Would you trade in your degree? Half of graduates say yes

As experts in van insurance, we closely follow the conversations around careers involving specialist vehicles. With Google searches for ‘trade vs degree’ growing by 2,640% in the past year, and now sitting at over 35,000 monthly searches, we decided to dive into how many, and what kind, of graduates are thinking of swapping their degree for a trade role, and what trades they find most appealing.

We surveyed 3,600 people across 14 countries who hold undergraduate, graduate or doctorate degrees to understand how they feel about their career choices, and whether they'd choose a hands-on trade instead if given the chance to turn back the clock.

The research revealed that half (50%) of graduates across the 14 countries surveyed would choose a skilled trade if they could start again.

While interest in trades is growing globally, the picture in the UK highlights a different challenge altogether - a widening gap between demand for workers and workforce supply.

UK’s growing gap between interest and workforce supply

Despite increasing interest in trades, the UK is facing an ongoing shortage of young workers entering these roles.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were 1.88 million people employed in trade professions between July 2023 and June 2024. Alongside this, data from the ONS shows 13% of construction businesses reported difficulty recruiting for skilled, manual and technical roles in 2024.

Which countries are most likely to swap degrees for trades?

When it comes to the countries with the most desire to move into hands-on work, South Africa comes out on top, with 69% of South African respondents saying they would swap their degree-based career for a trade role.

Most likely to swap their degree for a trade:

1. South Africa (69%)

2. New Zealand (67%)

3. Mexico (62%)

4. France (58%)

5. Spain (55%)

Most unlikely to swap their degree for a trade:

1. Portugal (51%)

2. USA (47%)

3. UK (45%)

4. Italy (44%)

5. Canada (42%)

While the UK sits towards the lower end of the rankings, still nearly half of degree-educated workers (45%) would consider retraining in a different skill if given the chance to start again.

What trades do people want to do?

Among those willing to retrain, electrical work comes out on top globally as the most desirable trade, with 19% choosing it as their preferred option thanks to the strong earning potential and consistent demand.

Top 5 trades globally for those willing to retrain included:

1. Electrician (19%)

2. Painter and decorator (12%)

3. Mechanic (8%)

4. Carpenter / joiner (7%)

5. Heating engineer (including HVAC) (6%)

In the UK specifically, electrician is the number one choice, with one in five graduates saying it would be their trade of choice if they were to step away from their degree-based career. This aligns with ONS data which revealed electricians are the most common trade in the UK, with over 325,100 employed in the UK as of July 2024.

France, Poland, Mexico and Italy are the only countries where the electrician trade didn’t come out top; instead, in these countries painter and decorator is the most popular trade choice.

What are the benefits of swapping career to a skilled trade?

In the UK, the desire to be their own boss was the strongest motivator, with many people feeling a trade would give them greater control over their income, hours and long‑term direction.

To explore this further, we spoke to Vehicle Technician, Hannah Gordon:

“Being your own boss in this industry is very realistic. Many people working in a trade are self-employed and freelance, giving them the opportunity to work on different projects all around the world.

“Working in a practical and problem-solving way is extremely satisfying. From being a mechanic, some of the problems we face are extremely hard to figure out. I could spend a few hours tracing a problem but once the issue is found and fixed and the customer has a working vehicle again, it gives you a huge sense of achievement. It is the same across all trades, whether you are building a house or installing a new electrical or water system. The progress and end results are what make the job so satisfying.”

Who in the UK is most likely to make the switch?

Professionals in certain industries are more tempted than others by the thought of retraining. In the UK, those in the IT and technology (17%) sectors are most likely to choose a trade if they could start their career again, followed by:

• Education (14%)

• Healthcare (13%)

• Government/Public sector (12%)

• Finance/ Banking (8%)

At the other end of the scale, those in legal, HR and recruitment are the least likely to consider the move.

When looking at degree subjects, those who studied social sciences (14%), business management (12%) and humanities (14%) are most likely to consider swapping their degree for a trade, while STEM graduates showed slightly less interest.

Government investment and future demand

Despite growing interest among graduates to switch up their careers, younger generations are not following suit. In a 2023 survey of 100,000 young people, only 9% of Year 11 students said they were interested in a career in construction, highlighting the challenge of attracting school leavers into trade roles.

At the same time, concerns around skills shortages continue to grow, leading to government plans to expand training routes for young people.

As of February 2026, plans were set out to create 13,000 new apprenticeships and T level placements in areas including bricklaying, plumbing and engineering. This follows a proposed £600 million investment announced in March 2025 to train up to 60,000 additional workers in the construction sector to support new housing and help communities.³

Demand for tradespeople is clear. Between January and December 2025, there were over 6 million Google searches for local tradespeople in the UK, showing just how essential and sought after skilled trades are.

Certain industries were more interested in changing up their careers than others, with UK degree-holders currently working in IT and Technology most likely to make the move (17%). This was followed by those working in education (14%), healthcare (13%), government and public sector employees (12%), and finance and banking employees (8%).

Why van insurance matters for tradespeople

For many considering swapping to a trade-based role, setting up isn’t just about learning new skills, it also means investing in the right equipment, vehicle and insurance.

A van isn’t just a means of transportation for tradespeople - it’s a workshop, warehouse and office on wheels, often carrying high-value tools and specialist equipment.

That’s why having the right van insurance matters. Standard policies may not include what is known as ‘carriage of own goods’, which protects tools, equipment and materials carried as part of the business.

Whether you’re retraining as an electrician, setting up as a self-employed plumber or running a decorating business, choosing the cover that reflects how you use your van can help protect you from unexpected costs, theft or time off the road.

Kara Gammell, Insurance Expert at MoneySuperMarket explains:

“When starting out in a trade, it is important that you understand that standard insurance typically won’t provide the protection you need for business use.

“Tradespeople should explore specialist commercial van insurance that reflects how much the vehicle is used, as well as considering add-ons such as tool cover, or goods in transit protection. These add‑ons can help safeguard your livelihood if something goes wrong.

“Having the right policy in place from day one can help reduce stress and help to avoid unexpected – and potentially costly - gaps in cover."

Methodology

The survey was conducted in January 2026 among 3,600 respondents across 14 countries who hold undergraduate, postgraduate or doctorate degrees.

UK search demand data was collected using Google Keyword planner and reflects total searches for “[trade] near me” terms between January and December 2025.

Google search data collected using Google Trends. Correct February 2026.

Sources

ONS Public perception of trades and apprenticeship completion rates https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CDP-2024-0174/CDP-2024-0174.pdf

Workforce Mobility and Skills in the UK Construction Sector 2022 https://www.citb.co.uk/media/uwhbtrkj/2272_bmg_workforce_mobility_and_skills__uk_wide_report_v1.pdf

Government plans to train next generation of construction workers https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-plans-to-train-next-generation-of-construction-workers

Jobs and AI https://www.randstad.com/press/2026/randstad-releases-new-workmonitor-2026-report/