The top 20 highest-paying jobs you can do WITHOUT any GCSEs and still earn up to £48k

YOU need a string of top GCSEs to land a well-paid job, right? Not necessarily it turns out. In fact, some jobs that don’t ask for any school grades can pay up to £48,000 a year, new data shows. We’ve pulled together the top 20 jobs paying well above average salaries where GCSEs are not required. Here’s everything you need to know… You don’t need top marks to get a foot through the door and start a great career Credit: Getty Leaving school without any qualifications doesn’t have to hold you back from a well paying job Credit: Getty Pipefitters top the list, earning an average of £47,745 a year, followed by bricklayers on £46,393 and scaffolders on £46,040. And there are thousands of vacancies available in some of those careers, so now is a good time to apply. CV-Library recorded more than 13,700 administrator jobs over the past year, along with more than 7,000 chef vacancies and around 6,200 jobs each for bricklayers and phlebotomists (blood test experts) – all well-paid jobs that don’t require GCSE grades. Not having GCSEs doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be able to walk straight into every job, however. Some employers may ask applicants to demonstrate basic English and maths skills in another way, while technical jobs may require you to complete an apprenticeship, vocational qualification or industry certification. But in some cases, these qualifications can be gained while you work rather than before you apply. CV-Library says jobseekers without extensive qualifications should focus their CV on the practical and transferable skills they can offer an employer. It says work experience will generally take precedence over school qualifications once someone has been working professionally for several years. Here are the highest-paying careers that you don’t need GCSEs to do – and how you can get into them. Pipefitter – £47,745 Experienced pipe workers can command salaries of up to almost £48,000 Credit: Getty Pipefitters install and repair the industrial pipework used in places like factories, hospitals and power stations. Experienced workers can command hefty salaries of up to almost £48,000, but you’ll need to learn the trade first. You can get started through an apprenticeship or by finding work in a related engineering, welding or plumbing role and training from there. Entry requirements differ between schemes, so GCSEs aren’t compulsory. The National Careers Service currently lists engineering apprenticeships that could provide a way into the industry without school qualifications. Bilfinger and Altrad are among major engineering companies that regularly recruit pipefitters and other mechanical trades. You can search current vacancies on CV-Library pipefitter jobs, Indeed and Totaljobs. Bricklayer – £46,393 You could earn over £46,000 as an experienced bricklayer, and one route into the trade requires no specific qualifications at all Credit: Alamy Bricklayers do what it says on the tin… they’re vital when it comes to building houses and repairing walls, as well as tidying up other brickwork like on chimneys – and you don’t need GCSEs to do it. You could earn over £46,000 as an experienced bricklayer, and one route into the trade requires no specific qualifications at all. People aged 16 to 21 can apply for a foundation apprenticeship without GCSEs or any experience. Alternatively, you could begin as a construction labourer and train alongside an experienced bricklaying team. More advanced apprenticeships may require English and maths GCSEs or equivalent qualifications, so check the individual advert. Look for opportunities through the Government’s Find an Apprenticeship service, CV-Library and Indeed. Scaffolder – £46,040 One way into the job is to join a company as a trainee scaffolder or scaffolding labourer Credit: Getty Scaffolders erect temporary structures so builders and other tradespeople can work at height safely. One way into the job is to join a company as a trainee scaffolder or scaffolding labourer and gain qualifications while you’re working. Employers generally look for good practical skills and safety awareness, and GCSEs aren’t always essential. You’ll need appropriate safety training and normally a Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme card to work on a construction site. Altrad currently advertises scaffolding vacancies through its UK careers site. Search Altrad jobs, CV-Library and Indeed for the latest roles. Plumber – £40,176 Becoming a plumber is a great way to earn an above average salary without needing any GCSEs Credit: Getty Plumbers install and repair water, heating and sanitation systems. You’ll need trade training before you can work independently, but that doesn’t necessarily mean paying for a course yourself. One option is to start as a plumber’s mate or take a plumbing apprenticeship, earning while you learn. Some apprenticeships ask for English and maths qualifications, but foundation apprenticeship and trainee routes can have different requirements. You can search plumbing apprenticeships as well as vacancies on CV-Library and Indeed. Roofer – £39,700 You can start as a roofing labourer or simply work on a roof with your friend Credit: SWNS Roofers repair and install tiles, slates, guttering and other roofing materials. You can start as a roofing labourer or simply work on a roof with your friend and train while working, meaning school qualifications aren’t necessarily required to start working. And as an experienced professional, you could pocket almost £40,000 a year on average. The National Careers Service says roofing apprenticeships are another option, although these will usually ask for some GCSEs or equivalent qualifications. There are currently paid roofing apprenticeships advertised in England, including schemes in Bristol and the West Midlands. Search Find an Apprenticeship, CV-Library roofing jobs and Indeed to find a roofing gig. Web designer – £36,005 Learning to