A careers programme for schools that'll engage and inspire students
Try a Trade gives teachers and career advisers everything they need to help inspire a new generation of young people about the incredible apprenticeship and career opportunities in trades like plumbing, electrics, and carpentry.
What is Try a Trade?
We’re helping school students in Years 10 and 11 discover more about careers in the trades, providing teachers and career advisers with a hub of resources and content to share as part of your careers programme or careers fairs, as well as first-hand access to people already working in trades.
Try a Trade, powered by Checkatrade, aims to help plug a national trade skills gap of almost ONE MILLION workers over the next decade, by connecting young people with a world of limitless possibilities in a trades career.
What to expect
A range of schools across the UK are using Try a Trade resources in their schools to excite and inspire young people about working in the trades. It offers:
- A hub of practical resources for careers advisors and teachers to share, aimed at giving young people unique insights about life in the trades, including presentations, hand-outs, videos, and posters.
- An engaging, ready-to-go, programme of activities that shares additional career and education pathways, helping young people understand the opportunities and earning potential of a trades career
- The chance to explore career possibilities, by connecting young people’s CV’s directly to trades employers.
Try a Trade aims to break down the barriers to accessing the trade industry, and open young people’s minds to the earning power and potential of life as a tradesperson.
Access free careers resources and guides
Everything you need to launch the Try a Trade programme in your school is available – for free – on our hub.
A range of free resources, activities, and engaging sessions are available – just register your details or log in, and you’ll instantly be able to access anything you might need.
We can also help connect young people with employers who are actively looking for their next trade apprentice, opening up real-world possibilities for your students.
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- Access to school resources to help showcase vocational trade careers
- We’ll equip young people with the skills and confidence to start their trade career journey
- We’ll share careers advice and support to both students and parents, helping them find trade job opportunities in their areas
- We’ll work with local training providers and trade SMEs to connect your students to real-world possibilities
Wherever you’re based in the UK, start that journey now and you could bring your careers days to life in a new and exciting way.
It’s easy! Complete the registration form and you’ll be access all of the resources and assets to run Try a Trade in your School.
Already registered?
Trades business?
You can inspire future generations of trades
- You can be a role model, inspiring a new generation of tradespeople
- You can directly influence and build new careers – inspiring others to be just like you
- We’ll give you direct access to motivated, ambitious young people – the tradespeople of the future
If you’re an employer and want to inspire the next generation, we’d love to hear from you too. We’re always on the lookout for tradespeople and trades businesses that want to give back.
Many trades leaders were inspired by someone special in their own lives – and you could be that person for many more young people: The UK’s next generation of trades talent.
Simply complete the form and we’ll be in touch with all the details.
Note: Just to let you know (and as you may expect), as part of the scheme, once we’ve provided your contact details with your local school, they may then have some vetting checks they’ll need to run.
Guides and advice
Essential apprenticeships information to know before applying
If you’re considering an apprenticeship for the next stage of your career, there are lots of potential benefits to be had. However, it’s important that …
Apprenticeship training examples: What do apprentices learn?
As your child approaches the end of their exams and contemplates the next steps in their career, for many it can often feel like a …
Apprenticeship Application: Seven Tips for Success
An apprenticeship is a great launchpad for young adults looking to start their careers – particularly in the traditional trades. The apprentice application process is …
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Jump back in to access all of the resources and tools you need, to inspire and educate your students.