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52% of office workers have considered quitting for a trade, research finds

The Kickresume survey found 18% said they regularly think about it, while just 17% said it has never crossed their mind.

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52% of office workers have considered quitting for a trade, research finds
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More than half (52%) of office workers have thought about leaving their job for a trade, according to a survey by Kickresume. 

The survey of more than 1000 professionals found 18% said they regularly think about it, while just 17% said it has never crossed their mind.

43% said financial barriers, mostly a drop in starting salary, stopped them from making the switch. 

Of those open to change, 96% would move to a trade if retraining and lost income were covered. 

Retraining from scratch has put off 13%, and 15% said not knowing where to start is why they have stayed put.

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Farming and agriculture was the most popular choice, with 31% of office workers saying it was their dream job if pay was the same. 

Construction and landscaping both attracted 11%. 

45% of Gen Z would choose farming, compared to 28% of Millennials and 22% of Gen X. 

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Engineering and manufacturing, business management and consulting, and marketing, advertising and PR were the top industries where workers had considered leaving for a trade.

The main reason for wanting a change was looking for more meaningful work at 23%, with 13% citing physical or mental health, and 12% after a better work-life balance. 

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Others wanted a break from sitting at a desk, a chance to learn practical skills, or to earn more money. 

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Some were worried about artificial intelligence (AI) taking their job, fed up with office politics, or looking for more security.

Among students, 84% still wanted an office job. 42% said trades were never discussed as an option at school, and 28% said academic paths were most favoured.

Kickresume also found that 79% of tradespeople had considered switching to an office job, with 36% thinking about it regularly.

Peter Duris, CEO and co-founder of Kickresume, said: “Our survey revealed that the workers open to a career change are driven more by meaning than by anything else. 

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“Among office workers open to switching to a trade, 23% said they’re looking for work that feels more rewarding. 

“However, money is the main obstacle here, as 43% said a pay cut is what’s stopping them from taking the leap.”

Duris added: “It’s clear that with the financial barriers and retraining taken out of the equation, many workers would opt for a hands-on job over their desk. 

“However, it doesn’t look like the grass is actually greener, as we found that the majority of tradespeople at 79% have also considered swapping places.

“The takeaway is that no career path is perfect – the grass just looks greener from the other side of the fence.”

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He said: “The smartest move is to understand what you need from your job first, and then pursue the role that fits you the best.”

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