More Brits Look to the Trades for Career Security

Finding skilled workers remains a challenge, but growing interest in trade careers could offer some encouragement to fabricators and other businesses struggling to recruit.

MPs across Parliament have launched a new group backing Britain’s tradespeople and those who would like to join their ranks. Checkatrade is supporting the initiative.

Now, patio door or garden-room  installer are not yet on the list of prospects or qualifications required list for Google searches but  plumber, electrician and carpenter has seen search interest surge across the country. Nearly four in ten (37%) people are now considering switching careers, it has been calculate and of those, over half (54%) are interested in retraining to join the trade industry.

Jobs rise, vacancies fall

Figures from the ONS show that the UK’s unemployment rate has increased at the same time as the number of job vacancies has fallen to its lowest level in five years.

Meanwhile, Checkatrade data shows that three-quarters (75%) of the public believe that a job in the trades is a respected career path with long-term job security.

Government

An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Tradespeople will now represent the interests of the (low) estimate of 900,000 people working in trades across the UK and raise the issues affecting them with policymakers.

More than 20 MPs and Members of the House of Lords have joined the group. It will be chaired by the Labour MP Amanda Martin, who comes from a family of tradespeople and introduced a Bill to tackle tool theft in the House of Commons.

Trades as business owners

With data showing that nine in ten (90%) tradespeople in the UK own their own business, the APPG for Tradespeople will spend the next twelve months tackling the barriers holding trade businesses back. The APPG will look at how to stop the rise of tool theft, understand why low numbers of apprentices move into the industry and how to tackle rogue traders who operate across the country.

Martin said: “I come from a family of plumbers and builders. While these incredible people are the lifeblood of so much of the economy, too often they are overlooked and forgotten in Westminster.

“Tradespeople build our homes, keep our lights on and come in the middle of the night to fix a household crisis. But for too long, policymakers haven’t focused on how to help them grow their businesses and tackle the major issues they face, like the rise of tool theft, which is devastating for a tradesperson. This APPG will change that. I'm determined to ensure that tradespeople have a powerful voice in Parliament.”

Jambu Palaniappan, Chief Executive at Checkatrade, said: “The UK’s circa 900,000 tradespeople are an essential part of society. Interest in joining the trades has never been higher. Being a plumber, a carpenter or an electrician has gone from being a last resort to a first-choice career, yet too many barriers are thrown up in front of trade businesses every day.

“MPs across Parliament are going to put trades front and centre and make sure this industry gets the respect and the hearing it deserves.”

Picture: An APPG will now represent the interests of tradespeople in Parliament.

www.checkatrade.com/blog/news/APPG-for-tradespeople