Half of UK Tradespeople Face Barriers to Training

A SURVEY of 500 trade workers from across the UK has found that almost half (45%) of UK tradespeople want to do additional training but are unable to do so because of barriers like time and finances.

When asked about their appetite for professional development, half (50%) of those surveyed by IronmongeryDirect said that they enjoy learning new things, but one in eight (12%) had reached a stage where they rarely do so anymore.

A lack of awareness was cited as the biggest obstacle preventing trade workers from pursuing further training. Almost one in seven (13%) of those surveyed said that they wouldn’t know where to look for development opportunities.

Barriers to Training

Those surveyed said the money and time (both 12%) required for training courses is discouraging, along with social pressure. One in 12 (8%) said that they don’t ask for more training as they worry what other people would think of them for making such a request.

These barriers highlight the importance of continuous learning, says IronmongeryDirect, as less than a fifth (17%) of tradespeople said that their initial training was enough to set them up fully for their career.

Out of all the trades, building surveyors (48%) are the most likely to face training obstacles, with money (19%) being their main obstacle.

The trades most and least likely to face barriers to further training are:

The survey found that young tradespeople are the most likely to face barriers, despite being the most eager to learn new things. Gen Z (18-24s) and Millennial (25-34s) workers are the keenest to continue developing, but are the worst affected by each of the main obstacles, with time (21%) being the primary issue.

The UK roofing industry is fortunate to have a national network of roof training groups to advise on and coordinate specialist roofing training.

The National Roof Training Group details the group for each UK region and includes contact details for getting in touch.

>> Read more roofing survey results in the news