Trades and apprenticeships
Every trade we cover, with indicative UK pay, the apprenticeship standard behind it and the providers who deliver the training.
88 trades found
Adult Care Worker
Support adults to live well — in their own homes, in supported living or in residential care.
- Pay
- £23.5k–£30k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Agricultural & Plant Service Engineer
Maintain tractors, combines, excavators and the machinery farming and construction depend on.
- Pay
- £31k–£50k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Aircraft Maintenance Technician
Inspect, service and repair aircraft to airworthiness standards.
- Pay
- £30k–£55k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Ambulance Support Worker
Crew ambulances and patient transport, treating and moving patients under pressure.
- Pay
- £26k–£34k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1 year
Animal Care & Welfare Assistant
Look after animals in kennels, catteries, rescue centres, zoos and pet retail.
- Pay
- £21k–£28k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Arborist / Tree Surgeon
Climb, prune and fell trees safely — well-paid, highly skilled outdoor work.
- Pay
- £26k–£42k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Assistant Accountant
Keep the books, run payroll and prepare accounts — a profession you can qualify into without a degree.
- Pay
- £25k–£42k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1.5 years
Baker
Produce bread, pastry and cakes in craft bakeries and production plants.
- Pay
- £24k–£34k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Barber
Cut, fade and shave — a booming trade with low start-up costs and quick self-employment.
- Pay
- £22k–£40k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Beauty Therapist
Deliver facials, treatments and therapies in salons, spas and your own business.
- Pay
- £21k–£34k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Blacksmith
Forge and shape hot metal by hand — architectural ironwork, restoration and bespoke commissions.
- Pay
- £26k–£42k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Boatbuilder
Build, fit out and repair boats in timber, composite and metal.
- Pay
- £26k–£42k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Bricklayer
Lay brick, block and stone to build the structure of houses, extensions and commercial buildings — one of the…
- Pay
- £30k–£45k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Bus & Coach Engineering Technician
Keep public transport fleets safe, legal and on the road — including the new electric ones.
- Pay
- £32k–£46k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Business Administrator
Run the systems, records and coordination that keep an organisation working.
- Pay
- £24k–£34k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1.5 years
Butcher
Break, bone and prepare meat for retail counters, restaurants and food production.
- Pay
- £25k–£38k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Carpenter & Joiner
Cut, fit and fix timber — from roofs and studwork on site to staircases and doors made in a workshop.
- Pay
- £29k–£45k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Chef
Cook professionally — the trade with the shortest route from beginner to genuinely skilled.
- Pay
- £26k–£45k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Civil Engineering Technician
Support the design and construction of roads, bridges, water networks and rail — on site and in the office.
- Pay
- £28k–£48k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 2 years
Construction Plant Operative
Operate excavators, dumpers, rollers and telehandlers on construction and civils sites.
- Pay
- £30k–£45k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Construction Site Supervisor
Run the day-to-day of a site: programme, people, safety, quality and materials.
- Pay
- £38k–£60k
- Level
- L4
- Train
- 2 years
Cooper
Build and repair the oak casks that whisky matures in — one of the oldest trades still served by a four-year…
- Pay
- £28k–£45k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 4 years
Customer Service Practitioner
Handle the phone calls, emails and problems that decide whether a customer stays — a qualification every…
- Pay
- £23k–£31k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Cyber Security Technician
Monitor, detect and respond to the attacks aimed at your organisation every day.
- Pay
- £30k–£55k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 2 years
Data Technician
Collect, clean, analyse and present the data organisations make decisions with.
- Pay
- £26k–£45k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1.5 years
Demolition Operative
Take buildings down safely — a licensed, well-paid trade that most people never consider.
- Pay
- £32k–£48k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Dental Nurse
Work chairside supporting the dentist, and qualify while you earn with no university route needed.
- Pay
- £25k–£35k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 2 years
Dental Technician
Make the crowns, dentures, bridges and braces that dentists fit — precision craft work in a laboratory.
- Pay
- £27k–£42k
- Level
- L5
- Train
- 3 years
Dry Liner / Interior Systems Installer
Build the internal walls and ceilings of commercial buildings in metal stud and plasterboard.
- Pay
- £28k–£44k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Early Years Educator
Care for and teach children under five in nurseries, pre-schools and schools.
