UK Best trade for job security.

[yung_kio]

Hi,

I am 17 years old and my main goal was to become an electrician.

But I have been hearing from people that becoming a gas safety technician is better or renewable energy.

I don't want to make the wrong choice.

I just want to get into a trade where there is always work available and good pay. Not so physically demanding and unorganised as linemen work

Are electricians the #1 trade for long term?

What do you think?

 

[Mikegh]

Basic plumber is never out of work , but it can be physically demanding

Less demanding is a job involving testing and certification. of some sort

 

[LukeD]

Electrician or Plumber doing lots of small to medium jobs . Building up a good local reputation

 

[yung_kio]

Basic plumber is never out of work , but it can be physically demanding

Less demanding is a job involving testing and certification. of some sort

What do you think about gas safety technician or renewable energy technician?

 

[Mikegh]

What do you think about gas safety technician or renewable energy technician?

Hard to say

Probably start off with a trade and work from there

The skill is transferable as the market dictates

 

[Dustydazzler]

A decent plumber / bathroom fitter in my area is like gold dust and they are always in extremely high demand.
You ring any decent plumber and they are all booked up fitting bathrooms months and months in advance...

 

[KWCFC]

Fire and Security like myself.

Extreme shortage, almost every single company in the industry is hiring and they are desperate.

Less physically demanding as some days can be spent at the laptop commissioning.

 

[Dustydazzler]

...to add I don't there has been a better time to get into a trade, be it plumbing, electrics, painting, plastering etc

i speak to various trades on jobs and they are all so busy and can't keep up, they are even putting rates up 40-50-60% and still getting so much work they are booked up for months

 

[LukeD]

A decent plumber / bathroom fitter in my area is like gold dust and they are always in extremely high demand.
You ring any decent plumber and they are all booked up fitting bathrooms months and months in advance...

I am 3 months into a full refurb in London. Thats me on my very own. Full rewire sub floors, studding, boarding and plastering . new bathroom and kitchen .Tiles .And Engineered timber in most rooms. full decoration . Thats me planning , buying , delivering , doing the work etc etc . Its bloody hard at 60 !! But the main reason..... You cannot find anyone these days !! Anyone good is booked 6 months ahead easily . Bright side. Money is good !

 

[yung_kio]

I am 3 months into a full refurb in London. Thats me on my very own. Full rewire sub floors, studding, boarding and plastering . new bathroom and kitchen .Tiles .And Engineered timber in most rooms. full decoration . Thats me planning , buying , delivering , doing the work etc etc . Its bloody hard at 60 !! But the main reason..... You cannot find anyone these days !! Anyone good is booked 6 months ahead easily . Bright side. Money is good !

why did u pick plumbing over electrics?

 

[Dustydazzler]

I am 3 months into a full refurb in London. Thats me on my very own. Full rewire sub floors, studding, boarding and plastering . new bathroom and kitchen .Tiles .And Engineered timber in most rooms. full decoration . Thats me planning , buying , delivering , doing the work etc etc . Its bloody hard at 60 !! But the main reason..... You cannot find anyone these days !! Anyone good is booked 6 months ahead easily . Bright side. Money is good !

everyone I speak to these days seem flat out busy and booked up till the summer ( and beyond )

if i were 21 again and prepared to work 7 days a week like I used to, I reckon I could earn myseld well over £150,000 in a year

 

[pc1966]

Getting a good reputation in any trade should give you security.

Beyond your training/apprenticeship, be weary of doing all your work for a big company as the client, they can and do screw over folks especially if they go bust. Try and keep a good range of clients and if you are going down the sole trader, etc, route you really need to keep on top of invoices & payments. It helps if a partner can take care of the back office stuff as it soaks up time.

Whatever you do now, you will almost certainly need to have updated skills and followed the market every 10 years or so to keep relevant. Life is like that!

 

[pc1966]

if i were 21 again and prepared to work 7 days a week like I used to, I reckon I could earn myseld well over £150,000 in a year

And have no life to enjoy it...

 

[Dustydazzler]

And have no life to enjoy it...

Not literally 7 days a week every week, but what I meant was not turn any work away even if when it meant doing 2 board changes on a Saturday and another board change on a Sunday some weeks not every week, so still doing your site work Monday to Friday.
A decent sparky today could easily pull 3 grand a week in the South East, more some weeks. If you did 3 board changes over a weekend you can easily get £2500 just from that.

 

[Dustydazzler]

there is loads of money out there to be earned in the trades if you are prepared to earn it...