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PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2015
IS PLUMBING THE RIGHT CAREER
FOR YOU?
T
hese days, the pressure is
really on for everyone to get
a university education, yet
statistics are starting to show that
a lot of university graduates are
unable to secure work in industries
due to oversupply. Meanwhile, the
trade industry, and plumbing in
particular, is experiencing a shortage
– to the point where the Australian
Government is issuing special work
visas to immigrants with plumbing
qualifications. Even traditional tradie
families often try to steer their
children away from the ‘tools’ to a
white collar career but is this really
the right thing for the future of our
industry and the younger generation?
I grew up surrounded by generations
of plumbers – my grandfather, great
uncle, my father and another two
uncles were all plumbers, so by the
time I reached year 10 it was the
obvious choice for me to leave school
and follow in their footsteps. Am I
suited to plumbing or should I have
done something else instead? Well
after 25 years, I can honestly say yes, I
made the right choice, but is it going to
be the ‘right’ choice for my son? In the
same vein, is it the right choice for you,
and all the bright-eyed apprentices
who walk through the door, hoping for
an opportunity to work in the plumbing
industry?
THE RIGHT ‘KIND’ OF PLUMBER
This article is designed to
help highlight the key traits and
characteristics plumbers need to enjoy
plumbing as a long-term career. If you
are an employer, it could help you to
work out which potential employees
have the right personality and drive
for plumbing and which ones are going
to ‘call in sick every Monday’. It might
even help you understand why you
should encourage younger generations
of family and friends, of the ‘right
personality’ to consider plumbing as a
solid career choice, instead of going to
university.
The Australian government has a
very good website (http://joboutlook.
gov.au) that breaks down the
prospects and potential for many
different careers, including those
for plumbers in Australia. I wish I
had found this when looking for new
employees because it really helps you
to think about why you are a plumber,
and what you are looking for when
recommending plumbing as a career,
or when employing staff. In future, I
will use the information gained from
this site to help me develop interview
questions for when I employ staff.
While I’ve been lucky in the staff
choices I’ve made, I’ve now realised
that there is a science to finding the
right plumber.
The relative importance of different
skills, knowledge, abilities, work values
and daily activities for plumbers is
what makes plumbing, as a career
choice, a unique fit to each individual.
I have taken some of the key
BRAD FALLON
DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING WHETHER PLUMBING IS REALLY THE RIGHT CAREER
CHOICE FOR YOU OR YOUR EMPLOYEES.
It is important that, to become a plumber, and be happy to remain one for many
years, that you possess soem key traits and characteristics.
BUSINESS AS USUAL
BRAD FALLON