- Pay
- £22k–£30k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1.5 years
Electrician
Install, test, inspect and maintain electrical systems in homes, sites and industry — the best-paid of the…
- Pay
- £35k–£58k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3.5 years
Engineering Design & Draughtsperson
Turn concepts into the 2D drawings and 3D models that everyone else builds from.
- Pay
- £28k–£46k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Engineering Fitter
Assemble, install and adjust mechanical assemblies and machinery so they run right.
- Pay
- £32k–£48k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Equine Groom
Care for horses in racing, competition, riding schools and studs.
- Pay
- £20k–£30k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Farm Worker
Work with livestock, crops and machinery on commercial farms.
- Pay
- £23k–£34k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Farrier
Shoe and care for horses' feet — a legally protected trade with a four-year apprenticeship and no shortage of…
- Pay
- £30k–£48k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 4 years
Fire & Security Systems Technician
Install, commission and maintain fire alarms, CCTV, access control and intruder alarms.
- Pay
- £30k–£47k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Firefighter
Respond to fires, road collisions and emergencies — and spend much of the job preventing them.
- Pay
- £29k–£40k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 2 years
Funeral Team Member
Care for the deceased and their families — steady, respected work that never stops being needed.
- Pay
- £24k–£34k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Gas Engineer
Install, service and repair gas boilers, fires and appliances — legally restricted work, so qualified people…
- Pay
- £34k–£55k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 2 years
Greenkeeper / Sports Turf
Maintain golf courses and sports pitches to playing standard, all year round.
- Pay
- £23k–£35k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Groundworker
The first trade on site: dig, drain, concrete and lay the foundations everything else sits on.
- Pay
- £28k–£42k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Hairdresser
Cut, colour and style hair — and build a client book that belongs to you.
- Pay
- £22k–£40k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Healthcare Support Worker
Hands-on patient care in hospitals and the community — the widest open door into the NHS.
- Pay
- £24.5k–£30k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Heat Pump & Low Carbon Heating Installer
Install and commission heat pumps, cylinders and low-temperature heating — the fastest-growing trade in the…
- Pay
- £33k–£50k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
HGV / LGV Driver
Drive articulated and rigid lorries for a living — short training, immediate demand, strong pay.
- Pay
- £34k–£50k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 13 months
HGV Technician
Maintain and repair trucks, trailers and commercial vehicles that cannot afford to be off the road.
- Pay
- £33k–£50k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Highways Maintenance Operative
Repair, resurface and maintain roads, footways and drainage on the network.
- Pay
- £27k–£40k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Hospitality Team Member
Front of house in bars, hotels and restaurants — the fastest way into paid work with a qualification attached.
- Pay
- £23k–£30k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Insulation & Retrofit Installer
Insulate existing homes — cavity, loft, external wall and floor. The trade at the centre of the national…
- Pay
- £28k–£42k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
IT Support Technician
Fix the hardware, software and network problems that stop people working — the classic first job in tech.
- Pay
- £25k–£40k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1.5 years
Landscaper / Horticulture Operative
Build and maintain gardens, parks and green spaces — soft landscaping and hard.
- Pay
- £24k–£36k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Lift & Escalator Engineer
Install, service and repair lifts and escalators — a small, well-paid, highly regulated trade.
- Pay
- £34k–£58k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 4 years
Machinist / CNC Technician
Produce precision components on lathes, mills and CNC machines to tolerances measured in hundredths of a…
- Pay
- £30k–£46k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3.5 years
Maintenance Engineering Technician
Keep production plant running — mechanical, electrical and control systems, planned and reactive.
- Pay
- £35k–£52k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3.5 years
Metal Fabricator
Cut, form and assemble steel and sheet metal into structures, vessels and components.
- Pay
- £31k–£46k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3.5 years
Motor Vehicle Technician
Service, diagnose and repair cars — increasingly a job of electronics and data as much as spanners.
- Pay
- £29k–£45k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Motorcycle Technician
Service, diagnose and repair motorcycles, scooters and increasingly electric two-wheelers.
- Pay
- £25k–£38k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Network Engineer
Design, build and secure the networks everything else depends on.
- Pay
- £32k–£58k
- Level
- L4
- Train
- 2 years
Nursing Associate
A registered role in its own right, and the bridge between support work and registered nursing.
