How to Retrain in a Trade
Reading time: 5 minutes
Reasons to retrain for a new career in a trade
It can feel daunting to start a new career. But there are so many benefits from retraining in the trades industry, including all of the following:
-
There is a lot of demand for highly skilled tradespeople throughout the UK.
-
Retraining courses for careers in a trade are widely available.
-
Many trade jobs allow you to train while you work, should you have the correct skills.
-
You will have loads of opportunities for advancement in the trades industry once you are in this sector.
-
Success can be achieved in many trade careers if you are physically able to complete the work and are keen.
-
Tradespeople across a wide variety of roles earn good wages.
-
A trade job can be very satisfying, because you see the results of your hard work and get to help others.
-
Self-employment is popular in the trade, which will allow you to work on your own terms and set your own hours on the job.
Do you have the characteristics of a tradesperson?
Matching your characteristics to a career that you are interested in can help you see if a new job role would suit you.
See if all of these statements commonly associated with a tradesperson sound like you:
-
You are a friendly and reliable person.
-
You are punctual, honest and flexible.
-
You are great at solving problems.
-
You have strong communication skills.
Are there options available when I have no experience?
Even if you feel you have all the characteristics tied with being a successful tradesperson, you may worry that your chances of triumphantly making this career switch will be low because you have no trade experience.
You should not be concerned though. The requirements of many skilled trade jobs have been relaxed as efforts are made to get more people into work.
Seeking out labouring work at the likes of a local home improvement firm or on a nearby construction site will also help you to learn new skills and gain that experience you are after.
What is the best trade to retrain in?
If you have reached a conclusion at this point that you would indeed like to retrain in a trade, the next step will be to decide which type of tradesperson you want to be.
With the UK now having more than 150 skilled trade jobs to select from, it can be difficult to know just where to begin when making up your mind.
The trade insurance specialist Tradesman Saver has looked to assist here fortunately, by providing a list of the top trades to learn in the UK based on pay, qualifications cost and future-proofed growth prospects.
You can find the full guide here, with the firm’s top ten trades as follows:
1. Electrician (The current average UK salary for this trade is £47,265 and the sector is projected to grow by 4% by 2026)
2. Plumber (The current average UK salary for this trade is £48,675 and the sector is projected to grow by 4.3% by 2026)
3. Carpenter & Joiner (The current average UK salary for this trade is £33,000 and the sector is projected to grow by 3.9% by 2026)
4. Heating & Ventilation Engineer (The current average UK salary for this trade is between £32,500 and £37,500, with the sector projected to grow by 4.8% by 2026)
5. Bricklayer (The current average UK salary for this trade is £31,000 and the sector is projected to grow by 4.1% by 2026)
6. Roofer (The current average UK salary for this trade is £42,300 and the sector is projected to grow by 5.2% by 2026)
7. Stonemason (The current average UK salary for this trade is £31,500 and the sector is projected to grow by 3.1% by 2026)
8. Painter & Decorator (The current average UK salary for this trade is £24,000 and the sector is projected to grow by 3.7% by 2026)
9. Scaffolder (The current average UK salary for this trade is £28,000 and the sector is projected to grow by 4.5% by 2026)
10. Steel Fixer (The current average UK salary for this trade is £27,000 and the sector is projected to grow by 4.6% by 2026)
Let Travis Perkins help find the best trade for you
Have you checked out our handy guide about what is the best trade for you to get into too? You can read about the skills and requirements needed to become the likes of a bricklayer, electrician and plumber to gain an even clearer idea of the career route that will be most desirable to you.
That is not the end of how we can assist you with getting a dream job in the trade though. Once you have decided which career path you wish to pursue, be sure to check out our comprehensive guides on:
These career guides clearly set out the work expected in each role, what a typical day will look like, how much you could earn and the different options available to become qualified.