If you're looking to change career, you may feel like you need to make that change as soon as possible. Short courses are designed to get you qualified in a shorter timeframe than traditional routes, which can be great for anyone who needs a new job quickly. If you're looking for short courses that lead to good jobs then you'll be keen to learn more about our intensive trade courses.

Learning a trade makes for an excellent new career - trade courses are some of the best courses for jobs in the UK because of the current skills shortage. Once you become qualified, it isn't difficult to find employers or clients in need of your services. There are countless opportunities for UK tradespeople currently, so there's really no better time to look into the short courses we have on offer.

Why Learn a Trade?

The salary is a huge benefit of learning a trade. As you can see from the above image, even beginners do well in terms of starting a whole new career. Trades often pay more than the national average wage, which is why more people are turning to these short courses: so that they can get on this career ladder and gain more experience as quickly as possible. Other benefits include:

• Job stability due to high demand
• Less student debt as you won't need to attend university
• Opportunity to be your own boss
• Opportunity to progress
• Every day is different
• Opportunity to work all around the UK

Best Short Courses for Jobs from Access Training

With Access Training Academies, you can choose to learn a trade through our intensive, flexible courses. These courses are designed to teach you all the relevant theory and practical knowledge required to become a qualified tradesperson. Although this traditionally would take years in college and a length apprenticeship, these courses teach you what you need to know in a matter of months.

This allows you to start earning as quickly as possible and gain more experience whilst working on actual jobs. Click the links below to find out more about our courses and find the one that you feel most suited for.

Plumbing Courses >

Gas Courses >

Electrician Courses >

Plastering Courses >

Carpentry Courses >

Kitchen Fitting Courses >

Our courses are built to suit you and your lifestyle. If you have family commitments or other work commitments, you can talk to us and we'll help you to determine which course best suits your circumstances. You have the option to study full time or part time depending on what works best for you. We also offer payment plans to help you pay for your training as you study.

COVID-19: The global coronavirus crisis has left a lot of people out of work, but here at Access Training, we are helping people to learn new skills and switch to a career in the trades. Our live online learning programmes allow you to start training at home - for more information, see Changing Careers During COVID-19.

If you want any more information about any of our training courses, or if you're seeking advice from one of our expert advisors, we are more than happy to help. We want to help find the best course to suit you and your lifestyle, so feel free to contact us today.

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Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

How many women does it take to change a lightbulb?

One.

How many women does it take to install a state-of-the-art boiler system?

Still one, providing she’s had the appropriate training and gained the relevant qualifications.

Obviously.

The UK is currently undergoing a huge skills shortage, with too many jobs and too few workers (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.) who are actually qualified to do them. This is putting a massive amount of pressure on the entire country; it’s something we hear about on the news, and it’s something we face when a pipe bursts and we actually have to find a plumber who can squeeze us into their busy schedule.

Britain is crying out for more people to learn these valuable skills. So why not women?

These industries have always been particularly male-dominated; when the words 'builder' and 'woman' are uttered in the same sentence, many people picture catcalls and wolf-whistles rather than a female bricklayer at work.

But why should this be case? Trade skills can lead to lucrative careers, and any determined, hardworking and intelligent person is more than capable of training up in one of these skills, regardless of their gender.

Lately, there has been an increase in the number of women entering these industries, hoping to benefit from all the same perks that tradesmen have been enjoying for years (e.g. good pay, rewarding work, choosing your own hours).

Gender equality within the trades won't change overnight - females currently make up just 6% of the workforce in certain trades, so it’s an uphill battle. However, the more women choose this path, the more women prove themselves just as capable as their male co-workers, and the more other women will feel encouraged to learn a trade themselves.

A fully-qualified woman is just as capable as a fully-qualified man, and therefore just as able to take advantage that this skills gap now provides.

Should women learn a trade?

If you enjoy working with your hands or don’t fancy a desk-based office job, then why not consider training up for a trade career and acquiring lifelong skills that will always be in demand? Being a woman should be no barrier, and there are lots of reasons why these industries make for desirable career paths, including:

• Great pay – experienced carpenters, electricians and plumbers can earn annual salaries of £30,000+.
  
  
• High demand – The current demand for people with these skills creates job stability as industries desperately try to fill vacancies.
  
  
• Be your own boss – Tradespeople often have the opportunity to become self-employed. This means you can pick your own jobs, hours and what you charge your clients.
  
  
• Less student debt – You don’t need a degree to learn a trade skill, and it no longer takes years to qualify. Training courses such as those available from Access Training Academies allow you to learn and get qualified quickly, so you can start earning as soon as possible.

How do I become qualified?

Training up to become a qualified tradesperson is much easier than it used to be. Traditionally, this career path would require years of studying in a college, with additional years working as an apprentice. Now training companies such as Access Training Academies allow you to study your chosen trade and learn the practical skills necessary on an intensive training course.

You can pick from several courses and several training centre locations across the UK to study your trade. We take a range of people all coming from diverse backgrounds - some just entering the world of work, some recently made redundant and looking to retrain, some just looking to carry out some DIY tasks around the home.

That’s why we understand that a training course can’t be a 'one size fits all' solution. We do everything we can to help you find a course that best suits your circumstances. It’s this flexibility that appeals to so many of our students - the ability to learn at your own pace while honouring family and work commitments. You can even start your training online!

Whether you want a complete change of career, some useful new skills, or an opportunity to top up the knowledge you already have, we're sure to have a suitable course for you. Access Training can take you from beginner to qualified worker, giving you all the skills necessary to get hired. If you aren’t ready to give up your current career, you can complete the course part-time and work while you learn.

Regardless of your age, sex, race or skill level, everyone on our courses is greeted with a warm welcome.

Call Access Training on 0800 345 7492 to discuss your goals with one of our friendly course advisors.

Browse Our Trade Courses >