The last month has seen school-leavers across the UK celebrate and commiserate over their GCSE and A-Level results.

Nevertheless, regardless of the score, the outcome has largely been met by the same question: “What now?”

For many, higher education is the logical next step; however, there is an alternate route that poses a wide range of benefits.

Picking up a trade fresh out of school can be a wise move that pays off for years to come, particularly when it comes to the electrical trade.

How so? Read on to find out…

“University Is Not For Everyone”

Higher education has long been held up as the pinnacle of education and must for school-leavers looking to better themselves.

However, in recent years, that has often not been the case, with many graduates struggling to find employment post-university.

Senior Group Technical Presenter at NICEIC, Darren Staniforth, had this to say:

“University is not for everyone and the perception that you can only have a successful career if you get a degree is a false one.

“The construction industry is a well-paid sector that offers a vast array of opportunities. Yet, it is still viewed by some as a third-rate industry for people who do not perform well at school.

“A trade is a viable career path which gives students the chance to learn specific skills that can open up many doors and avenues in the future – including working abroad.”

Conducting Research

These sentiments were backed by figures from the Federation of National Builders, who noted that construction apprentices will go on to earn thousands of pounds more every year than many of their university-educated counterparts.

According to their research, the FMB found that the average annual salary of UK electricians was an impressive £47k, while the average university graduate in England earns £32k/year, noting that a shortage in skilled workers makes the construction industry a very lucrative career path.

These sentiments were echoed by the experts at the Pensions Policy Institute, who worked out that even a 22-year-old electrician on an average salary of £18k could have a pension pot worth £111k by the time they retire. Talk about investing in your future!

READ MORE: What is an Electrician's Salary?

Electrical Courses with Access Training

If you’re one of those school-leavers fresh off your GCSE or A-Level results, now is the perfect time to consider an electrical career. Both rewarding and useful, a training to become an electrician is extremely worthwhile on a number of levels.

Best of all, with electrical courses at Access Training, you don’t need any prior experience to get your journey started!

READ MORE: How to Become an Electrician

New Career Courses

Our beginner courses are ideal for those with limited or no experience.

These include:

- Essential Electrical Course

- Professional Electrician Course

- Premier Electrical Course

Trade Professional Courses

For more experienced, we also offer a range of courses designed to build on your existing knowledge.

These include:

- Part P Domestic Electrical Installer

- 18^th Edition

- Part P & 18^th Edition

- PAT Testing

- Initial Verification

- Periodic Inspection & Testing

- Fundamental Inspection Testing

- Combined Inspection & Testing

- Electrical Design Course

For more information on electrical training and electrician courses from Access Training UK, why not get in touch today? Call now on 0800 345 7492 or get in touch online using the button below.

Get in Touch

When we are contacted by individuals researching electrical training courses, one of their main concerns regarding the profession is the obvious issue of safety. We are repeatedly (and rightly) reminded about the dangers associated with electricity on an everyday level, so it's easy to see why someone might be hesitant regarding the profession, with only the layman's understanding that they will be working with a highly dangerous power source.

Before you decide to become an electrician, it's important to familiarise yourself with the risks associated with the profession. While this may seem rather off-putting at first, it is actually far more beneficial to those looking to build a long-term career as an electrician. When you are aware of the dangers posed to you, as well as to colleagues and members of the public, you are more likely to keep in mind how important it is to follow proper health and safety procedures. As we have noted in a previous post, a career as an electrician can be both lucrative and rewarding, but to be a truly successful electrical engineer you must always keep in mind the possible dangers associated with the job.

Whether you decide to become a domestic installer or a site services electrician, there will be particular risks within your set area, as well as many that are universal. For example, domestic call-outs can be dangerous for electricians, as they are often called to rectify poor work attempted by inexperienced individuals. The best defence against these risks, along with those in many other trade professions, is knowledge. If you receive the right training and qualifications, before going on to uphold the strict guidelines required to work as an electrician, you will ensure that you are able to substantially reduce these risks, almost eliminating them altogether.

To make your choice a bit more straightforward, here are some simple tips for ensuring safety as an electrician: