Where can tradesmen earn the highest salaries?

Countries around the world have different salaries for different jobs and this can vary down to a specific region. This means that some people will earn more in a certain profession than others, depending on what part of the world they are in and what region in that country they are based at.

A great example of this would be that people who live in London are likely to be on a higher salary than someone who lives in Newcastle upon Tyne due to the living costs in the capital – as the living costs are higher, people will need to earn more money to continue to live down there.

Electrical Direct sets out to discover the difference in salaries in three specific job roles — electricians, plumbers and carpenters — in different parts of the world. This includes the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Germany and Japan. This will give people in this industry a clear perspective on where they could earn the most money from doing the same job – if only they were willing to potentially move countries to do so.

They also found out what qualifications in each country a person would need if they wanted to pursue a career in one of these fields, whether it be at a vocational level or degree. It is important to point out thought that a lot of people who do find themselves in this sort of career enter through apprenticeships and this seems to be common throughout.

British Electrician Education

• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Electrotechnical Services.
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Installing Electrotechnical Systems & Equipment.
• Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installations (if part of an apprenticeship).

British Plumber Education

• City and Guilds NVQ Level 2 (England and Wales).
• SVQ Level 3 (Scotland).
• Apprenticeship with 24 month employment.

British Carpenter Education

• Level 1 Award in Basic Construction or Wood Operations.
• Level 1/2 NVQ in Wood Occupations.
• Level 1/2 Certificate or Diploma in Construction Crafts.
• Level 2 Diploma in Site Carpentry.

American Electrician Education

• High School Diploma or a General Educational Development Exam.
• Foundation in Mathematics (one year of algebra).
• Science (Physics/Chemistry) and practical courses such as electronics.

American Plumber Education

• Trade Union or School qualification (Four-year program).

American Carpenter Education

• Carpentry Apprenticeship (3-4 years).

Australian Electrician Education

• Vocational Education and Training Course (if part of an apprenticeship or traineeship).
• Licence to work unsupervised.

German Electrician Education

• Full apprenticeship training.
• Two years on-the-job experience.
• C&G 2391 or 2392 to install electrical equipment.

German Plumber Education

• Apprenticeship with on-the-job experience.

German Carpenter Education

• Register of Crafts and Trade member.
• Apprenticeship with on-the-job experience.

Japanese Electrician Education

• Qualifying from high school.

Japanese Plumber Education

• High-school level qualifications.
• Specialised degree.
• Vocational qualifications.

Japanese Carpenter Education

• One-to-one apprenticeship that can lead on to a degree.

If you would like to find out more, take a look at the infographic below as it provides a more detailed explanation for each country, its specific regions and the education that people need to do certain jobs in certain fields. You can also find out the salary for each role in each region.