You don't want my son anywhere near anything even remotely electrical. He's interested in eventually owning his own business where he can make lots of money, so we've told him plumbing is the way to go.
Must be different for different companies. My OH recently started work for an electrical engineering firm and he's expected to wear a shirt and tie every day.

I never wore a suit when I was working in Accounting in Sydney City, except on special occasions. People took me as they found me

Australia is a new country its basically being built at this point of time
the uk is built

I agree that the 'class-culture' of the UK makes more people strive for more glamorous jobs. Being a tradie is a perfectly respectable ''fair-dinkum'' career in Australia. Less so in the UK.

What put me off plumbing was that those guys have to deal with what goes down your toilet ie shit.

I prefer electricity!

D is for Demographics.

On the train it's all suits. In the city it's all suits. Where I live there is a mixture but everyone shares an interest in living a semi-rural sort of life.

If I had to hazard a guess I would say that there are more tradies in the suburbs and there are loads of professionals in the inner suburbs. Personally I find Australia quite polarised up to a point. The suburbs and the inner city can be worlds apart.

Lots of people very happy to be a tradie in the UK. They often earn far more than say a white collar worker and more than say teachers etc. They also start earning sooner.

Not sure there is more of a need for tradies in Australia(!)

Not as well as highly trained and qualified trades such as 'Tilers' and 'Dryliners' both VASTLY overpaid as much as in the UK.

Its the same where we are... every other person is a tradie of some description. I'm not complaining though... good to know where to find them!!

Is being surrounded by Tradespersons a problem?

I can think of worse to be surrounded by:
Canibals.
Drug addicts
Criminals
Activists and protesters.
Stockbrokers and Merchant Wankers
Etc

What's wrong with the above? I'll have you know I am a drug addicted convicted criminal stockbroker who regularly protests for the right to decriminalise canabalism. About the only thing on your list which doesn't pertain to me is the merchant wanker title.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case (and my ass)..

Far observation i would say. Australia being a resourse rich nation still has the need for any manual workers.This of course includes all the related industries such as housing and the Motor.A lot do well out of it as well.Have you not heard the term Cashed Up Bogans?
Of course when the slow down does finally visit Australia...but that's another story.

Go to the front of the queue as this country could do with more free spirited,independant and clear thinking individuals whom are unafraid to be different.
Now if you had fessed up to being a merchjant banker toss pot then your place would have been a long way back .....

Cashed up Bogans - don't ya love them? were alive and well in 80s Britain and have occupied a place ever since. Basically working class, skilled manual people on good money who like to flash it about. They exist everywhere.