What are the 5 best trades to learn and upskill yourself?

Upskilling as a tradesperson

While you might be satisfied with your current skillset, there’s a lot to be said for upskilling.

For one thing, there are a number of ways it can help your trade business. For example:

• Reduce your subcontracting costs
• Helping to protect your reputation
• Improving your existing services

Of course, getting trained for additional skills isn’t instantaneous. Learning requires time and effort. And it also means dipping into your spare time to grow your expertise.

If you’re serious about becoming a better tradesperson, then this investment is certainly worth the effort.

What are the benefits of learning a new trade?

Besides a new set of skills, there are plenty of benefits that come with learning a trade new to you.

Below are just some of the main positive additions you can expect to get when you upskill:

• Additional trade skills that let you offer more services
• Higher earning potential from a broader (or niche) audience
• Better customer service and higher rating on reviews
• Increase customer satisfaction for more complex and unusual issues
• Lower outsourcing costs by reducing need for subcontractors
• Cornering local markets by offering more than other tradespeople

Being able to take on more work is important to help your business get more customers and grow. If you’re a sole trader, then the person learning needs to be you.

Employ others? Maybe it is worth getting your staff upskilled to broaden the scope of your trade business.

The five best trades to learn when upskilling

Now that you know how learning new skills can help your business, what are the best trades to learn?

Here are our top five options to consider if you want to upskill in wider aspects of the trade industry:

1. Retrofitting and net-zero NVQs

Learning how to retrofit old technology and install net-zero equipment is essential.

Times are changing. Soon net-zero tech will be commonplace, so learning to fit it now will put you comfortably ahead of the competition. Examples include:

• Electric vehicle (EV) home charging units
• Solar Thermal Installation
• Green Home NVQs
• Electric boilers
• Air source heat pump (ASHP) and ground source alternatives

Becoming an insulation expert, and advising businesses on becoming PAS 2030/35 compliant will be highly valued.

Why not get familiar with the green training options that exist to help tradespeople?

2. Bricklaying

It might not seem like it at first glance, but bricklaying can be one of the most profitable trades. Bricklayers can earn good wages and the work is easy enough to pick up.

As a practical skill, learning how to lay bricks means you can also take on work as a subcontractor.

However, that’s not to say bricklaying is one of the easy trade skills to learn. It will take time to perfect the art.

But it’s an investment well worth making so you can offer a more complete service to customers.

3. Joinery

When it comes to learning trades, adding joiner or carpenter skills to your repertoire is a solid business move.

Day rates for joiners can be upwards of £300 as a sole trader.

Plus, anyone thinking of becoming a joiner will have plenty of areas to specialise in. Jobs include:

• Framing
• Structural works
• Roofing
• Trim carpentry
• Cabinet making

The point here is that once you get qualified you can specialise in an area and become known for it. As a joiner, you’ll be able to find a niche market, and target consumers looking for specialist work.

That way, you can drive new business, get great customer reviews, and increase income.

4. Drylining (Fixer / Finisher)

Of all the trades we’ve listed, becoming a dry liner or fixer/finisher presents a fantastic opportunity for new work.

When it comes to homes (or commercial work), there’s always fixing and finishing needed.

This is particularly true if you’re in an urban area, though you can find plenty of work throughout the country. Creating beautiful interiors these days will often requires the expertise of a dry liner or plasterer.

As an added bonus, as a skilled craftsman in this area, you can make plenty of industry contacts for additional subcontracting work.

5. Painting and Decorating

Perfecting your painting and decorating skills enables you to offer more services per project. Skilled painters can also make a great salary, even after tax. Being a painter and decorator alongside another skill can also increase your revenue per job.

• Are you already skilled in this area?
• Do you want to learn something new?

Being able to provide a great finish gives you the opportunity to pick up work off the back of your main trade.

On top of this, the painting and decorating market is constantly growing. People have less free time than in the past, meaning there are far more opportunities for work in this area.

Where can I learn a trade skill new to me?

There are many ways to learn new skills. So, it’s important to find a solution that suits your needs. Think about:

• Your preferred learning method
• Your desired trade
• Your training budget
• The flexibility of lifestyle

Many people looking to upskill will choose to do via evening classes or on an intensive course. When looking to learn, you need to consider the practicalities.

Here are the main ways where tradespeople can learn a trade skill:

1. College

Local colleges usually offer a good range of skill-based learning. Check in your local area about what is on offer. You’ll likely be able to find:

• Evening classes
• Intensive courses
• Apprenticeships
• Classroom-based learning
• Adult-only classes

Some cities also have a university technical college that could provide a good way to learn a new trade.

2. Online

As we live in a digital age, many people now choose to learn a new trade online.

Online courses and industry experts are available through a range of methods, so be sure to do your research.

If your chosen profession requires accreditation for work purposes, then remember to check the online course is vetted.

3. At home

People can also now choose to learn a new career at home, reflecting a change in trade training methods. This can often be online, but also include practical booklets and assignments.

Ways of learning at home include:

• Online courses
• Distance learning schemes
• Completing reading and writing assignments

Whatever the method, you will need to make sure that the chosen method of learning will help you gain your qualifications.

4. Through an apprenticeship

One of the best ways to learn a trade skill, apprenticeships teach you skills while also working. There are many apprenticeship schemes running across the country to help people learn new skills.

Helping to combat the growing skills shortage, there are a number of apprenticeship schemes for tradespeople.

Many will have gone through some sort of apprenticeship or part-time college course along with a work placement. But be aware that some pay more than others.

Finding more work with Checkatrade

You should now have a good idea of how you can go about upskilling for future work.

Whether you’re looking to grow an existing business, or you’re just starting out, a Checkatrade membership is designed for tradespeople. Wherever you are in your career.

Fixed membership from Checkatrade means you can expect a certain number of leads throughout the year.

With Checkatrade, we can provide your business with its own profile page for customers to find you. They can leave reviews and you get to choose which jobs you cover.

On top of that, there are a number of reasons to consider joining:

• More trade jobs coming your way
• We’ll guarantee your work if booked through us (T&Cs apply)
• Offers and discounts on a range of business essentials
• Trades app (for job management, invoicing, messaging and more)
• Great savings on your public liability insurance
• Access to Quickbooks software for much less than standard price

Get in touch today to find out more about our sign-on process. Think anyone can get listed on Checkatrade? Think again. We make sure to carry out checks on everyone who wants to become a member.

Upskilling FAQs

Does learning a new trade involve much writing?

It will depend on the course. A trade job requires a special skillset and typically tends to be more hands-on and technical than some other professions. As a result, they tend to require less paper-based learning and rely on more manual training methods.

Can I get paid to upskill?

Tradespeople often gain knowledge through on-the-job experience. If you’re learning through an apprenticeship or on-the-job learning, you can get paid as you upskill.

Will I need to pay tuition fees?

There are grants available to help with fees and reduce chance of debt. As well as earning while learning, you also won’t have to factor in student loan repayments on a month-by-month basis.

Will upskilling help me find a new job?

Any new skill or trade that you train in will help increase job prospects. Employers like to see progress and the ability to adapt, so training or re-training can often go in your favour.

Like any job, previous experience and employment history will also play a role, but upskilling will definitely improve your appeal.

What is the best age to learn a new trade?

Learning a new trade does tend to be more common among younger people, as they’re already in education. However, there is no time limit on the many opportunities that exist to retrain.

Whether learning a trade in your 40s, or even as late as your 50s, it is never to late to learn something new. It is perfectly understandable that you may want to switch at some point of your working life.