Engineering and manufacturing
CNC machinist
Program and run computer-controlled machines that cut precision parts for engineering and manufacturing.
£25,000 – £42,000 starter to experienced
Hobby
Building kits, models and LEGO sets with care and precision. 27 of our careers connect with this hobby, ranked below by how much it matters.
This hobby is close to the day-to-day work.
Engineering and manufacturing
Program and run computer-controlled machines that cut precision parts for engineering and manufacturing.
£25,000 – £42,000 starter to experienced
Health and science
Design and make crowns, bridges, dentures and braces to a dentist's prescription in a dental lab. A registered, precise, hands-on health career.
£32,000 – £48,000 starter to experienced
Plenty of overlap with what you enjoy.
Engineering and manufacturing
Inspect, service and repair aircraft systems to exacting safety standards - a licensed, highly skilled engineering career.
£27,000 – £50,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Build homes, walls and chimneys brick by brick – an outdoor, team-based trade where your work stands for generations.
£25,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Turn timber into staircases, roofs, doors, kitchens and fitted furniture – on site or at the workshop bench.
£24,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced
Creative crafts
Make chairs, tables, cabinets and fitted furniture from technical drawings, using hand tools, machines and CNC, in workshops and factories.
£23,000 – £32,000 starter to experienced
Building services and energy
Keep big buildings comfortable – installing and maintaining heating, ductwork, ventilation and controls in offices, schools and hospitals.
£20,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Rip out the old and install new kitchens and bathrooms – a multi-skilled trade combining joinery, plumbing and tiling.
£24,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Automotive and transport
Service, test and repair trains, carriages and other rolling stock to keep the railway running safely.
£30,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Build the safe working platforms every other trade relies on – a fit, outdoor, team trade with strong earning potential.
£25,000 – £51,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Cut, carve and fix natural stone for new buildings, memorials and historic restoration, working in a workshop or out on site.
£24,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Lay precise, beautiful tiling in kitchens, bathrooms, shops and restaurants using ceramics, stone, slate and marble.
£21,000 – £38,000 starter to experienced
Engineering and manufacturing
Cut, join and shape metal for everything from buildings and pipelines to wind turbines - a skilled, practical trade.
£25,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Gives you a head start or a talking point at interview.
Building services and energy
Install, test and repair wiring, lighting, controls and low-carbon tech in homes, workplaces and new buildings.
£26,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Engineering and manufacturing
Design, build, test and fix electronic systems and circuit boards, from factory controls to medical and aerospace tech.
£26,000 – £42,000 starter to experienced
Engineering and manufacturing
Keep factory, production and transport equipment running by servicing and repairing motors, pumps, gearboxes and controls.
£27,000 – £48,000 starter to experienced
Outdoors, land and animals
Trim horses' hooves and make and fit horseshoes by hand at the forge. A skilled, registered trade reached through a long approved apprenticeship.
No official salary figure
Construction and trades
Measure, fit and repair windows, doors, rooflights and glass panels in homes and businesses.
£23,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced
Automotive and transport
Service and repair lorries, trailers, buses and coaches - big machines, big responsibility and some of the best pay in motor trades.
£26,000 – £55,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Fit, repair and open locks, safes and security systems – a problem-solving trade for calm, trustworthy people.
£23,000 – £30,000 starter to experienced
Automotive and transport
Service, diagnose and repair cars and vans - including hybrids and EVs - in a busy garage workshop.
£22,000 – £42,000 starter to experienced
Automotive and transport
Service, repair, tune and customise motorbikes, scooters and quad bikes - turn a love of bikes into a trade.
£25,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced
IT and telecoms
Install, terminate and test the copper and fibre cabling that connects offices, hospitals, data centres and homes to the digital world.
No official salary figure
Construction and trades
Transform rooms and buildings with paint, wallpaper and specialist finishes – ideal if you have an eye for colour and detail.
£21,000 – £32,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Drive the diggers, dumpers, dozers and cranes that shape building sites – ideal if you love big machines.
£25,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Create smooth walls and ceilings, renders and ornate mouldings – a skilled finishing trade that rewards a steady hand.
£21,000 – £38,000 starter to experienced
Building services and energy
Fit, fix and look after the water, heating and drainage systems that keep homes, hospitals and businesses running.
£24,000 – £46,000 starter to experienced