The Future of Trade Skills: What Will be in Demand by 2030?

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Trades which will be in demand to meet England’s housing targets

When setting out his Plan for Change milestones to Parliament, Prime Minister Keir Starmer detailed ambitions aimed at “rebuilding Britain” by delivering England with 1.5 million new homes over the five years from December 2024.

For this huge number of new domestic properties to be constructed and then be ready to be occupied, various types of tradespeople are going to be in demand between now and 2030.

Consider the following:

• Expert scaffolder crews will be needed to securely put up structural access platforms before the construction of any of the new homes can commence.
   

• Competent bricklayers will see their services being requested to construct durable yet attractive new homes.
   

• Capable roofers will be called in to fit lead flashings, tiles and slates onto the roofs of the new domestic properties once this part of the building has been constructed.
   

• Qualified electricians will be needed to install electrical systems safely into new builds.
   

• Skilled plumbers will be required to get both water and heating systems up and running in the new homes.
   

• Certified heating, ventilation and air conditioning engineers will need to be on hand to fit the new domestic properties with sophisticated temperature and airflow controls.
   

• Experienced painters and decorators will be sought out to apply the essential final touches to the interior of the new builds before they become occupied by the new homeowners.

Being skilled in any of these trades should see you play a crucial part in helping the government to achieve their target of building 1.5 million new homes by the time we ring in 2030.

Self-employed tradespeople should learn AI skills alongside practical skills

If you are a self-employed tradesperson, you must be doing all you can to stay ahead in your industry to allow your services and your business to stand out from your competition. Learning technology-based trade skills can go a long way here.

Of course, artificial intelligence (AI) is currently the big topic of conversation when it comes to technological advancements. The UK government valued the nation’s AI market at over £72 billion in 2024, while research by customer conversation experts Moneypenny found that 39 per cent of UK businesses use AI in some capacity already.

Self-employed tradespeople should be part of this number. This is because modern AI systems can be used to automate tasks like scheduling in work and quoting jobs, as well as analysing usage patterns and operating procedures to better identify when equipment needs servicing or replacement.

Learning AI skills and how to put practices in place around your business will allow you to free up additional time for you to focus on completing more jobs for your customers.

Improve your skills installing smart home technology

As a tradesperson, you really cannot be ignoring the UK’s popular smart home market. 

Green energy quotes specialist GreenMatch has established through a study it carried out that around 39 per cent of UK households now use smart home devices, with this rate projected to increase to 50.2 per cent of the nation’s households by 2027 too.

So many types of tradespeople could now come across smart technology during their work as well:

• Electricians may need to fit smart electrical appliances or improve a property’s lighting array so that wireless control can be achieved.

• Plumbers or heating engineers may be required to adapt a property so that occupiers can use smart thermostats effectively.

• Technicians may be sought out by property owners who want to make their houses more secure with the installation of smart security cameras and video doorbells.

With a YouGov Profiles survey also revealing that 67 per cent of respondents said they were aware of smart home appliances but that they did not know much about them, becoming a certified smart home systems installer can help you to pass on your knowledge to interested customers.

To get you started on improving your knowledge about smart technology, be sure to read our ultimate guide to smart homes.
 

From helping the government to reach its ambitious housing targets to the growth of AI and smart home technology, there is a lot to think about when shaping the future of your trade career. 

To keep on top of other emerging trends in your industry, make sure you are regularly visiting our handy Trade Corner advice hub to read our latest articles.