25 Hands-On Jobs That Pay Well

Working with your hands can be rewarding, challenging, and satisfying—and it can also pay well.

Do you find fulfillment in creating, fixing, or building tangible things? Is it boring to sit in front of the computer all day? Then a career in the trades might be the perfect fit for you.

While success isn’t just measured in dollars and cents, it does sweeten the deal. Let’s talk money: In Canada, the average salary of a skilled trades worker is $90,000, or $47 an hour; a stark contrast to the national average salary of $68,250. 

Some hands-on jobs can even earn up to $140,000 a year, especially if they’re in high demand or require specialized training. So, if you’re curious to learn about hands-on careers, here are 25 jobs for people who enjoy working with their hands!

1. Electrician

Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical systems and equipment. There are several industries electricians can work in, including industrial, commercial, or residential. 

Electrician pre-apprenticeship programs are a great way to fast-track your career!

2. Plumber

Plumbers spend time installing, maintaining and making repairs to plumbing systems and fixtures. They work with pipes, valves, faucets, drains, toilets, sinks, showers, bathtubs, and other plumbing components. 

Like electricians, plumbing pre-apprenticeships can prepare you for an apprenticeship with hands-on training in as little as 12 weeks.

3. Pipefitter

You might also like pipefitting if plumbing intrigues you! This is especially true if you’re more interested in working in industrial or commercial settings.

4. HVAC Technician

No working-with-your-hands jobs list would be complete without mentioning one of the best career paths in the trades: HVAC technician. HVAC technicians install, maintain, and repair heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and equipment. 

5. Welder

Welding is one of the most diverse hands-on jobs. Specialists in this field work in a variety of industries, from construction to aerospace—and sometimes even underwater! 

6. Carpenter

Carpentry is a pillar in the construction industry. These tradespeople not only play a crucial role in building a home, but they’re also often involved in home renovations. 

7. Bricklayer

While we’re talking about construction careers, here’s another career path that will get you into construction sites. Bricklayers lay bricks, measure out areas, and repair or maintain existing structures in buildings.

8. Truck Driver

If you like driving and enjoy spending long hours on the road, then being a commercial driver might be a great career choice for you! 

9. Home Inspector

As far as hands-on jobs go, home inspection isn’t as physically demanding as others in construction. As their title implies, these professionals inspect a home to identify current and potential issues ahead of a renovation or sale. 

 10. Millwright

Millwrights are industrial specialists who assemble and install machinery in power plants, factories, and construction sites. They also do maintenance, repair, and testing. 

11. Ironworker

Ironworkers work with metal and steel to make and install the parts that support buildings, bridges, and other structures. 

12.  Boilermaker

If you love working with your hands and you can take the heat, then being a boilermaker could be one of the best hands-on jobs for you. These pros install, maintain, and repair boilers and other large containers designed to hold liquids or gases. 

13. Massage Therapist

Working-with-your-hands jobs aren’t limited to construction. Massage therapists treat patients by kneading muscles and other soft tissues.

14. Elevator Mechanic

Elevator mechanics install and repair elevators, but they also work with ski lifts, moving walkways, and escalators. It’s one of several working-with-your-hands jobs that really pay well once you’ve established yourself!

15. Power Line Technician

If you love working at heights as much as you love working with your hands, then consider becoming a power line worker! They keep electrical and telephone lines running right.

16. Glazier

A glazier is someone who fits glass into windows and doors. They cut, install, and remove glass and other materials (like plastic) in commercial and residential buildings.

17. Wind Turbine Technician

Wind techs inspect and repair wind turbines, resolving issues and performing maintenance as needed to keep them running as they should. 

18. Dental Hygienist

While not often considered among hands-on jobs, there’s no denying that dental work is very practical. Dental hygienists help patients maintain healthy teeth by examining for signs of oral diseases and educating patients about their oral health. 

19. Heavy Equipment Operator

Heavy equipment operators handle special equipment used in construction and maintenance like graders, tractors, backhoes, front-end loaders, dump trucks, and trash trucks.

20. Auto Mechanic

Automotive mechanics perform basic care and maintenance on various types of vehicles, from sedans to SUVs and larger trucks. 

21. Network Cable Technician

If you enjoy tech, consider becoming a network cable technician. You will install, test, and troubleshoot network cables in a variety of properties in this role. 

22. Insulation Contractor

As an insulation contractor, you will install, remove, or upgrade insulation materials in walls, ceilings, floors, or roofs of residential and commercial buildings. 

23. Aircraft Mechanic

Fancy working with planes? Aircraft mechanics inspect, repair, and maintain various types of aircraft, from small planes to large jets.

24. Security Technician

If your version of hands-on jobs involves tinkering with lock systems, you should become a security technician (a.k.a. a locksmith). These professionals install, repair, and adjust locks and security systems.

25. Window Installer

Those windows you see in homes and commercial buildings don’t install themselves! This hands-on job will have you working on all kinds of properties, installing windows that provide natural light while promoting energy efficiency. 

Start Your Hands-On Career at Skilled Trades College

Hands-on jobs are always in demand, offer consistently rewarding work opportunities, and keep communities in order. This is especially true of skilled trades! 

Skilled Trades College of Canada is the best place to kickstart your career by enrolling in one of our many pre-apprenticeship courses. Our courses—which are designed around an 80:20 ratio of hands-on to in-classroom learning—will help you hone the skills you need to secure an apprenticeship or enter the workforce. 

Contact us to turn working with your hands into a career!