Annual Salary
£16,000 to £35,000
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Boat builders build, repair and refit marine craft from small sailing boats to large sea-going vessels.
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; as customers demand
There will be
4.1% fewer Boat builder jobs in 2027.
Depending on the job, you’ll:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work in a workshop, at a marina or at a shipyard.
Your working environment may be physically demanding, at height and outdoors in all weathers.
You can get into this job through:
You could take a college course in marine crafts, like the Level 2 or Level 3 Diploma in Marine Construction. Some colleges offer introductory courses so you can see if it's the right choice for you.
The following T Levels may also be useful for this role:
You'll usually need:
You could get into this job by doing a boatbuilder advanced apprenticeship.
This will usually take 4 years to complete. You'll do on-the-job training and spend time with a college or training provider.
You'll usually need:
You can apply directly if you've got relevant experience. Qualifications or experience in joinery, furniture making, engineering, welding, restoration or plumbing can help. It may also help if you've worked with boats or at sea before.
You can join the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology for professional development training.
You can find out more about becoming a boat builder from the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and British Marine.
With experience and qualifications, you could become a marine engineer.
You could also move into boat design, work as an assistant to a naval architect or specialise in maritime equipment sales and support.
You could use your skills to transfer to other branches of engineering or into construction.
You'll need: