The proper jobs.
Two real apprenticeship routes — Installation & Maintenance Electrician, and Plumbing & Domestic Heating Technician. What they actually pay, how you get in, and what a day on the tools really looks like. Read the tab that matches your shortlist for the flyer brief.
Installation & Maintenance Electrician
Salary snapshot (UK)
Salaries vary by region and employer. London and specialist contracts pay more.
How you get in
- GCSE grade 4 (C) or above in English & Maths is standard
- Apply via an employer (like Watkins) or via apprenticeship websites
- Day-release at a local college (typically one day a week)
- End-Point Assessment (EPA) at the end
- Pass the AM2 — a tough practical exam
What it’s actually like
I’m 19 and in my third year. Most days I’m on a site with my mentor — a qualified spark called Dan. Recently we’ve been first-fixing a new-build school: pulling cables through the joists before the plasterboard goes up, fitting back-boxes, terminating into consumer units. Wednesdays I go to college for the BTEC theory side — circuit calculations, the wiring regs, science.
The bit that surprised me? How much of the job is reading drawings and thinking before you cut anything. The ‘measure twice, cut once’ thing is real. Also, electrics is genuinely safe if you respect it — every job starts with proving dead, isolating, and locking off. People get hurt when they get cocky.
My advice: get good at maths. Not scary maths — Pythagoras, percentages, ratios. And practise being on time. Sounds boring, but you turn up at 7:30am every day for four years and you’re already winning.
A day in the life
Pros
- No student debt — paid from day one
- Hands-on, no two days the same
- Genuinely useful skill for life
- Strong career ladder & route to self-employment
- Always in demand — the country needs more sparks
Honest cons
- Early starts, all weather, sometimes dusty/dirty conditions
- Physical work — kneeling, ladders, carrying tools
- The wiring regs (BS 7671) are a big book and you have to know it
- AM2 is genuinely hard — most people are nervous
- Pay in year 1 is low, but it climbs steadily
Plumbing & Domestic Heating Technician
Salary snapshot (UK)
Gas (ACS), oil (OFTEC) or renewables (heat pumps) qualifications grow your pay sharply.
How you get in
- GCSE grade 4 (C) or above in English, Maths & ideally a science
- Apply through an employer or via apprenticeship websites
- Day-release at college, or block-release weeks
- End-Point Assessment with practical and theory tests
- Optional next steps: Gas Safe, F-Gas, heat pump install training
What it’s actually like
I’m 18, second year. People assume plumbing is just unblocking sinks. It’s not. This week I’ve been installing a new bathroom suite in a refurb job — running copper and plastic pipework, soldering joints, fitting a thermostatic shower valve, pressure-testing the system before we plaster over the chases. Last month I helped my mentor commission a heat pump, which is the future.
What I love is the puzzle. Why is this radiator cold? Could be a stuck TRV, an airlock, sludge, or a pump issue. You have to think methodically. I also like that what I make is useful — someone is going to have a hot shower tomorrow because of what I did today.
Advice: don’t be put off if you’ve never seen yourself in a trade. There aren’t enough women in plumbing and the industry knows it. The work is technical, clean(er than people think), and pays really well once you’re qualified.
A day in the life
Pros
- No student debt — earn while you learn
- Huge variety: domestic, commercial, renewables, gas
- Always in demand (boiler-to-heat-pump shift drives more demand)
- Clear self-employment route once qualified
- Working with hands and brain — proper problem-solving
Honest cons
- Sometimes physical / awkward positions (lofts, under sinks)
- Can be wet, occasionally smelly (drains)
- Hot works mean burn risks — strict permits required
- You’ll do call-outs that involve flooded houses and stressed customers
- Gas Safe is its own qualification — a big extra step
Read enough?
Mark this one complete once you’ve read at least one tab properly. The flyer brief that’s up next will ask you to pick a route and pitch it to people your age — come back to this page if you need to.