Young Victorian tradies want to repair industry’s broken image

BEER guts and bogans be gone — young tradies say those on the tools no longer guzzle booze or pack away pies — and they won’t overcharge you either.

BEER and bogans be gone — young tradies want to repair the industry’s broken image.

Those on the tools say they don’t guzzle beer or pack away pies and the smoko has gone up in flames. They won’t overcharge you, either.

WorldSkills Australia chief executive Brett Judd said the youngest generation of tradies were health conscious and highly skilled.

“The stereotype we hear about — pie-eating, soft-drink consuming, beer-guzzling tradies — just doesn’t exist any more,” he said.

“Young tradespeople today are health and image conscious, so they eat well and exercise well.

Father and son plumbers Paul and Dylan Di Martino of Paul’s Plumbing Service stop work for very different lunches. Picture: David Caird

There is also that other wonderful myth about being unfairly charged $100 for 10 minutes of work.

“What you are paying for is the ability of that person to assess and fix the problem in 10 minutes because they’ve done a four-year apprenticeship and have hundreds of hours of practical experience.”

Father-son duo Paul and Dylan Di Martino, from Paul’s Plumbing Service, can see the stark difference between generations.

“You can really see the change, especially working for someone who is ‘vintage’,” Dylan, 24, said.

“You could not live that lifestyle, eat that diet and be a tradie at the same time.

“That old stereotype just isn’t sustainable. My old man is not really that old — he’s 50-odd. But my generation, with all the technology, are much more up to date than the old-timers.”

Father-son duo Paul and Dylan Di Martino of Paul’s Plumbing Service can see the stark difference between generations. Picture: David Caird

Paul, dubbed “vintage” at 57, said tradies’ high wages were helping the industry shed its bogan label.

The average Victorian plumber earns $78.20 an hour, with electricians pocketing $73.26, carpenter $50.26 and landscaper $56.80.

A recent Skilling Australia Foundation report also found vocational training graduates landed jobs more easily and were paid more than those with university degrees.

Paul bit back at claims the younger generation were more skilled, saying some younger tradies baulked at the tough job conditions.

“When it’s cold it’s cold, when it rains it rains and when it’s hot it’s hot,” he said.

“It can be an ugly day. But they just have to get over it.”

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@moniquehore