Tradies among the rise of Gen Zs opting not to drink alcohol

A new generation of tradies have spoken about how they are less interested in going to the pub to drink and instead want to prioritise their health.

Generation Z tradies are drinking less and instead focusing more on fitness. Left to right : Nick Armstrong (apprentice carpenter), Zander Te Brugge (plumber), Jorgan Tapau (carpenter) and Spencer Broda (electrician) at Brunswick Aces Bar. Picture: Ian Currie

Gen Z guys are ditching drinking and embracing a sober, healthy lifestyle at a higher rate than girls, experts say, with some unlikely suspects taking on the teetotal life by the reins.

Young apprentice tradies are among those leading the charge of youths staying away from booze, saying they prefer to have protein shakes at the gym over afternoon beers at the pub or to go on hikes at the weekend rather than party at a bar or nightclub.

It comes as this masthead can exclusively reveal new research that found one in five 18-24-year-olds went longer than six months without alcohol last year.

The survey of 1454 people last year by not-for-profit Dry July – which is encouraging people to abstain from alcohol this month to raise money for cancer support organisations – also found younger adults were more likely than the general population to say they were drinking much less (23 per cent compared to 17 per cent).

Within Gen Z, a significant 63 per cent said they were motivated by their desire to save money while 35 per cent said wanting to fit in with their peers were top motivators for not drinking.

Generation Z tradies are drinking less and instead focusing more on fitness. Left to right : Nick Armstrong (apprentice carpenter) , Zander Brugge (plumber) , Spencer Broda (electrician) and Jorgan Tapau (carpenter) at Brunswick Aces Bar. Picture: Ian Currie

Additionally, two in five said taking a break has become a social norm (40 per cent) and 30 per cent noted it as “cool”.

Statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023 found that risky drinking males have been slowly declining since 2019, from 47 to 45 per cent.

National Drug Research Institute Associate Professor Dr Michael Livingston said the drop in risky drinking for young men had been more evident compared to young females.

“Both men and women in their 20s were drinking less than previous generations, but the drop for men was steeper,” he said.

“This was partly because they had further to fall, but it may also reflect that reductions in risk taking had more of an impact on men’s drinking.”

Apprentice landscaper Spencer Broda, 18 said his friends’ drinking behaviours made him want to stay sober.

“My friends and I would much rather go out and do an activity together, where we don’t have to drink and we can drive home” he said.

“I think it would feel weird if I was the only one drinking in a group.”

Playing basketball on the weekends, he wanted to make sure his body was ready for games.

“If I drank and played the next day, I noticed I felt almost weaker,” he said.

“When I stopped drinking on the weekends, my game was so strong.”

Nick Armstrong had some bad experiences while drinking. Picture: Ian Currie

Apprentice carpenter at Ace Davies Carpentry, Nick Armstrong, said he made the decision to stop drinking to gain back control.

“For me, I had some bad experiences and I wanted that damage control,” the 27-year-old said.

“My friends will still drink but it’s all in moderation now.”

Apprentice carpenter at Kingsford Carpentry, Jorgan Tapau, said his strong commitment to fitness and the gym made him less likely to go out drinking.

“When I didn’t drink, I would find myself going to the gym more regularly, which I really enjoyed,” the 19-year-old said.

“I have a really strong interest in the gym and just bettering my overall health.”

Apprentice plumber Zander Te Brugge, 22, from Our Local Services said when he stopped drinking, he had a clearer mindset.

“When I stopped drinking, I felt more productive and had more interest in my hobbies,” he said.

“I’d would much rather splurge on camping or work on my cars than spend money on alcohol.”

These changes surrounding alcohol culture aren’t just noticed by friends, but by bosses too.

Founder of North Shore Carpentry and Renovations, Alex Nejman, 30, said there had been a significant shift in the workplace since he was an apprentice.

“It’s not the same culture that it used to be,” he said.

“When I was doing my apprenticeship, we would go to the pub almost every day, have a couple schooners and go back to work, but that’s not the situation anymore.”

For Mr Nejman, end of year celebrations are now more inclusive for those who choose not to drink.

“We go out camping, or go on hikes, it’s healthier and more fun,” he said.

At Boss Carpentry WA, Michael McCracken said his apprentices were drawn more to fitness than the pub.

“We have five apprentices and we’ve seen really strong sports dedication,” he said.

At Brisbane City Landscapes, young mindsets have also shifted, according to managing director, Jack Blair-Swannell.

Zander Te Brugge said he had a clearer mindset when he stopped drinking. Picture: Ian Currie

“Our younger labourers are less interested in alcohol than we were,” he said.

“A lot of our guys are really focused on fitness and sports.”

Stephen Lawrence, founder of Australia’s first non-alcoholic bar Brunswick Aces, said Gen Zs, alongside other demographics, had increased their purchasing of non-alcoholic beverages at his bar.

“We get everyone from the 18-year-old that wants to go out but doesn’t want to drink, to the 80-year-old who was told to cut back,” he said.

Research fellow at the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Gianluca Di Censo, said that although the trend was promising, it’s essential for young people to be aware of the dangers of risky drinking.

“Youth is a period characterised by high-risk episodic drinking so we still need to make sure young people are aware of the harms of binge drinking,” he said.

Originally published as Tradies among the rise of Gen Zs opting not to drink alcohol