you to get direct jobs as an electrician.
- Salary: Approximately £35,000 per annum at the start with avenues to start a business fast and grow exponentially per year
Gas Engineer:
Gas engineers help with installing, maintenance, testing, and repairing all gas appliances and heating systems in the UK. Gas engineers need to be dedicated individuals with excellent customer service skills, problem-solving abilities, physics and maths skills, and time management skills. Most gas engineers work 9-to-5, but the work can sometimes extend beyond regular business hours. If you enjoy working in a fast-paced, high-risk environment, and you thrive on the most minor details, then a Gas Engineers trade is the perfect fit for you.
- Pros: Excellent salary, holidays and sick leave
- Cons: Long work hours, administrative work, excess paperwork
- Challenges: Analytical mindset, meticulous detailing, knowledge of emergency isolation protocols and systems, gas component replacements in minimal time.
- Course: There are several fast track courses for becoming a gas engineer. These courses require training and industry exposure. There are also diploma options available. Additionally, you will need a Gas Safe registration.
- Salary: Beginners can earn approximately £37,000, while experienced professionals can reach as high as £62,000 per annum.
Plumber:
Plumbers are always in high demand in the UK. Plumbing involves fixing water blockages, piping, water pipes, and laying the entire water foundation for domestic, commercial, and industrial properties. It can also include irrigation and all the drainage work surrounding a landscaping job. Plumbers can command competitive salaries, and with the dearth of skills, qualified professionals can make a fantastic career.
- Pros: Flexible work timings, project-based work, can command desired wages depending on the project or job, training period involves a stipend
- Cons: Emergency call outs during winter and holidays, career progression is slow
- Challenges: Learning extra work like water fixture installations, servicing gas and oil systems, cutting and bending pipes, finding faulty pipelines
- Course: Traditional plumbing apprenticeship of four years (with theory and practical sessions), fast track plumbing course with a Level 2 diploma (10 weeks to complete), working as a plumbers mate or assistant and learning on-the-job with a certification
- Salary: The first year average salary expectation can be £30,000 per annum, but experienced plumbers can get upwards of £48,000 annually.
Carpenter:
Carpentry is one of the oldest trades in the world. There is evidence of carpentry since Biblical times, and it is considered a noble profession. Carpentry requires extensive skill and training with woodwork. Carpentry usually covers everything from bespoke art to large commercial complexes and projects that can take months to finish. There is a lot of scope in the business for entrepreneurs in the building, development, and construction fields.
- Pros: Creativity, working with nature, on-site work,
- Cons: Long work hours, need to work in a team, knowledge of joinery and commercial fittings
- Challenges: Mathematical mindset, working with heavy machinery and power tools, a basic understanding of physics
- Course: There are several carpentry courses at local colleges or NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) at a registered college or registering with the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board)
- Salary: The first year average salary approximates at £18,000 annually, with experienced professionals going as high as £42,000 annually. Business owners have higher earning potential.
Tiler:
The tiling profession is extremely rewarding and high in demand. Suppose you like the attention to detail, bringing creativity and organization together, and working with different materials like marble, granite, ceramics, and slate. In that case, you will enjoy starting out as a tiler.
- Pros: Creativity, customer service, refurbishments, excellent career progression to site manager, supervisor, or contract manager
- Cons: Attention to detail, criticism from others, added work pressure
- Challenges: Ability to work independently, added knowledge of building and construction, stress points, and flooring, plumbing and waterproofing
- Course: A Level 1 Certificate in Wall and Floor Tiling, and Level 2 diploma. Some colleges offer fast track courses in tiling. You can also opt for an apprenticeship before finalizing an education.
- Salary: Beginners usually earn £18,000 annually, while experienced professionals can command an average of £36,000 annually
This list of trade jobs is not exhaustive, and several more options are in high demand and command good salaries. If you’re making a career switch, or are starting fresh out of high school, always remember that there are trade career choices to help you fast track your ambitions.
References:
http://www.nvqcourse.co.uk/nvq_course_providers.html
https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/
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