Annual Salary
£30,000 to £66,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Swap to Law or Politics or go back to all job sectors
Trade union officials represent, train and advise union members, carry out research and develop policy.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings; attending events or appointments
There will be
2.3% fewer Trade union official jobs in 2027.
As a regional trade union official you may:
At the national head office you may:
You could work in an office.
You can get into this job through:
You may be able to join a national head office as a research officer straight from university, if you've got a degree or postgraduate qualification.
You could study most degree subjects for this role, with common ones including:
You'll usually need:
You could apply to do a Trade Union Official Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
This usually takes around a year and a half to complete.
Most people following this route have:
You could start as a trade union representative in the workplace, or a union administrator or organiser in a local union office. This would help you to get experience and understanding of how a union works.
There's a lot of competition for full-time jobs, so relevant paid or voluntary experience could give you a head start when you apply for work.
Relevant experience might include:
You may be able to apply directly if you've got a background in adult education or training and development.
It can also help if you have experience in the voluntary or public sector, or experience of tackling issues around equal opportunities, economics, or health and safety.
For many jobs at national head office level, you'll normally be qualified and experienced in a specialist area like:
You could do work-based training courses through Unionlearn or the General Federation of Trade Unions. Training like this could be useful when you apply to become a full-time paid official at a union branch or regional office.
You can see an official list of trade unions on GOV.UK.
You can find out more about working and training as a trade union official through the Trades Union Congress.
With experience, you could become a regional secretary of your union or work at its national head office. You could also move into politics as a councillor or MP.
You can find out more about working and training as a trade union official through the Trades Union Congress.
You'll need: