It’s time to become a tradie!
Australia is in the midst of a labour shortage, with tradespeople accounting for 35 percent of the deficit and the crisis is unlikely to end any time soon.
When it comes to employability, flexibility, and earning potential in the workplace, Australia’s tradies are striding ahead of most university required jobs.
Hourly rates are rising, jobs are readily available, and in an era where job flexibility is king, becoming a tradesperson has never seemed more appealing!
So what do you need to know about becoming a tradie?
1. What is a tradie?
Tradespeople are those who specialise in a particular occupation that requires work experience, on-the-job training, and often formal vocational education.
When we talk about tradespeople, there are various different sectors and industries of trade. For example, there are skilled industrial trades such as electricians and plumbers, there are skilled construction trades such as brickmasons and carpenters, and there are skilled service trades such as mechanics and technicians.
2. What kind of tradesperson could I be?
The trade industry is as diverse as they come. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it will give you a good overview of some of the options. Before choosing, consider what your interests and skills are.
Carpentry
If you like working with your hands and are great with maths and communication then this could be the path for you. There are different kinds of carpentry and a few of the main ones in the building industry are:
Formwork – Deals with roofing or structural work.
Joister – Lays floor joists to which floor surfaces are fixed.
Cabinet maker – Makes cabinets and other furniture such as wardrobes.
Framer – Specialises in the frameworks of buildings.
Roofer – Works with rafters and beams in roof construction.
Concreting/Bricklaying
When it comes to construction if you’re into physical labour then bricklaying could be for you. If you prefer to let the machines do the talking then it might be better to head into concreting. Both of these trades have foundations in common. So the work you do will provide the support that the rest of the structure or building will be resting on.
Plumbing
There’s more to plumbing than fixing emergency leaks and cracked pipes. Plumbers can work on installing steam, water and gas ware, sanitation or irrigation. They can also work onsite dealing with compliance improvements and blueprints, so with larger jobs there can be a lot more involvement with building infrastructure.
Electricians
Sparkies cover a lot of vital areas in construction besides general installation of lights and power. You can specialise in data, vehicles, solar panels, refrigeration, elevators, HVAC, air conditioning, and heating, to name just a few. So that means you can learn general building skills, but be able to gain maths, design and mechanic skills if you choose to go into those areas.
Landscaping
For those of you who absolutely love the outdoors, becoming a landscaper is a career path that will give you more fresh air than you know what to do with. You can cover growing and creating sites, maintaining already established areas and even work on planning and development. The amount of variety means you’ll never be lost for options and that’s a great way to keep things interesting.
3. Does it cost anything to become a tradesperson?
Unlike going to university where you have high HECS fees to pay off once you’re finished, vocational training has much lower upfront costs so that once you’re qualified you’re able to pocket all your earnings.
Tradies work in an apprenticeship while learning and get paid for practical work during their qualification. After your apprenticeship, you can move straight into a job market that is hungry for your skills.
Governments also subsidise some vocational training.
4. What else do I need to know?
Tradespeople have more flexible working hours and often finish earlier in the day. They have much more potential for travel in their work and find the opportunity to work on different sites and outdoor locations quite rewarding. Trade skills are also in high demand so job security is almost guaranteed for the foreseeable future.
A few things to note when it comes to becoming a tradie; its important to be certified which does require formal training and education. This certification allows you to gain higher wages, get licensed and get insurance which is really important for anyone considering entering a trade.