The May 17 Edition

If we learnt one lesson from the pandemic, one we can all agree on, it’s the priceless role of our essential workers. Not just doctors, nurses, farmers and those in transport, but our skilled tradies: the electricians, plumbers, brickies and carpenters who build our houses, fix them and enable our cities to function. And yet, as Jenna Price writes so cogently in our cover story this week, at a time when tradies are desperately needed, our high schools (especially the private ones) are still overwhelmingly focused on getting their students to university. Parents, too, are hyper-focused on a uni degree for their kids – and this often boils down to sheer job snobbery. But here’s the thing: the AI revolution is hitting white-collar workers far harder than skilled tradespeople. Plus (just check your last plumber’s bill), tradie wages are now frequently higher. Maybe it’s time to rethink that career advice. Greg Callaghan, acting editor.