The average university degree can take between 4 -8 years to complete on a full-time basis, whereas the majority of apprenticeships to become a professional tradie take 4 years.
A degree will set you back anywhere from $20,000-$30,0000 per year. Potentially you could be in debt to a fine amount of $130,000 by the time you complete your studies. According to go.net, the price of a Bachelor of Arts and Law can accumulate to $150,000 – $250,000. With no actual guarantee of a job at the end of your studies, it’s an intimidating debt to have fresh out of university.
Along with requirement to study, employment to pay for daily living expenses also takes up time with a degree. With these factors to consider, some may decide to take longer to complete their degree by choosing a part time option to allow them time to undertake both work and study simultaneously.
Not surprisingly, most people opt to place their university fees on HECS or HELP, meaning they don’t have to pay their fees until they earn over a particular amount of money. For this financial year it is $47,014. You’re required to let your employer know about this debt and the amount is taken out of your pay and held by the ATO to repay what you owe.
It might be free from interest rate, but not exempt from inflation. In fact, recent announcements have indicated a rise of 3.9% to the average HECS debt.
It’s not surprising that a lot of people are now electing to become a tradesperson and study an apprenticeship rather than study. Becoming a tradesperson can dramatically less expensive than a university degree. The company you work under whilst undertaking your apprenticeship foots the bill for the majority of your study and materials.
You may be responsible for a small amount of fees for TAFE. As a bonus, you actually get paid approximately $55,000 per year whilst on an apprenticeship. This form of study and training has both practical and theory components.
Here are some of the top trades where you could potentially earn over $100,000 per year.
- Electrician
Electricians work to install and maintain electrical wiring systems. These may be commercial or residential. They are also known to assist with data cable installation, which can be quite a niche market as the systems may often be complex.
Recent positions for Electricians in Melbourne were advertised at $80,000 – $119,000 in the Metropolitan area. FIFO and DIDO positions may attract a higher salary.
- Plumber
Part of a plumber’s job may involve the installation, maintenance, and repair of gas and water pipes, sanitization systems, medical equipment, sinks, toilets, and other fixtures in both commercial and residential structures are the responsibility of plumbers.
Additionally, they could evaluate plumbing systems, design them, and make sure they adhere to local laws and regulations.
But, some of their work may be quite messy and not for the faint hearted. These are the guys you call when toilets and plumbing is blocked. A blockage can be caused by a number of things and not all of them are easy or the most pleasant to remove.
There are currently plumbing and gas fitting positions advertised with a wage of $80,000 – $119,000 in the Melbourne residential area. Other positions have an attractive advertised salary of $100,000 – $140,000.
- Carpenter
Some parts of a role in carpentry might see you using wood and other materials to erect, instal, and fix structures and infrastructural frameworks. They work on a variety of building projects, including setting up building frames, roofs, and floors as well as building roads and bridges.
A quick search on the internet and there are jobs going from around $50 per hour or in some instances, $100,000 – $119,000 per year.
Some individuals who have finished their carpentry apprenticeship may at some stage elect to become a builder, which involved obtaining a building license.
This means you can complete larger jobs and oversee projects.
Some positions for builder are advertised between $120,000 -$150,000.
- Boilermaker/Welder.
Boilermakers create and repair metal products and structures for boilers, ships, iron and steel structures, and other vessels. They cut, shape, assemble, and weld steel. They also carry out routine maintenance and test finished boilers.
Welders utilise heat to melt various metals, such as brass, stainless steel, or aluminium, to make or repair metal items or products. Welders employ a variety of welding tools and equipment, depending on the metals they are joining and cutting.
Position in the Victorian area are advertised at around $50.00 per hour.
- Rigger.
Most rigging courses can be completed within a week. There are 3 different levels, basic, intermediate and advanced. You’ll need to complete each of these before you can get to the grand finale of the advanced which is what you’ll need to obtain a decent rigging position.
Other courses that might come in useful to become a rigger are Working with Heights. Other studies may be required depending on what company you end up working with.
You don’t want to have a fear of working with heights are a rigger, as they spend a lot of time in towers and other high structures.
A rigger’s role is complex and varies from position to position as their skills can be utilised in various industries.
Typically, a rigger moves heavy equipment using rigging gear. Some of the items they use might be winches, pulleys and cranes. They can put together scaffolding and other structures on building sites. They may also climb telecommunications towers to work with telecommunications and radios.
A rigger may earn up to $145,000.
Whilst these earnings may seem brilliant, they are not without hard work and education. It can take years of experience before you reach these levels and a tradies work can be exhausting with labour intensive work and long hours. But, as with all things, persistence is the key to success.