Kitchen fitters work working hours that can be very long, up to 12 or 13 hours “if necessary.” Although it is a profession with good job opportunities due to high demand, there are fewer and fewer young people who want to start a business or apply for vacancies in the sector. This is the point of view shared by two kitchen fitters in the podcast ‘Trades Sector’.
Rubén, a young businessman in the sector who lives in Galicia where he and his parents manage a family business manufacturing and installing kitchens, points out that many days “if we have to finish at 10 at night or 11 at night, it’s over.” He emphasizes that it is a demanding job but with high salaries. “A good self-employed kitchen fitter can earn between 2,500 and 3,000 euros per month, or more in high season.”
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The average price of a complete kitchen, he points out, is approximately 18,000 euros including furniture and appliances “although more than 25,000 are paid for premium designs.” Therefore, it is a profitable profession for those who dominate the sector.
“Young people do not consider these types of professions”
One of the problems that professionals in the kitchen assembly sector encounter is that there is no generational change. “There are a lot of people missing, there are countless kids who study careers but do not consider working in this.” “A kitchen fitter can earn more than an engineer fresh out of university.”
Another expert, Guillermo, who also participated in the podcast wanted to give advice to young people who decide to start from scratch. “If an 18-year-old boy gets his act together, in a short time he can be a very valid helper. He will have a job and earn money, because right now this is overflowing.” A situation that it shares, for example, with sectors such as masonry, where according to professionals, young people don’t want to work.
They both agree that kitchen fitters cannot remain immobile in the face of new challenges in design and functionality. “It is a technical, clean and constantly evolving profession.” Therefore, it is “perfect for restless profiles.” “I don’t get tired of it because each kitchen is different, and the assembly is just like doing a puzzle, in the end, when you see the customer’s satisfaction, in the end it is gratifying,” explains the man from Burgos who has more years of experience than his colleague.
“Professional experience is obtained by seeing other workers”
The two workers give advice, it is best to start from the bottom, from the base. “To sell cuisine, the first thing is to see the other workers, I learned that way. Nobody taught me directly. But if you are analytical, you get involved and have the desire, because you learn quickly,” says Guillermo.
Despite this, the sector is going through a good time since there is more and more demand, especially for premium kitchens. “That means more design, more integration, and that’s more work for us.” But the future is worrying, “if new people don’t come in, we won’t be able to take on all the requests.”
The two professionals agree that kitchen assembly is “a real, stable and profitable job opportunity” especially for those who cannot find a way out in the labor market. “The only condition is wanting to learn and work hard.”