Skills & Hobbies

Hobby

Careers for people who love puzzles and strategy games

Jigsaws, escape rooms, chess and games that make you think. 16 of our careers connect with this hobby, ranked below by how much it matters.

Match me, starting with this hobby

A strong link (1)

This hobby is close to the day-to-day work.

Construction and trades

Locksmith

Fit, repair and open locks, safes and security systems – a problem-solving trade for calm, trustworthy people.

£23,000 – £30,000 starter to experienced

A good link (6)

Plenty of overlap with what you enjoy.

Building services and energy

Air conditioning and refrigeration engineer

Install and fix the cooling and air conditioning systems used in buildings, cold storage and refrigerated transport.

£25,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced

Building services and energy

Electrician

Install, test and repair wiring, lighting, controls and low-carbon tech in homes, workplaces and new buildings.

£26,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced

Building services and energy

Gas engineer

Install, service and repair boilers and gas appliances safely – a trusted, legally registered trade with steady demand.

£25,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced

Building services and energy

Heating and ventilation engineer

Keep big buildings comfortable – installing and maintaining heating, ductwork, ventilation and controls in offices, schools and hospitals.

£20,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced

Health and science

Laboratory technician

Run tests on samples, prepare experiments and keep lab equipment working, supporting research, product development and medical diagnosis.

£24,000 – £31,000 starter to experienced

Construction and trades

Wall and floor tiler

Lay precise, beautiful tiling in kitchens, bathrooms, shops and restaurants using ceramics, stone, slate and marble.

£21,000 – £38,000 starter to experienced

Useful background (9)

Gives you a head start or a talking point at interview.

Engineering and manufacturing

Aircraft maintenance engineer

Inspect, service and repair aircraft systems to exacting safety standards - a licensed, highly skilled engineering career.

£27,000 – £50,000 starter to experienced

Automotive and transport

Auto electrician

Trace and fix the wiring, sensors and electronic systems in modern vehicles, from lights and alarms to hybrid and EV systems.

£23,000 – £38,000 starter to experienced

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

Food and hospitality

Chef

Prepare, cook and present food in restaurants, hotels, hospitals and schools, from commis chef at the start to running your own kitchen.

£22,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced

IT and telecoms

Data centre technician

Keep the servers behind the internet running: install racks and hardware, fix faults and monitor systems in secure data centres.

No official salary figure

Building services and energy

Electricity distribution worker

Maintain and repair the overhead lines, underground cables and substations that carry power to homes and businesses.

£23,000 – £42,000 starter to experienced

Building services and energy

Heat pump installer

Help homes and businesses switch to low-carbon heating by installing, commissioning and servicing heat pumps.

£24,000 – £46,000 starter to experienced

IT and telecoms

IT support technician

Be the person who fixes it: solve hardware, software and network problems for computer users, in person and remotely.

£24,000 – £36,000 starter to experienced

Building services and energy

Plumber

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

Other hobbies