If you want to improve your job prospects and pick up new skills that can be used at home and in the workplace, then you should consider learning a skilled trade. However, a lot of people never consider this option when they are first entering the job market or later in life. Often, this is down to misconceptions about trades and people assume that unless you want to be a carpenter or plumber, it’s not for you. But in reality, there are a lot of great reasons to learn a skilled trade and it’s well suited to a lot of different people. Here are some of the top reasons why you should learn a skilled trade. 

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There Are Lots Of Options

When people think about skilled trades, they usually picture electricians, plumbers, and carpenters. If those areas appeal to you, completing an electrical or plumbing apprenticeship opens a lot of doors for you. But if you have no interest in those areas, you shouldn’t write off the idea of skilled trades altogether because they cover a much wider area. Being a hairdresser, a chef, or a gardener, for example, are all considered skilled trades. If you like doing anything practical, there is most likely a skilled trade that suits you. 

It Opens Up Options For A Career Change

The last year has caused a lot of people to reconsider their careers. Many people lost their job during the pandemic and lots of people were working from home, so they started to think more about their work-life balance. If you are having second thoughts about your career and you want to get out of the office, learning a trade is a great way to do that. It opens up a lot of new career options, so you can start thinking about what you want to do long term. 

You Can Go Self-Employed 

You might decide that you want to learn a trade and then work for somebody else, but you may also decide that you want to go self-employed. When you learn a trade, you have a great opportunity to do this. By training as a hairdresser or a gardener, you can easily set up your own mobile business. More and more people are going for this option as they want more flexibility about their working hours and a better work-life balance. If you do decide to do this, it’s best to work for somebody else for a while to build up some experience and make contacts first. 

You Learn Skills To Use At Home

Learning a trade doesn’t just benefit you in terms of your career, you also pick up skills at home. For example, if you need to do any maintenance on your home, knowing how to manage plumbing or electrical work can be a huge help. Training as a hairdresser means that the family doesn’t need to spend money on haircuts anymore. If you have skills as a chef, you’ll always have great food to eat. Sometimes, people don’t like using these skills at home because it feels too much like work, but you have the option there if you need it. 

Learning a trade can open up so many great career opportunities and benefit you in your personal life too, so if you are at a bit of a crossroads, you should seriously consider it.