Leaving your job
Career change by profession: where people go and what it pays
Start from the job you do now. Engineering, manufacturing and Industry 4.0 come first, with guides for ex-military technicians and graduates; then in-depth guides for leaving teaching, nursing, policing and retail; then 18 more professions, plus returning after a career break, each with 3 to 5 realistic routes and 2025 ONS pay. For example, chefs had a full-time median of £30,010 and events managers £32,163 (ONS ASHE 2025).
Updated
Engineering, manufacturing and Industry 4.0
Careers from maintenance and machining to robotics, automation and 3D printing, with ONS pay and the ways in.
- Engineering and manufacturingEngineering and manufacturing jobsCareers from maintenance and machining to robotics and design, with ONS pay and the ways in.Read the guide
- Robotics and automationRobotics and automation jobsAutomation technician, controls, robotics and mechatronics engineer, and how technicians move up.Read the guide
- 3D printing3D printing and additive manufacturing jobsTechnician and engineer roles in additive manufacturing, and the design and materials skills they use.Read the guide
- Graduate engineersGraduate engineering jobsWhere an engineering degree or degree apprenticeship leads in advanced manufacturing, with ONS pay.Read the guide
- Ex-militaryJobs for ex-military technicians and engineersCivilian engineering, maintenance and technical routes for service leavers, plus resettlement support.Read the guide
Other careers: in-depth guides
Each guide has 14 or 15 routes, the facts specific to leaving that job, and a full FAQ.
- TeacherLeaving teaching38,600 full-time-equivalent teachers left England's state schools in 2024/25. (DfE, School workforce in England, June 2026)Read the guide
- NurseNon-clinical jobs for nurses30,323 people left the NMC register in the year to March 2026. (NMC register data, 2026)Read the guide
- Police officerJobs for ex-police officers9,240 full-time-equivalent officers left forces in England and Wales in the year to March 2026. (Home Office, July 2026)Read the guide
- RetailLeaving retailFull-time sales and retail assistants had a median of £25,056 in 2025. (ONS ASHE 2025)Read the guide
18 more professions, and returning after a break
Each section compares a few realistic next jobs with the ONS full-time median for the job you do now. Job titles link to live vacancies. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job, so read it as a guide.
Doctors
ONS puts generalist medical practitioners (GPs) at a full-time median of £55,494 and specialists at £92,847. None of the routes below reaches the specialist median, but health service management and policy work beat the GP figure. Medical knowledge is used most directly in research, health management and policy.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs GP | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health service manager | £61,573 | +£6,079 | No | Level 6, 48 months |
| Clinical research associate | £47,892 | −£7,602 | Yes | Level 6, 60 months |
| Policy officer | £58,341 | +£2,847 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
| Management consultant | £53,295 | −£2,199 | No | Level 4, 24 months |
| Data scientist | £53,342 | −£2,152 | Yes | Level 6, 36 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Pharmacists
The ONS full-time median for pharmacists was £53,772. Clinical trials, regulatory compliance and health service management use pharmacology and governance knowledge most directly.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs pharmacist | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical research associate | £47,892 | −£5,880 | Yes | Level 6, 60 months |
| Compliance officer | £50,083 | −£3,689 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
| Health service manager | £61,573 | +£7,801 | No | Level 6, 48 months |
| Medical sales representative | £37,924 | −£15,848 | No | None listed |
| Data analyst | £38,572 | −£15,200 | No | Level 3, 24 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Paramedics
Paramedics had a full-time median of £53,818. Emergency planning and health and safety use incident command and risk assessment; teaching and assessing build on mentoring experience.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs paramedic | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency planning officer | £44,007 | −£9,811 | No | None listed |
| Health and safety adviser | £46,444 | −£7,374 | No | Level 3, 24 months |
| Further education lecturer | £42,218 | −£11,600 | No | Level 5, 18 months |
| Training assessor | £36,357 | −£17,461 | No | Level 3, 12 months |
| Health service manager | £61,573 | +£7,755 | No | Level 6, 48 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Care workers
Care workers and home carers had a full-time median of £27,468. Healthcare assistant is the shortest step, with a level 2 apprenticeship of typically 8 months, and nursing associate and registered nurse can both be reached through apprenticeships while you are paid.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs care worker | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare assistant | £29,084 | +£1,616 | No | Level 2, 8 months |
| Nursing associate | £29,931 | +£2,463 | No | Level 5, 24 months |
| Nurse | £42,300 | +£14,832 | Yes | Level 6, 48 months |
| Occupational therapist | £44,040 | +£16,572 | Yes | Level 6, 48 months |
| Family support worker | £32,654 | +£5,186 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Chefs and hospitality
Chefs had a full-time median of £30,010, and catering and bar managers £29,789. Running a pass or a busy bar is operations management under pressure: events, facilities and customer service management use it, and catering is taught in further education, where Get Into Teaching says you need neither a degree nor QTS to teach.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs chef | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Events manager | £32,163 | +£2,153 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Customer service manager | £37,535 | +£7,525 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
