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Trades
Real careers in the skilled trades — what they pay, how in-demand they are, and the pathway to get there.
Bricklaying
Build and repair walls, foundations, chimneys and other structures in brick, block and stone — reading plans, mixing mortar and including heritage and restoration work. Bricklayers work outdoors on construction sites, usually in teams, on everything from housing to large commercial builds. Typical pay ranges from about £25,000 while training to £45,000+ for experienced or self-employed bricklayers, with strong overtime and day-rate earning potential. Prospects are strong, sustained by the national housing shortfall and government housebuilding targets.
£35,000 avg / year
Carpentry & Joinery
Cut, shape, fit and install timber and timber-based materials — from roofs, floors, staircases and stud walls on site (site carpentry) to doors, windows and fitted furniture in a workshop (bench joinery). Carpenters work on new builds, renovations and restoration, reading drawings and working to fine tolerances. Typical pay ranges from around £24,000 while training to £40,000+ for skilled or self-employed joiners. Prospects are steady, with consistent demand across housebuilding, renovation and fit-out and strong self-employment potential.
£32,000 avg / year
Electrician
Install, test, inspect and maintain electrical systems and wiring in homes, businesses and on construction sites — increasingly including EV charge points, solar PV and battery storage. Work ranges from first- and second-fix wiring on new builds to fault-finding and periodic safety testing. Typical pay ranges from about £26,000 as a newly-qualified electrician to £45,000+ with experience or self-employment. Prospects are very strong — it is one of the most in-demand trades, driven by electrification, renewables, EV charging and an ageing workforce.
£35,500 avg / year
Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning
Install, service and maintain heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems in offices, shops, hospitals and homes — the technology that keeps buildings warm, cool and properly ventilated. Work includes fitting units, diagnosing faults and handling refrigerant gases safely. Typical pay ranges from around £20,000 in training to £40,000+ once qualified, with higher rates for specialist and commercial work. Prospects are growing fast, with rising demand for energy-efficient cooling, heat pumps and improved building ventilation.
£30,000 avg / year
Plumbing & Heating
Install, service and repair water, heating, gas and drainage systems in homes and businesses — from fixing leaks and fitting bathrooms and boilers to installing low-carbon kit such as heat pumps. Plumbers work across customers' homes, building sites and commercial premises, and many go on to run their own business. Typical pay ranges from around £24,000 while training to £46,000+ once qualified and experienced. Job prospects are strong, with steady demand from housebuilding and a fast-growing need for heat-pump and low-carbon heating installers as the UK moves to net zero.
£35,000 avg / year
Welding & Fabrication
Join, cut and shape metal for construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding and engineering using techniques such as MIG, TIG and arc welding, working from engineering drawings. Welders work in fabrication workshops, on sites and in heavy industry, and can specialise as highly-paid coded welders. Typical pay ranges from about £25,000 to £45,000+, with premium rates for coded and specialist welding such as offshore work. Prospects are steady with high-earning niches — strong demand in energy, defence, rail and infrastructure for certified welders.
£35,000 avg / year