Why Skilled Trades Are the Backbone of a Thriving Society
For too long, the skilled trades have sat in the shadows of academic and office-based careers. Framed as a "plan B" or a fallback option, roles like plumbers, electricians, climbers, bricklayers, and groundworkers have often been overlooked in discussions about professional growth, career prestige, and national economic strategy.
But this mindset is not just outdated, it’s actively costing us progress.
Across the UK, we are facing a major shortfall in tradespeople. With over 10,000 vacancies in essential skilled roles, homes can’t be built fast enough, infrastructure projects are delayed, and even critical environmental work is being bottlenecked.
Not because of funding. Not because of materials. But because of manpower.
The world still needs boots on the ground. It needs the men and women who can climb, dig, build, connect, install, repair, and maintain. These aren’t just "blue collar" jobs, they are essential roles that keep modern life functional and forward-moving.
As Simon Rotheram, Director of Beechwood Trees and Landscapes Ltd, puts it:
“Tradesmen need to be seen as professionals for what they are: skilled workers whose roles often require more training, more grit, and more responsibility than many realise. It’s time they were recognised, and paid, accordingly.”
Skilled, Professional, and Critical
What many don’t see is the depth of expertise involved in these professions. Becoming a qualified arborist or utility climber takes just as long, and often longer than many university degrees.
Electricians, gas engineers, and other licensed trades must go through rigorous, ongoing training, not to mention the physical risk and resilience required daily.
These aren't simply jobs. They're careers rooted in craftsmanship, compliance, risk management, and technical excellence. It’s time we shifted the narrative:
These are not labourers. They are skilled professionals.
This is not "non-academic" work. It's experiential expertise.
This is not a fallback option. It’s a frontline career.
Why Respect Matters
The undervaluing of the trades has real-world consequences:
Young people are steered away from apprenticeships.
Talented workers leave due to lack of recognition or pay progression.
Projects stall due to talent shortages.
If we want a thriving economy, liveable cities, and a resilient infrastructure, we have to create a culture that respects, rewards, and reinvests in skilled workers.
What Needs to Change
Rethink language: Stop calling them "Trades". Start calling them essential.
Raise visibility: Promote these careers as aspirational, not alternative.
Pay accordingly: Match training and experience with appropriate remuneration.
Create progression: Build clear career ladders and professional recognition.
At Beechwood Trees and Landscapes Ltd, we see this daily.
Our teams don’t just work hard, they operate at elite levels of precision, risk, and expertise. They are not support acts; they are the main act.
Let’s stop waiting for a crisis to remind us how valuable these people are.
Time to rebuild respect for the trades, not just for the economy’s sake, but for the future we all want to live in.
#RespectTheCraft #SkilledTrades #TheWorkBehindTheWork #EssentialWorkers #TradeCareers