use online publishing systems is key to getting a role as a web designer Credit: Getty Web designers create the appearance and layout of websites. Unlike many other professions, there is no specific qualification you legally need to complete before calling yourself a web designer – you just need to be creative and able to use the relevant systems online. Employers are often interested in what you can actually produce, so building a strong portfolio of example work can be particularly valuable. You can learn skills such as HTML and CSS – the computer languages that you write in to build websites – user experience and design software through online courses, including free courses, and build your own websites to demonstrate your abilities. ELATT offers a free Level 2 web design and development course where you can learn the skills needed. Look for junior jobs on CV-Library, Indeed and LinkedIn Jobs to get started, and you could eventually earn £36,000 on average. Chef – £33,265 Starting out in a kitchen doesn’t require qualifications but means working your way up Credit: Getty You don’t necessarily need any formal qualifications to start working in a professional kitchen, as long as you’re okay with hard work. Many chefs begin as kitchen assistants or commis chefs and learn on the job, or you could get an apprenticeship and build the skills and experience that way. Starting off on an apprenticeship or in an entry-level role allows you to progress to better-paid chef positions as they come up. Hotel group Accor is currently recruiting chefs at UK properties and says its roles offer opportunities for development and advancement. Search vacancies through CV-Library chef jobs, Indeed and major hotel and restaurant careers sites. Prison officer – £32,286 Applicants have to complete online assessments and pass fitness and medical checks Credit: PA Being a prison officer is a job where you don’t need any school qualifications. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) says personal qualities are considered more important than grades. Applicants have to complete online assessments and pass fitness and medical checks and background screening to land a role. Starting salaries currently range from around £37,000 to more than £43,000 for a 39-hour week depending on location, according to HMPPS. Perks include a coveted Civil Service pension – where you get a guaranteed income in retirement – as well as training and opportunities to specialise. You can find and apply for vacancies through Prison and Probation Jobs. Warehouse supervisor – £31,907 You don’t necessarily need to start with qualifications to work in a warehouse Credit: Alamy Warehouse supervisors oversee staff moving, packing up and dispatching goods from warehouses. You don’t necessarily need to start with qualifications, as physical ability is more important to get into the job and you can then work your way up. The National Careers Service gives the example of an Evri employee who began as a warehouse operative before becoming a supervisor. It says warehouse operatives may not need qualifications, although some individual employers ask for English and maths GCSEs or equivalents. Experience, reliability and knowledge of warehouse processes can then help you move into a supervisory role. Search CV-Library warehouse supervisor jobs, Indeed and logistics employers including Evri, GXO and Wincanton. Travel agent – £31,484 Travel agents help customers choose and book holidays, flights and other trips Credit: Getty Travel agents help customers plan and book holidays, ranging from once-in-a-lifetime trips with complicated itineraries to package holidays. Customer service and an ability to make sales is considered more valuable than academic qualifications, and trainee and apprenticeship positions are available. For example, TUI is currently recruiting travel advisers around the country as well as apprentice travel advisers, and it doesn’t request any GCSEs to apply. Its two-year apprenticeship leads to a Level 3 Travel Consultant qualification while you work. You can also search for travel adviser roles on CV-Library and Indeed. Funeral director – £31,337 Formal academic qualifications aren’t compulsory across the funeral industry Credit: Supplied Funeral directors support bereaved families and organise funerals on their behalf. Formal academic qualifications aren’t compulsory across the industry. For example, Dignity, a major funeral operator, says there are no formal qualifications required to work within its crematoria and cemetery operations. Instead, it provides structured in-house training, as well as funding for recognised industry qualifications. People often progress into funeral director positions after first working as funeral arrangers or funeral service operatives – and you could make well over £30,000 a year on the job. Look on Dignity’s careers site, CV-Library and Indeed for openings. Florist – £30,589 There is no legal requirement to hold GCSEs or a floristry qualification Credit: Simon Jacobs/PinPep Florists make bouquets and flower displays for special occasions from birthdays and weddings to funerals. There is no requirement to hold GCSEs or a floristry qualification to start the job, as long as you’re good at arranging flowers or a quick learner. You could begin as an assistant in a flower shop and learn practical skills from experienced staff, or take a floristry course or apprenticeship. Building experience around busy periods such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day could help you get your foot in the door. Search CV-Library florist jobs and Indeed, as well as local independent florists and supermarket careers sites. Local florists may also advertise for help in their stores, so it’s worth asking. SEO specialist – £30,005 Doing a free course in SEO can give you a step up to a new job Credit: Getty Search engine optimisation (SEO) specialists help websites appear higher in Google and other search results. It’s a relatively new job role that