| Facilities manager | £43,365 | +£13,355 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Further education lecturer | £42,218 | +£12,208 | No | Level 5, 18 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Accountants and finance
Chartered and certified accountants had a full-time median of £50,062. Analysis, risk and compliance roles pay similar or more at the median, and value audit and reporting experience.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs accountant | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business analyst | £53,295 | +£3,233 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
| Risk manager | £59,834 | +£9,772 | No | Level 6, 36 months |
| Compliance officer | £50,083 | +£21 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
| Financial adviser | £50,330 | +£268 | No | Level 4, 24 months |
| Data scientist | £53,342 | +£3,280 | Yes | Level 6, 36 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Solicitors and lawyers
Solicitors and lawyers had a full-time median of £56,977. Compliance, risk and policy work use legal reasoning and drafting in-house.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs solicitor | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance officer | £50,083 | −£6,894 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
| Risk manager | £59,834 | +£2,857 | No | Level 6, 36 months |
| Policy officer | £58,341 | +£1,364 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Engineers
ONS puts engineering professionals not elsewhere classified at £48,776, civil engineers at £51,366 and mechanical engineers at £51,110. Project and construction management pay more at the median; teaching is a lower-paid option, with bursaries for some subjects (Get Into Teaching).
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs engineer | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project manager | £59,834 | +£11,058 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
| Construction manager | £56,021 | +£7,245 | No | Level 6, 36 months |
| Data scientist | £53,342 | +£4,566 | Yes | Level 6, 36 months |
| Health and safety adviser | £46,444 | −£2,332 | No | Level 3, 24 months |
| Secondary school teacher | £47,632 | −£1,144 | Yes | Level 6, 9 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Construction and trades
Carpenters and joiners had a full-time median of £34,014, bricklayers £33,030 and electricians £39,647. Moving off the tools usually means supervision, management or surveying, and trades are taught in further education, where you need neither a degree nor QTS to teach.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs carpenter | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction site supervisor | £45,021 | +£11,007 | No | Level 4, 36 months |
| Construction manager | £56,021 | +£22,007 | No | Level 6, 36 months |
| Quantity surveyor | £52,537 | +£18,523 | Yes | Level 6, 36 months |
| Health and safety adviser | £46,444 | +£12,430 | No | Level 3, 24 months |
| Further education lecturer | £42,218 | +£8,204 | No | Level 5, 18 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
HR professionals
HR and industrial relations officers had a full-time median of £35,194, and HR managers and directors £57,529. Learning and development, careers advice, projects and policy use the same people and process skills.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs HR officer | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learning and development adviser | £36,357 | +£1,163 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Careers adviser | £32,418 | −£2,776 | No | Level 4, 24 months |
| Project manager | £59,834 | +£24,640 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
| Policy officer | £58,341 | +£23,147 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Civil servants and council staff
National government administrative jobs had a full-time median of £33,000, and local government administrative jobs £30,886. Policy, analysis, project and compliance roles all pay more at the median, inside or outside government.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs civil service admin | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Policy officer | £58,341 | +£25,341 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
| Business analyst | £53,295 | +£20,295 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
| Project manager | £59,834 | +£26,834 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
| Data analyst | £38,572 | +£5,572 | No | Level 3, 24 months |
| Compliance officer | £50,083 | +£17,083 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Admin and office workers
Other administrative occupations had a full-time median of £28,294, and personal assistants and secretaries £34,954. Office management, HR, project support and bookkeeping build on the same organisation and systems skills.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs admin role | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office manager | £38,630 | +£10,336 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
| Project support officer | £35,751 | +£7,457 | No | None listed |
| HR officer | £35,194 | +£6,900 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Bookkeeper | £31,560 | +£3,266 | No | Level 2, 12 months |
| Data analyst | £38,572 | +£10,278 | No | Level 3, 24 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Firefighters
Fire service officers (watch manager and below) had a full-time median of £44,033. Fire safety, risk assessment and incident command lead naturally into health and safety, emergency planning and training.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs firefighter | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and safety adviser | £46,444 | +£2,411 | No | Level 3, 24 months |
| Emergency planning officer | £44,007 | −£26 | No | None listed |
| Facilities manager | £43,365 | −£668 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Training assessor | £36,357 | −£7,676 | No | Level 3, 12 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Prison officers
