The trade jobs where you can learn as you earn and make over £100k a year – WITHOUT a degree

SO you’ve got your A Levels but don’t think university is for you? You could earn MILLIONS being your own boss and picking up a trade. Qualifying into a trade doesn’t require a degree and individuals can earn over £100k even without needing to employ anyone. Sound good? We take you through what you need to know… Qualifying in to a trade can be a great debt-free way to get a foot on a career ladder where you could earn over £100k If you don’t see a future in higher education getting in to a trade can be a great way to secure your future Credit: Alamy While university will be the right choice for some, new figures show you don’t necessarily need a degree to build a successful business. Electricians, plumbers and heating engineers are among the tradespeople running firms with annual revenues of around £2million, according to research by Tradify. Analysis of 3,271 UK businesses found electrical and audiovisual firms employing at least 13 people turned over a whopping £2.09million a year on average. Meanwhile, property maintenance companies of the same size weren’t far behind, bringing in just over £2.02million. Larger plumbing and gas businesses only narrowly missed the £2million mark, with average revenue of £1.99million. And you don’t need to employ a huge team to bring in serious cash. You could earn more than £100,000 a year in every trade included in the research just by yourself. Michael Steckler, chief executive of Tradify, said university had long been viewed as the traditional route to a good career, but it was far from the only option. He said: “Our data shows tradespeople across the UK building multi-million-pound businesses, creating jobs and growing successful companies from the ground up. “The trades shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to academic success, but as another route to achieving real financial success.” But it’s important to bear in mind that turnover is not the same as salary or profit. Revenue is all the money coming into a business before the cost of materials, tools, vans, wages, tax and other bills is taken off. Which trades bring in the most money? Air conditioning is popular given the summer sun and installation businesses can bring in serious cash Credit: Alamy Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration — usually shortened to HVAC — came out on top overall. This trade involves installing, servicing and repairing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. These businesses generated average annual revenue of £428,538 during the 12 months from June 2025 to May 2026. Property maintenance firms carry out everyday repairs and upkeep in homes, offices and other buildings. They came in second on the list, with an average annual revenue of £345,357. This was followed by electrical and audiovisual businesses on £282,843. An electrician and AV installer fits and fixes electrical wiring, lighting, security, sound and audiovisual systems. Here’s how much businesses in each trade turned over on average: HVAC and refrigeration also topped the table for sole traders, with one-person businesses turning over an average of £184,566. Sole traders working in property maintenance brought in £149,564, while carpenters and renovators generated £149,152. Electrical and AV sole traders had the lowest figure of the six trades — but still recorded average revenue of £107,711. But of course, that does not mean they personally pocketed the full amount. The fastest-growing trades Demands for tradespeople is continuing to rise, figures show. Average revenue across all six sectors jumped by 14% compared with the previous year. Carpentry and renovation businesses enjoyed the biggest boost, with turnover climbing by 25% from £204,060 to £254,452. Carpenters build and repair wooden fixtures and help refurbish or improve homes and other properties. Electrical and AV firms were next, recording growth of 19%. Landscaping and lawn businesses, who work to build and maintain gardens, grew by 18%, Meanwhile, HVAC and refrigeration firms were up by 17%. Plumbing and gas businesses recorded a 16% rise. In this role, you can expect to be installing and repairing water, heating and gas systems, including pipes, boilers and appliances. But it wasn’t good news across the board. Property maintenance revenue fell by 9%, dropping from an average of £379,639 to £345,357. 'I dreamed of being a builder - now I earn £150k' ASA Herbet, 35, is living proof that you don't need to go to Uni straight out of school to have a successful and lucrative career. From the age of eight, Asa dreamed of becoming a builder and wanted to work outdoors. He left school at 16 and landed a bricklaying apprenticeship lasting around three years. At the time, he earned roughly £28 to £30 a day, while his employer covered the cost for him to attend college and continued paying him on the days he studied. When the 2008 recession caused construction work to dry up, Asa found a trainee position in the industry. This gave him the chance to attend college and university part-time, and he eventually gained a BSc Honours degree in Construction Management. He does not regret waiting to go to university, as working first gave him time to decide what he really wanted to do. Asa said: “I had a few years to decide what I actually really wanted. “It gave me a chance to think, ‘This is the industry I want to be in.” In 2018, he launched Pro Assist Property Services. The company carries out garage conversions within around 30 miles of Bedford and provides facilities management and maintenance services to other businesses. It has grown to a team of six, including an apprentice, and turns over around £150,000 a year. Asa said one of the toughest parts of starting out was attempting to handle everything himself, including the accounts, admin, invoices, materials and customer bookings. Taking the leap from being a one-man band to employing staff was also daunting. Asa said: “You’re worried at the start that you haven’t got the money to pay them. “But once you realise you’re going from working on the tools yourself to running a business, you need to bring people on board who are good at what they do.” Despite the challenges, he said the best part was being proud of something he had built from nothing and sharing that success with his team. His advice to school leavers is to remember that university is not the only option and that everyone learns differently. He believes an apprenticeship can give young people the chance to earn money, gain practical experience and test out an industry before making a bigger commitment. But he warned that learning a trade is not a guaranteed route to riches and that every person’s experience will be different. How can I get into a trade? One of the most common ways to start a career in the trades is through an apprenticeship. This means you can earn a wage while learning on the job and working towards a qualification. You’ll usually spend most of your time in the workplace, with some time set aside for studying at a college or training centre. The entry requirements will depend on the apprenticeship, but employers may ask for GCSEs in subjects including English and Maths. Some jobs also require specific qualifications or registrations before you can work on your own. For example, you must be on the Gas Safe Register to legally carry out gas work in the UK. You can look for roles using the Government’s free Find an Apprenticeship website. It’s also worth checking local college websites and contacting nearby trade businesses directly, as smaller firms may advertise opportunities locally.