Future Victoria: Why space tradies hold the key to life beyond Earth

Moon rovers will become the new Ford Ranger for dozens of tradies desperately needed to help space companies explore life beyond Earth. This is how you can get your ticket to the moon.

Gilmour Space Technologies engines and fluid systems lead technician Zaid Dillon is one space tradie already on the tools.

The dream job of becoming an astronaut could soon be a reality for Victorians in the next decade, with the nation’s flourishing space industry desperately needing tradespeople to help it explore life beyond earth.

Experts predict “space tradies” will be ditching utes for lunar rovers well before 2050 as more opportunities arise for space exploration and tourism.

Satellite manufactures, rover electricians and moon miners are some of the jobs that will be in demand as a result, according to Swinburne University of Technology space technology and industry institute co-director Rebecca Allen.

“Our spacecraft are fantastic, rovers are fantastic, but we actually need human investigators to follow up on things,” she said.

Satellite manufactures, rover electricians and moon miners are some of the jobs predicted to emerge by 2050.

Everyday welders, plumbers and electricians could be among those taking their skills to the moon, and will play a crucial role in developing and maintaining the transport and equipment used by researchers.

“These tradies and technicians are highly-skilled and have undertaken hands-on training, but don’t necessarily have to have a PhD to be building rocket engines,” Dr Allen said.

“You’re going to have people who are doing manufacturing and operating machinery on spacecraft that’s unlike anything on earth, and that will require skills such as 3D printing in an environment with different gravity, radiation and materials.”

Private companies venturing into space tourism will also open opportunities for work beyond earth, including engineers being tasked with building space hotels and electricians entrusted to wire them.

“(There are) 10 different planned private space stations (that will emerge) very much in the next decade, and they will need to be maintained,” Dr Allen said.

“We’ll also have space tourism vehicles going up on regular flights.”

Dr Allen said Victoria’s “legacy” in the manufacturing and biotech industries made the state the ideal location to train the space tradies of the future.

“Victoria has a number of industries already that are really well primed for what’s going to be critically necessary in terms of capability,” she said.

Meanwhile, Swinburne University of Technology trades and engineering technologies director Bryan Ornsby said space companies wanted to employ tradies who were the “cream of the crop”.

“Cleanliness and attention to detail is really critical,” he said.

Space tradies will be needed both in space and on earth.

Gilmour Space Technologies engines and fluid systems lead technician Zaid Dillon is one space tradie who’s already on the tools and specialises in all the “flame stuff”.

The 31-year-old has been an aerospace technician for 15 years, with his passion for the trade stemming from an interest in aircraft and science-fiction.

“I really wanted to get my hands dirty and have an understanding of how things work on a mechanical level,” he said, adding no two days were the same.

“I think there’s definitely an opportunity in the next 20 years for the commercial sector to start working in orbit and if it ever came up, I would absolutely jump on it.”

Gilmour Space Technologies’ Zaid Dillon says he specialises in all the ‘flame stuff’.

The 31-year-old has been an aerospace technician for 15 years.

As for jobs on earth, Mr Ornsby said traditional trades will see more “smart trades people” in factories using skills such as coding by 2050 – something that’s already happening in the manufacturing industry through mechatronics and “industry 4.0”.

“(Mechatronics and industry 4.0) are in the advanced manufacturing space where machines talk to machines through coding and even artificial intelligence,” he said.

“But this still requires practical people to problem solve … and you don’t need a degree to do that, you just need a middle-sort of qualification and strive for excellence and accuracy.”