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If you're trying to get a high-paying job without a degree, plumbing could be a good choice.

It is widely assumed that going to uni is essential if you want a stable career with a decent salary. But that is most certainly not the case.

For one thing, a university degree doesn't guarantee you a job offer (and hasn't for years). The modern job market is extremely competitive, and the value of an undergraduate degree simply isn't what it used to be.

Don't worry, though, because there are plenty of well-paying jobs that don't require a university degree at all.

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If you're trying to get a high-paying job without a degree, plumbing could be a good choice.

It is widely assumed that going to uni is essential if you want a stable career with a decent salary. But that is most certainly not the case.

For one thing, a university degree doesn't guarantee you a job offer (and hasn't for years). The modern job market is extremely competitive, and the value of an undergraduate degree simply isn't what it used to be.

Don't worry, though, because there are plenty of well-paying jobs that don't require a university degree at all.

More...

Career Change at 30

If you’ve landed on this post, then it seems you're looking for a career change at 30. You may have got to a stage in your life in which your current occupation just doesn’t feel fulfilling - financially, spiritually or physically. You’ve found yourself stuck in a rut in which your working life lacks productivity, stability, motivation, and more importantly, enjoyment.

But don’t worry, very rarely do people find the right job for them the first time around. Often, people venture down one route only to discover that it hasn’t led them to their desired destination. And if this scenario sounds familiar, it isn’t too late to change your career and take a different route, even at the ripe old age of 30!

People often feel a pressure to know what they want from life at a young age, and by the time they're 30 and realise they're not where they want to be, they're told that they're 'too old' to make a big life change. Well, we're here to tell you the truth - you're never too old to start a new career! 

Making the decision to change your career can seem daunting, but it’s the most important step towards a more enlightening working life. By not making this step you may be hindered from reaching your true full potential, and it may be something you regret later down the line.

If you're ready to find a new career at 30, read on. 

Career Change at 30: Top Tips for a Successful Career Change

The Biggest Obstacle is Yourself

Changing your career at 30 would be a far easier task without the fear that is brewed by overthinking. But that’s something, as humans, we will always do when faced with an important decision like this.

When making the decision to actively change your life in a dramatic way, the first obstacle to surpass is your own conscience - to let go of the fear of the unknown.

The Question Won’t Be Answered In Your Head

A question which concerns important life-changing situations will naturally provoke much thought. It’s understandable that loads of questions whizz around your mind in long, endless cycles when considering a career change at 30.

But these cycles offer no resolutions. The only way of coming to any definite conclusion is by carrying your motives out in practice. Otherwise, you have no real way of knowing what will work.

It’s Never Too Late!

One of the most deflating thoughts concerning a career change at 30 might be that you’ve missed your chance, that starting again is impossible and that there’s no point in risking your current compromise for another attempt.

This is certainly not the case; the longer you think about it, the longer you do nothing about it, and the longer that time passes. One day, you might find yourself years, perhaps decades, into the future and realising regretfully that it was never really too late!

Here at Access Training, we accommodate a wide variety of accredited trade skill courses for people of practically any age, so don’t let such excuses stop you from making the leap.

Don’t Go it Alone

Big decisions like this require the support of family and friends. Without them to talk through your decisions and to help you out, financially or emotionally, the right path will be much harder to come by.

Whether you talk to your friends asking for career recommendations, or even simply to unload the burden of your thoughts, you will have a far less load to carry on your shoulders. As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved.

Do Something, At Least

The worst thing you could do after reading this article is to carry on living complacently in your state of comfortable discomfort.

It doesn’t matter specifically what you do. The vital thing is that you do something, at least. It matters not how big the step is or whether that step is even the right one to take. Just start to build your momentum - even the smallest action will contribute towards something and could even get you that dream new career at 30.

If you are reading this article then chances are you aren’t happy in your current occupation. If this is the case, enquire today about a trade skill course with Access Training and take a positive, and happy, step forward in your career. Our friendly advisers will be happy to guide you towards the right career path.

 

Last updated 5th July 2022

Read More: Career Change at 30: Is Now the Right Time?

