Given the ever-changing nature of the industry, continued learning and reassessments are vital for tradespeople wanting to stay up to date with the latest and best practices in their sector. In certain cases — like gas engineers having to renew their Gas Safe membership every 12 months — they are a legal requirement.
There are parts of the construction industry we’re familiar with today that would have been completely unrecognisable ten years ago. In a few years’ time, we could be in the same situation.
What are the benefits of continued learning?
Possessing a more in-depth, specialist knowledge of your industry, and a wider variety of skills, quickly makes you more appealing to both potential employers and customers.
Not only does this employability translate to a likelihood of better job security and regular work, but naturally should boost your earning potential too.
A prime example of this, as we discussed in our recent blog about plumbers expanding their skill set to include gas, the average salary of a UK plumber is £30,671, whereas gas engineers have average annual earnings of £37,420, signalling a significant jump that can be made by continued learning.
New, green technologies that might not have existed when you completed your training are another reason why continued learning is worthwhile as a tradesperson. At a time when sustainability is a major focus for customers due to soaring bills, this knowledge is likely to be increasingly sought-after.
What are your continued learning requirements?
For anyone expanding into other sectors, from a safety and legal standpoint, it’s crucial that you understand exactly which regulatory bodies you need to register with before carrying out work.
A few of the most common registrations to keep in mind are:
- Holding a CSCS card before carrying out any work on a UK construction site
- Joining the Gas Safe Register before completing any gas work
- Registering with NICEIC to self-certify work as an electrician
How to work out what courses to put your time and money into?
Researching the latest technologies and developments within your industry is the best way to inform the kind of training you want to undertake. Naturally, it’s most beneficial to learn skills that are likely to be required in the immediate and long-term future, for example, solar power or heat pumps.
How to ask for learning opportunities at work if you’re already employed?
Recent research from Ironmongery Direct found that encouragingly, 50% of workers enjoy doing extra training to keep up with the latest developments in their industries.
Skill growth is something employers could favour, as it ultimately benefits them as well as you.
Show ambition and initiative by seeking out opportunities for continued learning, be it courses, mentorship or on-the-job development and explain to your employer how and why it would benefit the wider business.
At Able Skills, we offer a range of our courses on a part-time, flexible basis, making them more accessible to anyone who needs to fit their learning around existing workloads.