The Importance of Professional Development for Tradespeople

In today's ever-changing world, we are learning new standards and best practices 24/7. These are being introduced into the trade industry and are redefining the way that we work and do business. Whether in our daily work or private lives, the need for continuous improvement and education has never been higher than today. 

In this post, Rhino Trade Insurance wants to provide a brief introduction to professional development, the main reasons to improve your skills, and how to keep ahead of the curve when developing your own trade knowledge.

What is professional development?

Professional development can be a concoction of events that it takes to excel in your profession. Being a time-served electrician is one thing, but keeping up to date with industry regulations and learning new technologies is another. 

You could be learning new practical skills, updating your qualifications to oversee other people's work, becoming active in the industry to teach others newer skills and much more. Learning never stops in the trades, and improvement is a constant process that you need to undertake or risk being left behind. 

Every step you take to improve your knowledge can positively impact your business and its offerings. Taking electricians as an example again, what with the new government proposals to reduce petrol-powered vehicles, now seems like the perfect time to train in EV chargers as the country heads towards electric cars. 

The possibilities are endless when it comes to professional development; as a tradesman or woman, you could consider the following: 

• Joining a professional accreditation body.
• Continue your studies and aim for a higher level in your field (degree etc.)
• Enrolling on courses relevant to your trade
• Visit local training centres, attend events and seminars and get a gist of where the industry is heading
• Consider mentorship events and programs
• Stay in the loop and on top of what's happening through magazines, books, blog posts and more. 

Why is it important for tradespeople?

The world is your oyster when you complete your apprenticeship as a tradesperson. More often than not, many of you wish to get out into the world and make a good living. There are various reasons, though, to consider continuing your studies and development, making you a more rounded industry professional. Consider these:

• Showcases that you want to improve at any opportunity 
• Keeps all the qualifications you have up to date
• Keeps you on top of and potentially ahead of developments in the industry
• Ensures you continue to work at/ or surpass the industry standard of work 
• Help you maintain the knowledge and skills you have worked hard to achieve
• This means you can provide a greater level of work for your clients
• Allows you to showcase your work and improvements made via further training

The value of continuing education and professional development

Working in the trades is a stable profession, and with the skills shortage, the demand for your expertise has never been higher. With that said, there is always room for improvement, and depending on your goals, you could help to grow your business even more. Having a trade is an excellent starting point for those wishing to up-skill. You can offer your clients more services (perhaps even an entire package). 

If you run a business, working on your skills and education can open new doors to larger projects, bigger paying clients and more reputable organisations. Getting a steady stream of work from local councils, large-scale developers and more could see your business thrive and see the need to take on an army of tradespeople. 

If you work for somebody else, why not offer them the best work you can? Taking more courses and training in specific areas could make you indispensable to them and help you rise up the ladder if there's room for progression. Who knows, they may even support you financially along the way as you improve. 

Developing your professional life practically guarantees a positive outcome. You may even find a new love for a particular area of work or expertise. 

Upskilling in the trades industry

Where to find courses

Courses are a brilliant way to gather information on specific areas of your trade. The key is to find the ones that are generally important to your situation and your industry.

We suggest either in-house training or online courses as some can be practical and others can be more classroom based. Consider finding courses that offer accreditation or certification at the end. 

Consider some of the following when looking for places to learn:

- Your local college 

- Local training centres

- Official 'trade' development centres (subject to location)

- Online resources such as CPD, Tradeskills4U and others. 

As mentioned above, if you are employed, check with your boss or HR and see if there are any benefits or help when looking at further training - whether digital or on-site, learning more skills is vital to any business, either as a self-employed tradesperson or employee. 

Resources to consider

Plenty of resources are available on the web to stay ahead of the curve. Consider Rhino (shameless plug). We write a variety of helpful articles on insurance, training, development, business management, tax and more, and we have experts on hand if you need more information.

On top of this, we often check several online publications to see what's happening in the industry. Consider bookmarking:

• Manufacturer resources (Baxi, Schneider Electrics, etc.) 
• Trade news such as Construction News, Pro Builder Mag or Building.com. 
• Consider researching your relevant trade accreditation bodies, as they all have websites which share valuable news and insights on the latest developments in your sector. 

Why choose Rhino Trade Insurance?

Whether you are considering bumping up your trade skills or looking for quality insurance policies, the team at Rhino Trade Insurance have you covered in more ways than one. 

Along with helpful content on how to effectively manage and run your trade business, we offer a variety of trade-specific policies that can really help your business thrive. Keeping your business safe is of the utmost importance, and whether you are looking for Public Liability Insurance, Tool cover, Personal Accident protection or more, we have what you need.

With thousands of five-star reviews and a team waiting to hear from you six days a week, you can get your next insurance quote by calling 0116 243 7904 or visiting our super-fast online quote engine.