7 reasons to consider becoming a tradie
- magda

Sparkies, chippies, brickies – being a tradie can mean any number of roles. But they do have plenty in common as well. Naturally, these jobs are all tough. They are physically demanding and a long way off your typical office job. So what is it that makes being a tradie so popular? Here are just 7 reasons why you should consider becoming a tradie.
1. Job security
A tradie will have more trouble keeping up with all the work available than actually finding work. The demand for skilled workers is high all over Australia.
In the latest NSW budget, for example, funds have been set aside to create 150,000 new jobs over the next four years. It is to support infrastructure projects and the building boom.
2. Avoid years at university
Your typical bachelor’s degree at university will take three years. Then there is the option for further study for honors, masters, and doctorates. All of this comes at a cost. The average student debt in Australia is currently estimated to be approximately $20,000.
A tradie will not spend nearly so long studying (anywhere from 6 months to two years usually), often learning the majority of his or her skills on the job and avoiding large debts in the process.
3. Work flexibility
Once you have mastered the trade, you may be able to essentially pick your own hours and projects as your own boss. Many tradespeople end up working for themselves as the opportunity to have full control over their career can be a thoroughly enjoyable one.
4. The office
Many people work in offices, stuck behind desks with the classic water cooler in the corner. For a tradie, the office is often a much more exciting place. You get to spend time outside, work on different sites, stand up and move around rather than stay seated all day, and interact with people.
This active, outdoor workplace is a real highlight for many tradies.
5. Wages
When the Master Builders Association organised a study of wages in the construction sector in NSW, a broad range of salaries was revealed. According to the study, a top-tier contractor paid an average of $42,000 for first-year graduates, $45,000 for second years, and $48,000 for third years. These early-career level wages are a great starting point for further pay rises and progression.
6. Travel
With the skills you’ll learn as a tradie, you can travel to other cities, other states, and other countries, and no matter where you want to go, there will always be a need for skilled workers in your profession. If you’ve always wanted to spend a year or two working abroad, these universally essential abilities can help you get there.
7. Satisfaction
When you talk to tradespeople, one of the things they all talk about is the real sense of satisfaction they get from finishing a job. After several years in the business, it’s not uncommon to be able to drive around an area and know you had a hand in creating the buildings and infrastructure in place there. It could be a house, a school, a business, an item of machinery, or something else,. You know your work has gone into creating a physical environment in which others can live.