PEOPLE without a degree can earn over £53,000 a year if they are willing to take on an unpopular job.

If it’s a job that few are interested in doing, then the company might be willing to pay you more.

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Many of the most unpopular jobs pay considerably more than the average advertised salary of £37,697, exclusive data from career search engine Adzuna shows.

The site looked at more than one million vacancies to find the openings with the lowest interest from job hunters and found that 20 don’t require a degree.

Many roles could be great options for workers in similar industries or looking for a career change, according to Adzuna.

THE TOP JOBS

And the top of the list is an estate planning consultant, who can earn as much as £53,327.

An estate planning consultant, or will writer, helps individuals and families organise and manage their assets and affairs to ensure that their wishes are carried out after their death.

This includes advising on wills and trusts, tax planning, asset protection and succession planning for those who own a business.

To do this job, you will need to have strong communication, organisational and administrative skills.

Plus, having an estate planning certification is also preferred.

The second highest paid is a maintenance engineer technician role which takes home £41,434 a year.

Maintenance engineer technicians look after, fix and repair mechanical and electrical systems in factories and commercial buildings.

They make sure equipment runs smoothly and safely to reduce downtime and improve performance.

Anyone wishing to do this job will need to do an apprenticeship or college course, first, in a field such as mechanical engineering.

The third top spot is a street lighting electrician, which earns around an average of £41,433.

You will need to have an NVQ level three in engineering or an apprenticeship to do this role.

In this job, workers need to install, maintain and repair street lighting and other outdoor electrical equipment.

At the other end of the scale, is a speech and language teaching assistant which is paid an average of £23,991.

Speech and language teaching assistants support speech therapists and teachers by working with students to improve language, communication, and social skills. 

For this job, experience working with children in primary school is essential.

While a crossing guard could take home slightly more at £25,507, and a bindery operator could get £25,787.

Crossing Guards manage traffic, guide pedestrians, and report unsafe conditions to ensure pedestrian safety at busy intersections, particularly for school children. 

You don’t need to have had any formal training to do this role, but things like physical stamina and healthy vision and hearing are essential.

While a bindery operator handles machinery that binds books, pamphlets, and other printed materials.

Tasks include setting up auxiliary binding machines and equipment, troubleshooting issues, and performing quality control checks.

This job requires basic maths knowledge, skill in using machinery, good hand-eye coordination and attention to detail.

Some of the more random jobs also included a Coffee Machine Service Engineer for £32,285, a Commercial Tyre Fitter at £30,735, and a Baby Room Leader (£28,671).

Less interest in the roles means job searchers are likely to have more success because there are fewer rivals for each opening.

Many of the roles could be great options for workers in similar industries or looking for a career change, according to Adzuna.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna, said: “Competition among jobseekers in the UK is incredibly intense, with jobseekers per vacancy reaching a three-year high this September, according to Adzuna UK job market report.

“However, there are plenty of opportunities out there that are often overlooked by jobseekers, and many of them have no degree requirement and offer salaries over £40,000.

“Pursuing these lower-competition jobs not only increases the chances of getting hired but also potentially opens up opportunities for faster career growth and greater job security in the long term.”

The highest and lowest-paid jobs of 2024 have been revealed with top company bosses once again taking home the biggest salaries.

Plus, we’ve also revealed the 20 highest-paying jobs where you don’t need a degree.

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