has become increasingly important over the past few years. However, there isn’t a compulsory qualification required to work in SEO, meaning demonstrable skills can matter more than exam results. There are free introductory courses available online, while building your own website can give you practical evidence of your ability to improve traffic and search rankings. Yoast offers a free course online, and you get a certificate at the end. Entry-level roles may be advertised as SEO assistant, junior SEO executive or digital marketing assistant, so keep your search broad. Look on CV-Library SEO jobs and LinkedIn Jobs for current openings. Lifeguard – £29,777 You won’t need academic qualifications to take a seat on a lifeguard’s chair Credit: Getty You don’t need GCSEs to become a lifeguard, but you will need a professional lifeguarding qualification instead. Most UK leisure centres in the UK ask for the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification, known as the NPLQ. Professionals can take home almost £30,000 a year, so if you like swimming or taking care of others but don’t love academics, it could be a perfect role for you. Some employers recruit people first and pay for their training, so it’s worth looking for vacancies advertising funded NPLQ courses rather than paying for one yourself. Search CV-Library lifeguard jobs, Indeed and local council and leisure-centre careers pages to find openings. Administrator – £29,670 Entry-level admin jobs can provide a route into work for people without traditional qualifications Credit: Getty Administration jobs are among the most plentiful job roles on CV-Library’s list, with 13,705 vacancies recorded over the past 12 months. Administrators answer calls and emails, organise appointments, update records and carry out other office tasks. Employers set their own requirements for admin assistants and some will ask for GCSE English and maths, but it isn’t essential and others focus on communication, organisation and computer skills instead. That means entry-level admin, receptionist and office assistant jobs can provide a route into work for people without traditional qualifications. CV-Library itself recommends setting job alerts and uploading your CV so recruiters can find you. The NHS is currently advertising obver 3,000 administration jobs online. Search CV-Library administration jobs and Indeed for other roles. Personal care assistant – £29,595 Personal care assistants help take care of people who struggle with daily activities Credit: Alamy Live News Personal care assistants support people with day-to-day activities like washing, dressing, preparing meals and getting around. Formal academic qualifications aren’t always required because many employers provide care training when you start the job. They will generally be more interested in personal qualities such as patience, compassion and being reliable. Depending on the role, you’ll normally need a DBS check, and home-care jobs may also require a driving licence so you can get around. Search CV-Library care assistant vacancies, Indeed and individual care providers including Home Instead. Phlebotomist – £28,569 Phlebotomists take blood samples from patients in hospitals, GP surgeries and clinics Credit: AP:Associated Press Phlebotomists take blood samples from patients in hospitals, GP surgeries and other clinics. It’s a very important job but doesn’t require any GCSEs or other academic grades. Some employers ask for healthcare experience or qualifications, but others provide training. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, for example, has previously advertised phlebotomy roles stating that phlebotomy experience was not essential because full training would be given. The NHS regularly advertises phlebotomist vacancies around the country. Look on NHS Jobs, CV-Library and Indeed. Funeral arranger – £27,825 Evidence of customers service skills can help you get a job as a funeral arranger Credit: Getty Funeral arrangers meet bereaved families and help organise the practical details of funerals. Like funeral directing, there isn’t one mandatory set of GCSEs needed across the sector. Employers may instead look for customer service, administration, organisation and communication skills. Dignity says it provides structured training and can fund employees working towards recognised industry qualifications. Search Dignity careers, CV-Library funeral arranger jobs and Indeed. Pharmacy assistant – £26,337 You don’t need GCSEs to work at a pharmacy and there are plenty of entry level apprenticeships Credit: Alamy Pharmacy assistants help serve customers and handle prescriptions in pharmacies. You can get into the profession through a trainee job or apprenticeship without already being fully qualified, and you don’t need GCSEs to start in many roles. The National Careers Service says foundation pharmacy apprenticeships can be entered without specific qualifications or experience, although higher level schemes may ask for GCSEs. Boots offers trainee pharmacy roles where workers can complete an NVQ Level 2-equivalent qualification while working. Search Boots pharmacy vacancies, CV-Library and Indeed for pharmacist roles. Traffic warden – £26,000 Traffic wardens can hand out fines for rule breaking Credit: Ray Collins Traffic wardens patrol streets and car parks, make sure drivers following parking rules – and hand out fines where offences occur. Formal academic qualifications aren’t necessarily required and employers can provide the necessary training, and you could earn an average of £26,000 on the job. APCOA is hiring civil enforcement officers around the country right now with even higher salaries. One current Southwark vacancy pays £32,708 plus a possible driving allowance and offers full training, a pension, employee discounts, 20 days’ holiday plus bank holidays and progression opportunities. It also has current vacancies in Hertford, Bromley and High Wycombe. You can apply through APCOA Careers or search CV-Library and Indeed.