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:

• social science
• politics
• economics
• law

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

You could apply to do a Trade Union Official Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

This usually takes around a year and a half to complete.

Entry requirements

Most people following this route have:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
• experience in related work 

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:

• advice work
• student or local politics
• mediation and negotiation jobs
• campaigning

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:

• employment or general law
• economics
• trade union legislation or organisation
• media
• research
• education and training

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'll need:

• knowledge of human resources and employment law
• knowledge of English language
• analytical thinking skills
• the ability to use your initiative
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• excellent verbal communication skills
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

As a regional trade union official you may:

• advise members and management on legal or health and safety issues
• study and interpret legal policy, agreements and procedures relating to work
• recruit, train and support local officials and shop stewards
• represent union members in negotiations or before industrial court and tribunal proceedings
• deal with local disputes and case work
• work as a learning representative

At the national head office you may:

• develop national policy
• carry out research
• develop learning programmes for members
• work in media relations
• negotiate with employers' organisations, political parties and government
• represent the union at conferences

You could work in an office.