Prison service officers had a full-time median of £41,287, though ONS rates that estimate as acceptable rather than precise. Probation, youth justice and security use the same risk and de-escalation skills.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs prison officer | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Probation services officer | £30,087 | −£11,200 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Youth offending team officer | £36,620 | −£4,667 | No | Level 5, 25 months |
| Security manager | £44,007 | +£2,720 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Safeguarding officer | £31,001 | −£10,286 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Cabin crew
ONS codes cabin crew as air travel assistants, with a full-time median of £28,738. Safety briefings, customer service and calm under pressure transfer to rail, events and customer service management.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs cabin crew | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train conductor | £46,062 | +£17,324 | No | Level 2, 12 months |
| Customer service manager | £37,535 | +£8,797 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
| Events manager | £32,163 | +£3,425 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Recruitment consultant | £35,194 | +£6,456 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Journalists
Newspaper, periodical and broadcast journalists had a full-time median of £44,534. Communications, copywriting, marketing and policy use research and clear writing; marketing management and policy work pay more at the median.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs journalist | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public relations officer | £37,563 | −£6,971 | No | Level 4, 14 months |
| Copywriter | £39,459 | −£5,075 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Marketing manager | £53,703 | +£9,169 | No | Level 6, 24 months |
| Policy officer | £58,341 | +£13,807 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Hairdressers and beauty
Hairdressers and barbers had a full-time median of £24,279. Client care, sales and managing a full appointment book transfer to customer service, sales and healthcare support, and hairdressing is taught in further education.
| Job | UK median pay | Change vs hairdresser | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Further education lecturer | £42,218 | +£17,939 | No | Level 5, 18 months |
| Customer service manager | £37,535 | +£13,256 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
| Business sales executive | £37,924 | +£13,645 | No | Level 4, 18 months |
| Healthcare assistant | £29,084 | +£4,805 | No | Level 2, 8 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Returning to work after a career break
There is no ONS figure for a career break, so these routes show pay without a comparison. They all have documented routes without a degree and an apprenticeship, which is open at any adult age. If you are unemployed, Free Courses for Jobs can pay for a level 3 qualification in England.
| Job | UK median pay | Degree usually needed | Apprenticeship (lowest level listed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | £31,560 | No | Level 2, 12 months |
| HR officer | £35,194 | No | Level 3, 18 months |
| Office manager | £38,630 | No | Level 3, 15 months |
| Healthcare assistant | £29,084 | No | Level 2, 8 months |
| Data analyst | £38,572 | No | Level 3, 24 months |
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Free and funded ways to retrain
Whatever your job now, these are the main free and funded routes in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own.
Skills Bootcamps (free, up to 16 weeks)
Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for adults aged 19 or over in England. They are free if you take the course yourself rather than through your employer, and you are guaranteed a job interview with an employer at the end. If you claim Universal Credit, you can keep claiming while you study.
Find a Skills Bootcamp on the official National Careers Service course finder.
Source: Department for Education, Skills for Careers: Skills Bootcamps; DWP JobHelp: Skills Bootcamps, published checked 28 September 2026.
Apprenticeships at any adult age
GOV.UK's only age rule is that you are 16 or over. You must live in England and not be in full-time education, and you can already hold a degree. You are an employee earning a wage, at least 20% of your normal working hours go on training, and relevant experience can shorten it. Your employer and training provider must not ask you to pay towards the training or assessment.
Check the pay before you apply. An employer can pay the apprentice rate of £8 an hour in your first year, even if you are 19 or over. After the first year you are entitled to the minimum wage for your age: £12.71 an hour at 21 and over from April 2026.
Source: GOV.UK, Become an apprentice; Apprenticeship funding rules August 2026 to July 2027 (paragraph 220); National Minimum Wage rates, published checked 28 September 2026.
Free Courses for Jobs (level 3 and some level 2)
If you are 19 or over and earn below £25,750, or are unemployed, you can get a level 3 qualification free in England, or a level 2 in construction, engineering or manufacturing. Subjects include accounting, business management, digital, health and social care, and teaching and lecturing. Local rules can differ, so ask the provider.
Source: GOV.UK, Free courses for jobs (DWP), published .
Advanced Learner Loans (level 3 to 6)
For a level 3, 4, 5 or 6 course at an approved college or provider in England, if you are 19 or over on the first day. There is no credit check and it does not depend on your income. You repay once you earn over the threshold, and interest runs from the first payment. For level 3, ask about an Adult Skills Fund grant first, which you do not repay. Level 4 to 6 courses starting on or after 1 January 2027 move to the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
Source: GOV.UK, Advanced Learner Loan, published checked 28 September 2026.
Common questions
Short answers, each with its source. Pay figures are ONS ASHE 2025 full-time medians unless stated.
How do I find jobs that use the skills from my current job?
