A significant number of students leave school or college not knowing their next steps. A sizeable cohort enter unskilled jobs like bar work or cleaning so that they can get some money coming in. As the responsibilities of adult life begin to mount up, there is often a realisation that the job they find themselves in will never deliver the salary they’d like to provide a comfortable lifestyle. That’s when it’s a great idea to research adult education courses, the doors gaining an extra qualification can open to a career and the chance to climb the salary ladder.
To start with, let’s look at the top salaries of some unskilled jobs to see if you’d be happy with their earning potential. Take being a bartender for example. In the UK the average entry-level wage is £21,940 per year for an experienced bartender, maybe someone in a supervisor or specialist mixologist role will command the salary of £29,720. Is this top-level salary enough for you to pursue a life-time career in this role? And that’s before you’ve considered the work-life balance restrictions of a bartender! This is the limitation with many unskilled roles. They allow little room to manoeuvre in terms of salary and career progression.
Are you ready to make a change?
Research shows that 3 out of 5 UK professionals are unhappy with their salaries, yet alarmingly 54.6% of those have not done anything about it. This is where the benefits of adult education come into play. Completing additional studies can provide a pathway to acquiring new skills and knowledge. In turn, this can not only lead to better employability but also higher earning potential. Upskilling through a relevant training course, you can break free from the cycle of dissatisfaction with your salary, introducing a gateway towards a more fulfilling career and increased job satisfaction.
The numbers back this up. A recent study sheds light on the increases in salary for a skilled worker. The average monthly wage in the UK for an unskilled worker is £1,320. On the other hand, for skilled workers the figure is £2,330 per month. When comparing the data, you can see the results are night and day. With skilled work you’re capable of earning an extra £1,000 per month! What’s more, after gaining experience in the job, you’re not confined by a salary limit; instead, you could be ascending that salary ladder.
It seems to be a no brainer then, right? You need to be investing in your education as an adult. Allocating as little as £2,000 for course fees means you could be earning an extra £12,000 a year.
And as you progress through your new career outside of unskilled work, your earning potential really is rewarding. For instance, these are the salaries you can expect in some of the most popular roles taken by Pitman Training graduates:
| Role | Starting salary | Top-level salary |
| Medical administrator | £22,859 | £45,745 |
| Data analyst | £27,500 | £54,906 |
| Bookkeeper | £23,500 | £32,500 |
| Event manager | £28,500 | £45,000 |
Expanding horizons and changing lives: advantages of adult learning
The financial gain is not the only benefit of participating in adult learning. There are plenty more upsides including:
Improving your outlook on life. Adult education can broaden perspectives, introduce new ideas and provide the tools to critically analyse the world around you.
Enabling you to keep up with the latest changes in technology. Much like our modern world, the business landscape is in constant flux. New technology emerges rapidly, and it is essential to adapt innovations into the way we work.
Meeting like-minded people. Study centres like ours at Pitman Training bring people who share similar interests and goals together. This can foster a supportive community where you can exchange ideas and collaborate on new projects.
Boosts your mental health. An active mind is a healthy one – learning new skills is really beneficial for cognitive function. Engaging in education can be a distraction from any stress too whilst accomplishing goals can boost self-esteem and confidence, letting you grow as a person.
Two Pitman graduates give us the lowdown…
Don’t take our word for it! Here’s just two Pitman Training graduates who took the leap into investing in their future…
Alex Findlay, a former warehouse worker, was eager to enhance his employability prospects and decided to undergo Pitman’s Office Skills diploma. Upon finishing his course, Alex landed a job as a Case Administrator in his local police station.
Alex said, “The thing I enjoyed most about studying with Pitman was the feeling of pride I got knowing I was bettering myself. Once I had completed my course, I got loads of interviews, which I wouldn’t have been able to do without the qualifications on paper that Pitman helped me to achieve. I would recommend that anyone looking to chase a new career or better themselves takes a Pitman Training course.”
Natalia Banaszczyk had an educational background in legal studies. She dropped out of university for personal reasons and started working in hospitality. However, as the pandemic hit, the industry came to a standstill and Natalia began to look elsewhere. She researched several training courses before finding the Pitman centre in Limerick.
“Taking Pitman’s Advanced Legal Secretary Diploma literally changed my life. I got offered a legal secretary job after the first five months studying my diploma. I have since moved on from that job to another firm. The firm I work with now told me that having my Pitman diploma on my CV was one of the reasons I landed the job because they actively seek students who have studied with Pitman Training,” explained Natalia.
If you are interested in developing your skills in a supportive and flexible learning environment, you can find your local Pitman Training centre here.
- UK Talent, Bartender Salary UK, 2023
- CV Library, UK professionals unhappy with current salaries, Jan 2022
- Take- Profit Org, UK Wages, July 2019
- UK Talent, UK salaries, 2023
- Indeed, NHS salaries, 2023
