The latest UK Trade Skills Index has revealed that 24,400 apprentices would need to qualify each year to meet a growing labour demand. With a recent ONS survey revealing 46% of the population’s cost of living has increased over the last month, salary will be a key consideration for anyone considering a career in the trades.
To reveal which skills are most in-demand across trades in the UK, a new study by experts at job management software provider BigChange has analysed Indeed job listing data to reveal the most in-demand skills. By analysing Adzuna data they have found the highest-paying cities for each outside of London, to help attract new talent.
| Trade | Top paying city | Average salary in each city | Most in-demand skill |
| Bricklayer | Leeds | £42,920 | Construction Skills |
| Builder | Edinburgh | £43,594 | Management Skills |
| Building surveyor | Bristol | £51,625 | Team Work |
| Caretaker | Manchester | £27,978 | Time Management |
| Carpenter | Manchester | £42,434 | Joining Skills |
| Electrical | Manchester | £43,906 | Time Management |
| Gas engineer | Leeds | £48,804 | Time Management |
| Joiner | Sheffield | £43,271 | Joining Skills |
| Landscaper | Edinburgh | £59,109 | Time Management |
| Locksmith | Leeds | £47,588 | Time Management |
| Painter decorator | Liverpool | £39,344 | Painting & Sanding |
| Plasterer | Manchester | £40,691 | Drivers Licence |
| Plumber | Liverpool | £42,117 | Experience Fitting Pipes |
| Roofer | Birmingham | £40,260 | Drivers Licence |
| Scaffolder | Leicester | £60,000 | Drivers Licence |
| Window fabricator | Liverpool | £42,594 | Team Work |
According to the data, tradespeople in Manchester were most likely to earn the highest salary. Time management proved to be the highest priority skill across all the trades, proving a need for individuals competent in scheduling and goal setting, crucial for effective project management.
To gain a further understanding of the skills requirements and salary expectations for four key trades, BigChange analysed the top five skills and average salary across the 10 biggest cities outside of London for each. The results for electricians are as follows:
The top five in-demand skills:
- Time management
- Drivers licence
- Communication skills
- Teamwork
- Testing experience
The top three paying cities for electricians have been revealed as Manchester (£43,906), Bristol (£43,570) and Birmingham (£42,349).
| Cities average salary | |
| City | Average Salary |
| Manchester | £43,906 |
| Bristol | £43,570 |
| Birmingham | £42,349 |
| Edinburgh | £41,685 |
| Glasgow | £41,658 |
| Sheffield | £39,950 |
| Leicester | £39,754 |
| Leeds | £39,517 |
| Liverpool | £38,430 |
| Nottingham | £37,921 |
Charlotte Goulding, Chief People Officer at BigChange says,“As we can see from the data, there are so many fantastic opportunities across the trades, whether you’re a school leaver or looking for a career change.
“People may have a preconceived idea around wages across the trades, but as this study shows, there is variation in different parts of the UK and these professions are competitive when compared to the average UK salary. According to the latest ONS data, the median monthly earnings across all sectors in the UK were £2,334 – equivalent to earning an annual salary of £28,000.”
For more from BigChange, please click here.