Where the work is: jobs for technicians and trades workers up seven per cent

Office jobs are shrinking but the trades are hiring. Experts share their tips for landing an apprenticeship.

The trades are hiring – and they have even more vacancies available than a year ago.

Increased infrastructure spending and government initiatives such as JobTrainer, HomeBuilder, JobMaker and the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy are helping to get laid off tradies back into work as well as creating new jobs.

The Federal Government’s Vacancy Report reveals there were 22,500 roles available for technicians and trades workers in October – up 7.1 per cent on the same time last year.

This compares to management roles, which were down 20.3 per cent, and clerical and administrative roles, which were down 18.8 per cent.

PM Electric apprentice electrician Noah Carpenter. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

Group training organisation PEER chief executive Peter Nolan says there has never been a better time to pursue a trade.

“We are seeing right now opportunities for young people to move into apprenticeships like we haven’t seen for a number of years,” he says.

“At PEER, we are always looking for people with the ability to innovate and work hard.”

Nolan says plumbing and electrical apprentices are often in demand and there are also lots of great career opportunities in refrigeration and data.

National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) Training and Apprenticeships general manager Tom Emeleus also says it is an ideal time to start an apprenticeship.

“So many industries are currently experiencing a lot of uncertainty due to the pandemic, however, the construction industry is one of the industries being supported to lead us out of the pandemic and electrical apprenticeships are an integral part to that,” he says.

“Through the government’s Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy, 50 per cent of apprentice wages can be subsidised up until the end of September 2021.

“So employers are looking to capitalise on that.”

NECA’s Tom Emeleus says new apprentices need to be ready to adapt to changing environments. Picture: AAP

Emeleus says people looking for an apprenticeship can give themselves an edge by showing employers they can work well with others, are keen to work with their hands and their minds, enjoy problem solving and want to work in a high-tech industry which is constantly evolving.

“The skills needed in the electrical trade have remained the same,” he says.

“What has evolved is the need for new entrants to be able to adapt easily to changing environments, be critical thinkers and problem solvers.

“This is to address the future where more people will most likely be working remotely and workplaces (will be) relying on technology more for simple day-to-day activities – the industry is having to evolve quickly to meet these requirements.”

PM Electric apprentice electrician Noah Carpenter says he chose to do an electrical trade because he wanted to work with his hands and to be in a fast-paced environment with a technical aspect.

“It didn’t take too long (to find an apprenticeship),” he says.

“I got in touch with NECA Training & Apprenticeships and they then helped me find a company which was the right fit for me.”

He made sure he was an attractive candidate for the role by first getting some hands-on workplace experience, including with an electrical contracting firm.

“I then did a lot of research on what the long-term job opportunities were, what the industry was like and what my role would be,” he said.

“That helped me to interview well.”