How the Tradie Shortage in Manufacturing is Creating Big Career Opportunities

Over the past years, Australia has been experiencing a major shortage in tradies. As older trade professionals age out of the workforce, fewer and fewer young recruits have come to replace them.

This has created a job market where the demand far outstrips the supply. It’s affecting a number of industries, especially manufacturing. The sector is experiencing a severe shortage of candidates with the skills needed to work in today’s complex environment. As such, those who do have these highly-coveted abilities are finding that a move to manufacturing can help them acquire great jobs with outstanding perks.

Why Work in Manufacturing?

Competition is Scarce

The talent shortage has created a hiring landscape where tradies can have their pick of manufacturing roles. Tradies have the luxury of applying only for the jobs that appeal most to their interests and fit best with their lifestyle – something not many professionals in other sectors get to enjoy.

This freedom of choice is especially exciting when you consider that a great deal of manufacturing work is stimulating, creative, and at the forefront of innovation. From developing the latest futuristic tech gadgets to building parts for air and spacecraft, there’s no shortage of interesting work available.

Good Salaries are Common

Because there are so few candidates with in-demand skills, manufacturing employers are willing to compete for talent. One of the big ways this is manifesting is in the form of generous salaries. Employers are offering increasingly higher pay to qualified tradies in order to win them over.

This is particularly true for trade workers who have advanced skillsets in STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Because 21st-century manufacturing work is becoming highly complex and technically-powered, those with STEM educations and proficiencies are needed above all others.

General manufacturing workers earn an average salary of over $49,000, while head management earns an average of $260,000.

Shift Work has Unique Advantages

Manufacturing work is often split into shifts. For example, a tradie may work for 4 days, then have the next 4 days off, or even work for 14 days, then be off for 13.

While most tradies coming from other sectors may not be used to this sort of arrangement, it can have significant advantages. Getting many days off in a row can make it easier for tradies to spend time with their families, go on vacations, or even work on their own business.

Plenty of Room for Progression

Because hands-on experience plays such an important role in so much higher-level manufacturing work, the sector offers tradies a great chance to level up throughout their careers. Those with the necessary skills and time on the job can easily find themselves getting promoted through the ranks, even into managerial positions.

The great thing about this upward mobility is that it offers tradies even more opportunities for career expansion. If they do ever decide to leave the manufacturing industry, they will have acquired managerial and operational skills that are highly sought after in other sectors.

Could Manufacturing be Your Ticket to Success?

With so many benefits available, coming over to the manufacturing sector may be the very catalyst your career needs to reach new heights. If you’re considering a switch, Core Talent is here to help you find the most favorable opportunities.

Find Your Place in Manufacturing with Core Talent.