- Pay
- £27k–£33k
- Level
- L5
- Train
- 2 years
Optical Assistant
Help people see properly — frame fitting, measurements and pre-screening on the high street.
- Pay
- £23k–£32k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 15 months
Painter & Decorator
Prepare, paint, paper and finish interiors and exteriors — the last trade on site and the one everyone sees.
- Pay
- £26k–£38k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Pharmacy Technician
Prepare, check and supply medicines in community pharmacies and hospitals — a registered professional role.
- Pay
- £26k–£38k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 2 years
Plasterer
Finish walls and ceilings with plaster and render — the trade that decides whether a room looks right.
- Pay
- £28k–£42k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Plumber & Heating Engineer
Install and maintain hot and cold water, heating systems, bathrooms and drainage in homes and commercial…
- Pay
- £32k–£52k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 4 years
Police Constable (Degree Apprenticeship)
Join the police as a paid apprentice and earn a degree while you serve.
- Pay
- £30k–£48k
- Level
- L6
- Train
- 3 years
Power Network Craftsperson
Build and maintain the electricity network — overhead lines, underground cables and substations.
- Pay
- £34k–£58k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Prison / Custody Officer
Supervise, support and rehabilitate people in custody.
- Pay
- £28k–£38k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1 year
Quantity Surveying Technician
Measure, cost and control the money on construction projects.
- Pay
- £30k–£60k
- Level
- L4
- Train
- 2 years
Rail Engineering Technician
Maintain track, signalling, overhead lines or rolling stock on the railway.
- Pay
- £34k–£52k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineer
Install and maintain cooling, air conditioning and heat pump systems in shops, offices, data centres and food…
- Pay
- £33k–£52k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Registered Nurse (Degree Apprenticeship)
Become a fully registered nurse while employed and paid — no tuition fees, no student loan.
- Pay
- £29k–£46k
- Level
- L6
- Train
- 4 years
Retail Team Member
Serve customers, run a section and learn the trade of selling — the most widely available first job with a…
- Pay
- £22k–£30k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Roofer
Cover, weatherproof and repair roofs in slate, tile, felt, single-ply or lead.
- Pay
- £29k–£45k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Scaffolder
Erect, adapt and dismantle the temporary structures every other trade works from.
- Pay
- £33k–£50k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Software Developer
Write, test and maintain the software businesses run on — without a computer science degree or its debt.
- Pay
- £30k–£60k
- Level
- L4
- Train
- 2 years
Stonemason
Cut, carve and build in natural stone — new-build masonry and the restoration of historic buildings.
- Pay
- £27k–£42k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Teaching Assistant
Support pupils and teachers in the classroom, including children with additional needs.
- Pay
- £21.5k–£28k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1.5 years
Team Leader / Supervisor
The first step into management — and the apprenticeship that formalises what you already do.
- Pay
- £29k–£42k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 1 year
Thatcher
Roof in straw and reed — a heritage trade with a waiting list and very few people left doing it.
- Pay
- £28k–£45k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Vehicle Damage Panel Technician
Repair and replace crash-damaged bodywork and structures to manufacturer standards.
- Pay
- £30k–£45k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Vehicle Paint Technician
Prepare, colour-match and spray vehicles to a finish that is invisible against the factory paint.
- Pay
- £30k–£45k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Veterinary Nurse
Care for animals through surgery, treatment and recovery as a registered veterinary nurse.
- Pay
- £25k–£35k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 3 years
Wall & Floor Tiler
Set out and fix ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles in kitchens, bathrooms and commercial spaces.
- Pay
- £27k–£42k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 2 years
Warehouse & Supply Chain Operative
Receive, store, pick and dispatch the goods that keep shops, sites and factories supplied.
- Pay
- £24k–£33k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1 year
Welder
Join metal by hand to a standard that can be X-rayed — a skill that travels worldwide and pays for it.
- Pay
- £32k–£55k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years
Wind Turbine Technician
Maintain the turbines powering Britain — offshore and on land. Well paid, in demand, and growing faster than…
- Pay
- £38k–£58k
- Level
- L3
- Train
- 2.5 years
Window & Door (Fenestration) Installer
Survey, fit and finish windows, doors and curtain walling in homes and commercial buildings.
- Pay
- £27k–£40k
- Level
- L2
- Train
- 1.5 years