A survey by Indeed predicted 5.5 million people in Australia were considering a job change in 2025. That’s more than one third of Australia’s workforce.

According to the global 2025 future of jobs survey, 70% of employers are expecting to hire staff with new skills over the next five years. Also, only 1% of plumbers across Australia are female.

Tori Smith made a drastic career change from floristry to plumbing and turned to TAFE NSW Tamworth for the career pivot.

This chance came while she was working part-time as a labourer which led to her pursuing a career in plumbing and has since launched her own business, VS Plumbing.

“I was doing some labouring at the hospital and my boss asked me to help rough in a bathroom,” she says.

“I fell in love with it instantly and ended up roughing in ten back-to-back bathrooms that day.”

Tori secured an apprenticeship by undertaking a Certificate III in Plumbing and Certificate IV in Plumbing Operations at TAFE NSW Tamworth.

Despite disruptions in her studying such as having her son while enrolled in the Certificate IV, Tori knew she found her calling.

“The personal support I got from my TAFE NSW teachers was amazing,” she says.

“I’m dyslexic so got one-on-one learning support for maths and reading, and they gave me so much consideration while I was pregnant and after my son was born.”