Skills & Hobbies

Skill

Careers that use physical fitness

You are active, have stamina and do not mind lifting and carrying. 22 of our careers use this skill, ranked below by how much it matters.

Match me, starting with this skill

A key skill in these jobs (8)

You will use this every day.

Construction and trades

Bricklayer

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

Outdoors, land and animals

Farrier

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

Outdoors, land and animals

Landscaper

Build and look after gardens, parks and outdoor spaces: paths, walls, lawns, planting and water features, working outdoors in all weathers.

£26,000 – £38,000 starter to experienced

Construction and trades

Roofer

Work at height keeping buildings watertight – slating, tiling, flat roofing, leadwork and even thatching.

£26,000 – £42,000 starter to experienced

Construction and trades

Scaffolder

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

Stonemason

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

Outdoors, land and animals

Tree surgeon

Climb, prune and fell trees safely, assess tree health and plant new stock in streets, parks, gardens and woodland. Also called an arborist.

£25,000 – £35,000 starter to experienced

Building services and energy

Wind turbine technician

Climb, inspect and repair wind turbines on land and at sea, keeping renewable power flowing. Demanding, outdoor, highly skilled work.

£25,000 – £47,000 starter to experienced

Used a lot (10)

An important part of the work.

Food and hospitality

Butcher

Cut, bone and prepare meat and poultry, make sausages, burgers and pies, and help customers choose the right cut in shops and meat plants.

£18,000 – £26,000 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

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

Outdoors, land and animals

Gardener

Grow and care for plants in private gardens, parks, estates and green spaces, from sowing seeds to pruning, weeding and mowing.

£24,000 – £32,000 starter to experienced

Construction and trades

Glazier

Measure, fit and repair windows, doors, rooflights and glass panels in homes and businesses.

£23,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced

Automotive and transport

HGV mechanic

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

Kitchen and bathroom fitter

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

IT and telecoms

Network cabler

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

Plasterer

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

Solar panel installer

Fit, connect and look after solar PV systems on homes and businesses - a hands-on, outdoor role at the heart of the move to clean energy.

£25,000 – £47,000 starter to experienced

Handy to have (4)

Helps, but not the heart of the job.

Food and hospitality

Baker

Make bread, cakes and pastries by hand or on production lines, in craft bakeries, supermarkets and food factories. Early starts come with the job.

£19,000 – £26,000 starter to experienced

Construction and trades

Carpenter or joiner

Turn timber into staircases, roofs, doors, kitchens and fitted furniture – on site or at the workshop bench.

£24,000 – £40,000 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

Creative crafts

Upholsterer

Build and restore padded furniture such as chairs and sofas, fitting springs, fillings and fabric using traditional or modern upholstery methods.

£23,000 – £32,000 starter to experienced

Other skills