Rated People has partnered with Access Training UK to support a growing number of people changing career paths and learning a trade by offering free trials and discounts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the UK’s unemployment rate rising to 5% for the first time in four years, it said.
Access Training UK reported a 29% increase in the number of people registering for courses in 2020. Professional Plumbing saw a huge uptick and more than doubled, whilst the number of those enrolling on Professional Electrician courses increased by over 50% compared to the previous year. Last year also saw a 14% increase in females enrolling in trade courses.
Lauren Schmitt, Head of B2B marketing at Rated People, said: “There has been a boom in the home renovation space over the last year due to increased time spent at home and a shift in homeowners’ priorities. To see so many people retraining and choosing to join the trade industry is just fantastic. Not only will this enable homeowners to access a wider pool of skilled, local tradespeople, it also helps to shine a light on the resilient nature of the industry and those who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic.
“It can often be difficult for newly qualified tradespeople to build a client base which is why we’re delighted to team up with Access Training UK to support those who are graduating by offering free trials of our platform, and access to more than 50,000 customers each month. Alongside this, we hope the discount kindly provided by Access Training UK for our current members proves helpful for those hoping to build on their existing skillsets and expand their businesses this year.”