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Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

Old Aug 13th 2004, 2:26 pm
  #1  
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Question Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

Hi all,

When we arrive (December) I want to re-train and join a "mature apprentice", possibly: electrical/refrigeration/air-con.

Does any one know which trades are the best paid and what the average salarys are?.

Thanks in advance,
65KK
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Old Aug 16th 2004, 9:49 pm
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Default Re: Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

You can do a search on byron employment for salaries.
The site lists all the major job providers ie jobsearch.
Many young Australians are ditching the trades option , preferring to do Law,accounting etc .Hence the predicted shortage of skilled trades.
You will be paid half peanuts as an apprentice but once you qualify...
Fact is everyone needs a tradiend I know a couple of very wealthy tradespeople that have built up their businesses.
employment.byron.com.au

Regards,

MelHelpinghand... " making your move so much easier "

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Old Aug 17th 2004, 12:14 am
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Default Re: Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

the predicted shortage of skilled trades.
I remember hearing this as a kid around 1979 from a retired factory manager, two years later I started a Technicians apprenticeship in electro/mechanical engineering and am still waiting to see it happen.
Can't really speak for Australia but in the UK lots of underqualified and low level skilled people can call themselves tradespeople and get away with it. Some of the standards of work you see sometimes, make real skilled tradesmen just stand open jawed in astonishment. The British public should be more savvy about the level of skill/qualifications of the "Tradespeople" they allow in their homes. Mind you Engineering contract managers in UK Industry could do a better job of policing who they allow onto their sites. Yes yes, I know, its all about the money.

Real tradesmen are Dinosaurs nowadays, but.....
This is very frustrating for those of us that have served a full apprenticeship and worked hard at passing all those trade tests and academic exams to get the qualifications we deserve.
When I started my apprenticeship in the UK there were 3 main levels of skill in engineering, Craft, Technician and Engineer. In a little over 20 years a lot has changed. What were Craft level people(more commonly known as mechanics) are now generalised as Fitters. What were Technicians are now lumped in with Fitters and Mechanics(either electical or mechanical). Engineers are still called Engineers as are a few Technicians that really shouldn't be. More worrying is that what were once known as Cowboys are now our so called skilled Tradespeople. Real Engineers are probably the most underpaid professional people in the modern civilised world, judging by the salaries advertised in the UK Broadsheet job ads. The term "Technician" has been hijacked by virtually every profession but Engineering now. If I tell people I am a technician they just tilt their head and say, "of what"? Whilst these are all just tags, they did once have meaning now they are shrouded in confusion.

So what has happened is that the Engineering industry and I suspect the Building industry, has just been dumbed down. In real tems there probably is a skills shortage but its being filled by substandard workers. Not their fault, they are just filling a gap in the market. Industry just hasn't wanted to invest in apprentices's but rather hire have-a-gos or cowboys. Apprenticeships arent the only way to high standards as I have known of many excellent tradespeople that have not completed a formal apprenticeship. Many have taken college courses and added to good experience or have just worked with excellent tradespeople and have picked up off the back of them.
Australia appears to have a strict licencing policy for tradespeople which hopefully excludes the cowboys and enhances the true tradespeople. I may sound bitter and possibly am, but from my experience I would be surprised if there is a skills shortage that will make any big difference to tradespeoples job prospects or working conditions. The work still has to be done whether there are skilled people or not, its just likely to be substandard.

But on a positive note, to 65 million good luck with your new choice of career. Its not that bad and it can be quite pleasant if a little hot, working on the roof in the sunshine taking in the view in between gassing up a refrigeration circuit or resetting an HP pressure switch. Thats where a lot of air conditioning units are fitted. I'm sure that a high percentage of Australian buildings have air con and use it for an equally high percentage of the year. Thats likely to mean plenty of demand for your skill when you have them. Dont listen to grumpy old ex-apprenticies, we are all just bitter. Talking of which I could just sink a pint of bitter.

Maybe I could take a Law, accounting course and get wealthy. Then I could be wealthy and bitter.
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Old Aug 17th 2004, 1:27 am
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Default Re: Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

erm the oldest trade I would think, and also anyone who specialises in cleaning up Italian restaurants in the Brunswick area.
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Old Aug 17th 2004, 6:25 am
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Default Re: Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

Originally Posted by RichS
erm the oldest trade I would think, and also anyone who specialises in cleaning up Italian restaurants in the Brunswick area.
what about plasterers in melb been a plasterer for 17 year and we hope to move to victoria at end of this year
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Old Aug 17th 2004, 8:35 am
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Default Re: Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys, really appreciate it. Will be quite a change from designing corrugated displays on a CAD system, however looking forward to the challenge of learning something completely new!.

Thanks again,
65KK
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Old Aug 17th 2004, 8:56 am
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Default Re: Which trades pay best around Melbourne?

Originally Posted by 65 million
Thanks for the words of encouragement guys, really appreciate it. Will be quite a change from designing corrugated displays on a CAD system, however looking forward to the challenge of learning something completely new!.

Thanks again,
65KK
Hey 65 keep us informed, I will be heading back to Melb in 4-5 weeks as soon as the house sale is sorted, we have settled in Berwick, I am a Mechanical Maintenance Fitter by trade at Jaguar Cars and would like a bit of a career change and a new start
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