 

As a parent, your child’s future is of paramount importance to you, especially in today’s unstable working climate. This is why alternative career paths are becoming increasingly popular over the traditional university path. 

Parents around the country are to be forgiven for putting all their faith in universities to provide their child with a safeguarded future. It is believed that university is a way of guaranteeing a successful, or at least stable career.

However, this used to be true, but it sadly isn’t the case today. With so many people now in higher education and gaining degrees, the market is so competitive that those with degrees no longer have the edge they once had. Nowadays, the apparent safety of the university option is much weaker than it used to be which is why so many are considering alternative career paths.  

In fact, university often causes the following concerning questions;

 

  • How will we fund the extortionate cost of our child’s university education?
  • Will our child ever be able to pay off their student debt? 
  • Will they be able to find a job after their degree, even if we do manage to afford it? 

 

University is not necessarily the best way for a school leaver, and certainly not the only way to guarantee a secure, successful career. 

University Does Not Suit Everybody

Over the last decade or so, schools and governments have emphasised the importance and benefits of a university education - but the truth is, it isn’t suitable for everybody.

If your child isn’t particularly academic but has thrived in more practical, hands-on subjects at school, then it might be worthwhile looking at an alternative career - for example, a career in trades.

The UK Trade Industry Is On The Rise

The UK trade industry is currently rebuilding itself at a rapid rate, enjoying strong job security and healthy wages. However, it is currently starved of workers in the UK and is suffering a huge skills shortage. It requires a new surge of labourers to supply a new generation of tradespeople.

With several large-scale projects proposed by the government in the next five years and thousands of homes being built to accommodate the rising population, both demand and wages for tradespeople are very high - it’s more a matter of jobs seeking tradespeople than tradespeople seeking jobs.

It Works Out Cheaper Than University

Studying at an alternative career path in a private college, such as Access Training, works out far cheaper than it’d cost for a three or four-year university degree.

With universities costing thousands upon thousands per term, today’s students are lucky to graduate without being thousands of pounds in debt.

At Access Training, a plumbing, electrical, or gas course cost a fraction of the money needed for three or more years of university tuition fees and all the other costs such as rent, food and bills.

It Takes Less Time to Become Qualified

A typical university course lasts three years - that’s three years of studying before your child gets the opportunity to start earning. And even then, finding well-paid work soon after university is difficult. Chances are, your child might also be in a mountain of debt.

A course at Access Training takes just a matter of weeks and, equipped with a work placement at the end of the course, your child will be propelled into the working world, as a fully qualified trades worker. 

So in the same amount of time it’d take to complete a university degree, you could re-earn the money paid for a training course in an alternative career path ten times over. The question won’t be how long until I’ll be debt free?, but rather how long until I make back what I invested into the course?.

It’s Financially Rewarding

Not only is the demand and job security high in the trade, but tradespeople are very well rewarded for their services. Average wages for plumberselectricians and gas engineers are around £27,000 a year on average, but there are increasing accounts of tradespeople earning anything between £40,000-£100,000 per year, due to the sheer lack of competition and constant demand.

Take the owner of Pimlico Plumbers, Charlie Mullins, for example, the millionaire plumber’ who says that ‘demand for [his] services’ has ‘soared’ in recent years. But the workforce is struggling to keep up with that demand, meaning those who are in the industry ‘can earn up to £100,000 a year’. 

If ever there was a good time to be a tradesperson, that time is now.

Choose Access Training

Ultimately, unless your child has a clear academic motivation, studying at a university may not be the most suitable option. It could result in thousands of pounds’ worth of unnecessary costs, three years or more of valuable time, and all for a degree which may not guarantee your child a stable career or job.

The alternative is far cheaper, far more likely to result in a rewarding, secure career, and will take far less time to achieve. This provides your child with the chance to live and work independently, allowing them the dignifying freedom to be self-sufficient adults.

Does an alternative career path sound appealing to you? Enquire today about a course at Access Training or call us on 0800 345 7492. Our course advisers are always happy to answer any queries you may have.

