Young sparky shares the 'pretty crazy' wage he earns after finishing apprenticeship
A young tradie has revealed how much he makes after finishing his apprenticeship as an electrician.
A young sparky has revealed how much he makes an hour after finishing his apprenticeship.
The electrician, who was stopped in the streets by jobs app GetAhead, said he became qualified in February.
He said he has since done “a little bit of everything”, including a lot of commercial and civil work.
“I make $45 an hour,” he told the interviewer.
“Working) five days a week – just 6.30am to 3.30pm-ish.
MORE: The highest paying trades in Australia
“There is the opportunity for (overtime), not really night work, opportunity for overtime, but we only take a little bit here and there, only when you need it.”
He said the most challenging thing about the trade was “thinking ahead”, adding it was a job “anyone can do”.
“Making sure you’ve got stuff set up and make sure you got all the materials there,” the sparky added.
“It’s a pretty crazy job. As long as you stick into your TAFE work and all that stuff, you can do it.”
As a part of the job, he said he gets access to a work car, while all his tools were his own, apart from some testing gear.
According to the Electrical Trades Union, minimum wage for sparkies before the age of 21 starts at about $15.67 per hour in the first year.
Second-year apprentices make about $18.69 per hour, going up to $21.70 per hour in the third year.
By the fourth and final year, the pay jumps to about $25.33 per hour.
Apprentices may have different rates for overtime, Sundays and public holidays, with age, location and additional allowances also coming into play.
Aussies were quick to jump to the young man’s support.
MORE: The highest paying jobs in Australia without a degree
“Pretty good money to be on straight out of TAFE, good on him,” one said.
“So cool to see interviews with tradies, Australia needs them that’s for sure,” another added.
“Safe bet too for a career”
A third wrote: “Good thinking ahead always does well; he obviously was listening to his teachers at TAFE. You’ll go far, won’t be on $45.00 for long, onward and upwards.”
Others weren’t too impressed with the wage, with one social media user writing: “I’m staying in bed, not worth it!”
Apprenticeships Are Us managing director, Michael Wentworth, told news.com.au that apprentices’ wages are one of the most “misunderstood” parts of the system and cause frustration for both apprentices and employers.
The wages are determined by the national Awards set by the Fair Work Commission and define what an employer must legally pay, he said, adding that for most apprentices there is no capacity to negotiate a higher rate unless the employer chooses to do so voluntarily or operates under an enterprise agreement.
“For young full-time apprentices, especially 16–19-year-olds, the wage gap between a first-year rate and a qualified tradesperson can be enormous,” he said.
“Fully qualified tradespeople may earn $80,000 to over $120,000, depending on overtime and specialisations.
“Meanwhile, many first-year apprentices earn the equivalent of $25,000–$35,000 a year.”
Mr Wentworth said the current award rates do not reflect the level of responsibility placed on apprentices, nor the cost-of-living pressures they face.
“We regularly see apprentices working in high-risk environments while earning wages that barely cover basic expenses,” he added.
Apprentices can be paid for time spent at off-the-job training, including that at TAFE or RTO, but this depends on the Award and the structure of their training contract, Mr Wentworth said.
School-based apprentices, he added, are only paid for their work hours.
Mr Wentworth said when it comes to tuition fees, tools, uniforms, PPE, and mandatory licences, ARU has seen every possible variation.
“Some employers cover everything; some cover nothing; some reimburse tools only after six or twelve months; and others only provide partial support,” he said.
“This inconsistency means many apprentices start their careers with significant upfront financial burdens, often having to buy their first toolkit, boots, PPE and textbooks out of pocket.
“Even with government support programs like the Australian Apprentice Training Support Payment (which is now being halved from January 2026), apprentices still carry considerable costs in their first year.”
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Originally published as Young sparky shares the 'pretty crazy' wage he earns after finishing apprenticeship