Start from your profession on this page: each one lists realistic next jobs with ONS pay and the usual way in. For a personal answer, paste your CV into our free analysis, which needs no account, and it shows the skills you already have and the jobs they point to.
Can I retrain for free in England?
Often, yes. Skills Bootcamps are free courses of up to 16 weeks for adults aged 19 and over, with a guaranteed job interview. Apprenticeships are paid and your employer and provider cannot charge you for the training. If you earn under £25,750 or are unemployed, Free Courses for Jobs pays for a level 3 qualification. Advanced Learner Loans cover level 3 to 6 courses.
Is there an age limit on apprenticeships?
GOV.UK's only age rule is that you are 16 or over, living in England and not in full-time education. You can already hold a degree. Employers can pay the apprentice rate of £8 an hour in your first year even if you are over 19, so check the pay before you apply.
Do I need a degree to change career?
Usually not. Of the 159 destination jobs we track, 136 have a documented route in without a degree, such as an apprenticeship, a college course or working up from a junior role, according to ONS and the National Careers Service.
Where does the pay data come from?
From the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14, published on 23 October 2025. We quote the median gross annual pay for full-time employees in the UK. ONS publishes the 2026 figures on 22 October 2026, and we will update the pages then.
Why do some jobs show no pay figure?
ONS does not publish an estimate when it is too uncertain or could identify people. In 2025 that included probation officers and driving instructors, and ONS suppressed its figures for police officers after an error in the returns it received. ASHE Table 14 publishes no pay for the armed forces at all. We say so rather than fill the gap.
Can doctors leave medicine without losing pay?
Rarely at the median. Specialists had a full-time median of £92,847 in 2025, above every destination job in our dataset. Against the GP median of £55,494, health service management (£61,573) and policy work (£58,341) pay more (ONS ASHE 2025).
What jobs can firefighters do after the fire service?
Health and safety, emergency planning, facilities management and training. Health and safety advisers had a full-time median of £46,444, against £44,033 for fire service officers (ONS ASHE 2025).
What jobs suit ex-cabin crew?
Rail work, customer service management, events and recruitment. Rail travel assistants, which include train conductors, had a full-time median of £46,062, against £28,738 for air travel assistants, where ONS codes cabin crew (ONS ASHE 2025).
My job is not listed. What should I do?
Type your job title into our free analysis or paste your CV. It works for any job, needs no account, and shows the skills you already have and where they lead.
How we worked this out
Pay is the median gross annual pay for full-time employees in the UK from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional, Table 14.7a, published 23 October 2025). It covers the tax year ending 5 April 2025, for employees who had been in the same job for more than a year. A median is the midpoint for everyone in the job, from new starters to people with decades behind them, so it is not a starting salary.
Each profession's pay change compares a destination's full-time median with the full-time median for the ONS unit group the profession belongs to, named in its section. Where no fair comparison exists, as for a career break, the change column is left out.
- Each job is matched to an ONS SOC 2020 unit group using the ONS coding index. Where several jobs share a group, the figure covers all of them, and the card says so.
- ONS does not publish a figure when the estimate is too uncertain (a coefficient of variation over 20%) or could identify people. We say "not published" rather than fill the gap.
- ASHE counts employees only. It says nothing about self-employed earnings, such as private tutoring or consultancy.
- "Degree usually needed" is our judgement from the entry routes that ONS and the National Careers Service describe. "No" means a documented route exists below degree level, not that nobody in the job has a degree.
- Apprenticeships are Skills England standards approved for delivery on 29 September 2026. They apply in England. Durations are Skills England's typical figures, and relevant experience can shorten them.
- ONS publishes ASHE 2026 on 22 October 2026. We will update these figures when it does.
Sources
- ONS, Earnings and hours worked, occupation by four-digit SOC: ASHE Table 14 (2025 provisional), published 23 October 2025.
- National Careers Service job profiles (routes into each destination job), retrieved 28 September 2026.
- Skills England, apprenticeship standards, retrieved 28 September 2026.
- GOV.UK, Become an apprentice, checked 28 September 2026.
- GOV.UK, Free courses for jobs, updated 29 July 2025.
- GOV.UK, Advanced Learner Loan, checked 28 September 2026.
- Department for Education, Skills for Careers: Skills Bootcamps, checked 28 September 2026.
Social workers
Social workers had a full-time median of £44,550. Most exits keep the safeguarding and assessment skills but pay less; policy work is the exception at the median.
Sources: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (provisional), Table 14.7a; Skills England apprenticeship standards (retrieved 29 September 2026), published . Full-time medians unless marked. Pay covers the whole ONS unit group behind each job.
Not published: ONS suppressed the 2025 figure for this group on quality grounds.