 

Travelling long distances to and from your learning centre, day upon day, week upon week, can easily become too difficult and costly to sustain. Regardless of how much you enjoy the course itself, the long commute can quickly sap you of time, energy and enthusiasm, while also incurring unnecessary extra costs.

Travelling away from home to learn a new trade skill or course can be daunting, but these six advantages of learning away from home will surprise you and ease your worries. More...

Has your job become stale and unsatisfying? Perhaps you've reached a dead end in your career, and feel that you aren't fulfilling your potential?

There are many reasons why your working life might have begun to feel dissatisfying, but many of these reasons can be resolved by taking action and becoming your own boss. Don't worry - you won't be alone!

Thousands of people in the UK alone have already taken the opportunity to change careers and work for themselves. Want to know why? Here are 5 advantages of being your own boss...

1. Choose your working hours.

Being your own boss means, first and foremost, that you can have full autonomy over your working week. This is a major benefit of becoming your own boss: you decide when you work and how long you work for, as opposed to spending most of your working day being told what to do and how to do it.

This autonomy means that you don't have to follow the orders of a nagging employer; furthermore, studies around the world have shown that the ability to choose one's working schedule improves general well-being at work, meaning you are more inclined to want to work harder and better.

Becoming your own boss

2. Realise your full potential.

Having full control over your working pattern allows you to really push yourself and achieve your full potential. As well as having a flexible diary, you can also work as much or as little as you wish, without feeling confined or pushed to the limits by the standard 9-5 hours of your previous job.

This way, you can reach your full potential at your own pace, and being your own boss is the best way to achieve this.

3. Master your trade.

If your current career doesn't require any specific skills that you can develop or improve upon, you might begin to feel disengaged. The desire to have a skill or occupation that requires practice and patience - something that never comes to a dead end and is always giving you new goals and objectives to complete - is inherent in humans.

If you aren't working towards perfecting a certain skill, you might easily become bored and restless. Working as a tradesperson frequently brings up surprises or new challenges that allow you to keep enjoying and focusing on the work you're doing, meaning that you're always engaged.

Being your own boss means you can essentially choose what jobs you want to tackle, meaning each job is always different to the last in some way.

4. Gain a sense of purpose.

Having a sense of purpose is essential to maintaining your enthusiasm in your job. If you feel like you are easily replaceable and the work you do is of no great worth, you are more likely to lose interest in it.

Tradespeople are a vital, respected part of society and have been so since the beginning of modern civilisation. For as long as a population grows and needs houses built, repairs made and new appliances installed, there will always be a place for tradespeople in society. So there is little chance of feeling undervalued if you start your own plumbing or carpentry business!

5. Take the brakes off your income.

If you are employed by someone else and receiving a fixed income, then no matter how hard you work, it will always be a struggle to raise your salary. However, one of the greatest benefits of being your own boss is that you have more control over how much you earn. When you're no longer at the mercy of annual performance reviews, your earnings will depend entirely on how hard you work and the opportunities you are able to find.

As your career progresses, you will be the one to reap the rewards, which will not only be of huge benefit to you financially, but will also give you a greater sense of achievement.

Hundreds of Access Training students have gone on to do just this and use the skills and qualifications they learned at our training centres to start their own businesses and enjoy the freedom that this brings.

Browse Trade Courses >

If you've had enough of working for other people and seek the freedom that comes with being your own boss, enquire today about a course at Access Training or call us on 0800 345 7492. With the help of our course advisers, you're bound to find the right trade course for you.

 

When deciding to enrol on a training course offered by private training colleges, such as Access Training, some might feel suspicious - after all, how can a trade, something traditionally considered to require years of experience, be taught to a high enough standard in only a matter of weeks?

At first glance, it certainly seems implausible, but when you take a closer look into what the old-style apprenticeship process actually consists of, you might be more inclined to think otherwise.More...

 
At the beginning of 2016, TATA Steel announced its plans to cut 1,050 jobs from Steelworks across the UK, including 750 at the Port Talbot works . The Indian based company was reported to be making losses of £1 million a day in the UK, and this increasingly worsening situation has since escalated into a large-scale disaster in recent months. More...

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