The recent ITV article, "Help! We Need a Builder: Britain's Skills Shortage," shines a spotlight on a crucial issue: the UK faces a significant deficit of skilled tradespeople. With a whopping 50% of homeowners struggling to hire a skilled tradesperson. The reason: most skilled tradespeople are in such a high demand that they can’t take on new clients for 3-6 months . There is plenty of opportunity for ambitious and hard working people, who qualify in the trades and can secure a reliable income even in uncertain times.
How to stay ahead of the crowd:
Get qualified today and build your experience:
With nearly a million new recruits needed in the next decade, qualified skilled tradespeople are in exceedingly high demand. This means countless job opportunities and competitive salaries await those who step up and fill the gap. Like with all new trends, demand is there NOW, but those who act fast will secure their position in the market and get much higher rewards. Getting trades qualification now is like investing in crypto in 2010. Invest in yourself now to be highly skilled when everyone else will be just trying to qualify. In several years, when the demand is even greater, you won’t be a beginner tradesperson, but a tradesperson with several years of experience under your belt. This means a 30-70% higher salary.
Build an impressive portfolio with earn while you learn options:
With one-third of skilled tradespeople nearing retirement, the need for fresh talent and the next generation of tradespeople has never been more important. This creates a direct path to success for those who enter the field now.
Unlock profitable options:
Once qualified... there are many different paths and specialisations you can choose. From carpentry and roofing to renewable energy and sustainable construction, there will be a path that aligns with your interests.
Leave the unsatisfying job:
Many of our students are in their 40s and 50s. They make great tradespeople, because of their wide range of transferable skills, and can spend the rest of their career working on their terms. Many take great pleasure in working with their hands, helping people while earning a decent income.
How Access Training can help you build your future:
Access Training is your gateway to a rewarding career in the trades. We offer a variety of accredited courses, tailored to equip you with the skills and knowledge employers seek. Here's how we can support you:
- Flexible learning options: Choose from classroom-based, online, or blended learning to fit your schedule and learning style.
- Experienced trainers: Our industry-expert instructors share their real-world knowledge and practical guidance.
- Career support: We provide ongoing support with job search strategies, interview preparation, and CV writing. Also, upon qualification, we share our students’ CVs with our affiliate partners in the trades.
The trades industry is crying out for skilled individuals, and we are here to help you fill these roles. With our step-by-step training programs and ongoing support, we can empower you to launch a successful career in this exciting and in-demand field.
Get in touch today to explore our course options and take the first step towards building your future.
From Solicitor to Plumber: How People Are Retraining to Cope During the Coronavirus Pandemic
ITV News, 24th September 2020
Access Training was recently featured on a special edition of ITV's Tonight. Titled 'Can We Save Our Jobs?' and presented by Robert Peston, the programme highlighted the trials and tribulations that people have endured while on furlough during the coronavirus pandemic: the stress of having no work, the strain of having to provide for your family, and the hopelessness of a jobless future.
But it's not all doom and gloom.
"Anybody who's lost their job... my advice is don't be afraid. With hard work and the right training... you can do anything that you want."
Access Training tutor Jimmy Adkins, speaking to ITV's Robert Peston
The programme featured several Access Training students - people from a variety of backgrounds who felt the economic impact of the pandemic and made the wise decision to pursue a career in the trade industry. Chefs have become gas engineers, cab drivers have taken up plumbing, and even solicitors are jumping on the bandwagon.
Talking to Peston, our gas tutor Jimmy Adkins gives an excellent summary of the situation, detailing the enormous spike in demand for construction courses that followed the COVID-19 crisis:
"It went absolutely crazy. Guys have come from all sorts of backgrounds - taxi drivers, entertainment, even to the point where I've had some solicitors because they're unsure of whether they're ever going to go back to working in the office."
Access Training tutor Jimmy Adkins
One of our students, Chris Kruger, was also interviewed for the programme. Chris recently left his job as a chef, citing job uncertainty as the main reason for this decision. He speaks of the "very stressful and very worrying" threat to his job, and indeed the whole catering industry:
"Not knowing whether things were going to go back to normal, whether I would still have a job, the situation at home - expecting a baby and so forth - and my partner also being in the hospitality industry... both of us sitting on furlough, you can imagine the stress."
Access Training student Chris Kruger
ITV Tonight: Can We Save Our Jobs?
Chris very wisely decided that retraining as a plumber would secure his young family's future in these increasingly unsettling and unstable times. Instead of sitting back and letting everything crumble around him, Chris took it upon himself to prepare for the future: "I just said, no, I need to utilise this time to study."
If Chris can do it, so can you. The furlough scheme has now ended, but the pandemic is ongoing and there is still a lot of uncertainty about the future - especially in sectors like entertainment and hospitality, which were hit especially hard by Covid and which will bear the brunt of any future lockdowns.
The Access Training students who appeared on ITV's Tonight programme took the right steps at the right time to become qualified tradespeople. They invested in their careers, and made the choice to be proactive and determined.
Access Training can be your stepping stone to a secure and fulfilling career; the safety net you need in these unforgiving times.
Demand is high, and the time is now. Take the initiative today - get in touch now to speak to a course advisor.
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