30 Jan 2017

The ‘tradie’ title comes with a lot of preconceived ideas. Tell somebody you’re a sparky, or a chippy, or a bricky and immediately they start making assumptions about you and your lifestyle – and a lot of them are not so great. What they don’t understand is that just because your job title can be abbreviated to have the classic ‘Strayan ‘y’ sound chucked at the end, does not mean that you are underpaid, or undereducated, or underappreciated. In many cases, it’s quite the opposite.

It’s hard to say exactly why the stigma around trades exist, particularly when there are so many awesome perks to donning the Hi-Vis. The traditional stereotypes of the olden days are hanging around like a bad smell, even when they no longer have any relevance to the tradies of this day and age.

Well, we think it’s about time someone cleared the air. Trades are truly underrated, and when it comes to the #tradielyf there are a few myths that need busting. Here’s what we know to be true of a jobs in the trade industry.

 There’s a High Demand

 What do you mean there are “no jobs”? Last I heard, basically every trade job is on the Australian Government’s National Skills Needs List. The demand for tradies in Australia is massive, and in order to get more people into these trade roles, the Government offers a bunch of support and subsidies. The Trade Support Loan provides apprentices and trainees with financial support and only needs to be repaid once you’re earning over the income threshold. If you need to move away from home for the first time to complete your training, then you could be eligible for the Living Away From Home Allowance. You can check out even more Government support programs for tradies here.

There’s Plenty of Room for Career Progression

 Ever heard someone utter the phrase “just a tradie”. Well, you can waggle a disapproving finger in their direction and reply with a sassy “oh-no-you-didn’t”, cause most trade jobs offer a number of amazing opportunities to raise your career to new heights. If you’ve got the ambition, then you have the option to gain a higher qualification, or even move into a related university degree after you finish your apprenticeship. Or, if you consider yourself a bit of a boss, then why not start your own business? Trade jobs are flexible and offer plenty of room for you to grow – it’s all about what you want to get out of it.

The Pay is More Than You Think

Surely one of the biggest myths about tradies is how much they get paid. We’ve already written about how trade salaries stack up against jobs with degrees (surprisingly well!), but we’ve found another few interesting tid-bits for your interest. As it turns out Australian plumbers and electricians charge more than lawyers do, earning between $70 and $80 per hour on average, compared to a lawyers $37. According to this source, tradies earn an average of $60.88 per hour across all industries. So, what were you saying about tradies being underpaid?

Then There’s the Job Satisfaction

 A lot of people who work full time often talk about the ‘daily grind’ where everyday can feel the same. In a trade job there are always different sites to work on, different tasks to complete, different projects to dive into. You’re often working outside and the physical work keeps your body and mind active. But one of the greatest feelings is stepping back at the end of a hard day of work and having something real and tangible to be proud of. Whether it’s a building, a working sink tap or a light switch you can flick on and off, it’s there and it’s functional and you built it with your own two hands. Be proud. 

 There Are Plenty of Ways To Get Started

If you want to get started in a trade job or find yourself an apprenticeship, we know a few people who can hook you up. Our mates over at Busy At Work are always looking for aspiring tradies who are keen and passionate, so we advise you to drop them a line to hear what vacancies they have available, or to simply find out a bit more info. They’ll provide you with expert advice and support on anything and everything trade-related.

Call ‘em on: 13 BUSY (13 28 79)
Text ‘em on: 0421 268 884