Earnings for trade apprentices set to soar above national average by 2022

• Trade apprentices expected to earn an extra £2,000 per year above the national average by 2022
• Plumbers and electricians set to be highest trade earners, with a forecasted wage of over £31,000 per annum
• Research launched as Screwfix searches for the 2018 top Trade Apprentice, an initiative which aims to identify the rising stars of the trade

Screwfix is calling for the next generation to consider a career in the trade as new research shows a job in building and construction trades could lead to higher wages than other career choices.

Future plumbers, plasterers, roofers, carpenters, electricians and bricklayers are set to earn at least £2,500 a year more than the national average by 2022, bringing their average salary to over £27,500. In addition, apprentices can enter their chosen career free from the debt of university fees, which now average £50,000*. This comes from new research commissioned by Screwfix which examined ONS salary data from 2010-17 to forecast future earnings of apprentices entering a profession.

Along with the benefits associated with a long-term career in the trade, including flexible working hours, becoming a skilled expert, being your own boss and working with a wide range of people, research has found that pay really cements why a career in the trade is the right choice.

The research predicts the highest earners will be plumbers and electricians with a forecasted wage of over £31,000 per annum. However, carpenters and plasterers are forecast to see the biggest increases between 2018 and 2022.Carpenters are expected to see a rise of eight per cent (over £2,000), while plasterers should see an increase of nine per cent (over £2,100).

The research was commissioned by leading trade retailer Screwfix as part of its Trade Apprentice initiative, which aims to celebrate and champion the best trade apprentices and future stars of construction.

Graham Bell, Screwfix CEO, said: “The research supports our belief at Screwfix that a trade apprenticeship is a strong career choice for young people in this country. Apprenticeships lead to careers in highly skilled jobs, which are in high demand and therefore attract a healthy, competitive salary. For young people starting out they offer a great career choice without the burden of large debts from university fees.

Meanwhile, in a separate piece of research conducted with tradespeople it was revealed that more than half (57 per cent) struggle to find skilled labour. For those who struggle to recruit skilled employees, more than one third (37 per cent) believe it is because apprenticeships are not given the same level of respect as a university education, while 31 per cent say poor public perception of a career in the trade means school leavers are not interested in pursuing a future in construction. 

“We believe the whole industry should play a part in encouraging and inspiring more people to undertake an apprenticeship. There is an ongoing focus on the importance of trade apprenticeships for the UK economy and for construction in particular, which is facing a significant skills gap. That’s why we are continuing to support the industry with The Screwfix Trade Apprentice initiative, which not only supports young people to kick-start their career but also inspires a strong future for the UK’s construction industry,” added Graham Bell.

One winner will walk away with the title of The Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2018, receiving a business and trade bundle worth £10,000, including a laptop with accessories, £5,000 worth of Screwfix products and funds for future training courses to help kick start their career.

* ONS’ Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). The forecasts were produced by calculating the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for each job code for the period 2010-2017 and applying this to the next 5 years.

For more information visit https://www.screwfix.com/landingpage/tradeapprentice/