28 Jan 2020

After a summer of flinging cash at meals, grog and festival tickets, your savings may have plummeted into oblivion, leaving a big question in your empty bank account’s place…

What the hell am I going to do now?

If you’re frazzled thinking about what to do after high school and how you’re going to earn your dosh, we’re here to enlighten you about the construction industry. It’s the third largest industry in Australia with nearly 1.2 million employees, yet none of our teachers, parents or mates seem to be talking about it. This means there’s always a high demand for fresh faces to keep the ball rolling i.e. you, maybe.

Most people get their start in construction through apprenticeships which are, quite frankly, genius. You’re killing two birds with one stone by getting paid while learning on the job. A real job, mind you, where you’re learning the skills you’ll need to succeed later on.

Australian apprentices also have the potential to finish their training nearly $150,000 ahead of university students when taking into consideration their apprenticeship earnings versus a university debt. Plus, once they’ve landed a job after their apprenticeship, on average they’re earning a similar salary to university graduates. The only difference is trade apprentices are pretty much guaranteed a job with 91% employed after their training whereas this figure is only 72% for uni grads. Like I said, genius.

 

Our mates at Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) support apprentices in the building and construction industry. They can connect with you super valuable training and fund up to 75%-100% of your training costs. They also provide industry research and information, like this amazing course selector that’ll help find the right apprenticeship for you.

Basically, they make the whole process a whole lot less daunting as they understand there just isn’t enough information regarding apprenticeships out there.

What kinda cash are we talking about?

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. How big can the big bucks get?? Well, the average salary of a construction manager is a whopping $153,213. Oh my.

According to Seek’s Salary Tool, cabinetmakers and carpenters each take home on average about $68,000 a year while plumbers make $71,000. Meanwhile, air conditioning and refrigeration technicians as well as electricians pull in about $83,000 per annum and fitters, turners and machinists about $79,000.

For all the ladies out there wanting to make that bread, a 2018 report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that despite only 12% of the construction workforce being female, there is a demand for more women to break the stigma of this traditionally male-dominated industry. 

Money aside, the construction industry has a variety of different roles, workplaces and projects and you’re guaranteed to never become stir crazy. Truthfully, construction work is no walk in the park. It involves some hard yakka but if sitting a desk for hours and barely seeing the light of day makes you claustrophobic, this is the hands-on career to choose.

It’s also incredibly rewarding to be a part of a team to create something that people will use for years to come. Who knows, you could work on the next Australian monument that makes the Sydney Harbour Bridge look mediocre.

If you’re pretty sold on the construction industry and are keen to make some big bucks, CSQ have got you covered with all the information you need to know. Suss them out here!

Wanna hear from comedians? Pro surfers? Veterinarians? Hip hop artists? Doctors? Scientists? Influencers? Lawyers? Netballers? Graphic Novelists? Business owners?

Year13 is running an online careers exhibition from May the 17th to the 19th and trust me, you don’t wanna miss it. With 30+ speakers and over a hundred exhibitors, exploring work, study and travel, the Year13 Expo is designed to help you find your passion and plan your future, whether you have no no future plans, or wanna learn how to land your dream job.

Get keen to hear from The Inspired Unemployed, Dr Karl, Kath Ebbs, Steph Claire Smith and Flewnt… (just to name drop a few) and RSVP here so you don’t miss them!