As the Australian economy shifts and changes, so do industry trends. One rising industry is apprenticeships, whereby demand has grown for tradies who are not only skilled, but passionate about their work.
Owner of Paul's Plumbing Paul Di Martino loves his trade. However, with technological advancements in the construction industry, the intricate skills he learnt as a young apprentice are nothing like they used to be.
“The labour has to be quick – in, out, move on. Digging by hand gave you a good eye. Whereas today it’s dug out with equipment. We have laser levels; you just prop a laser level in the ground and that automatically calculates our gradients…So, the skill level is walking away, simply because technology’s got so much better that the skill level’s just not required.”
Paul is incredibly proud of his trade, and is even prouder of his 23-year-old son Dylan, who has followed his dad’s footsteps to work as an apprentice plumber. Paul trains Dylan as a plumbing apprentice.
When it comes to Dylan, Paul doesn’t have to worry about skill level. After all, his son is one of the top 3 plumbers in the world. Dylan has taken the trade to a new level and competes in the WorldSkills Competition - a global competition for the world’s best tradies to compete in over 50 categories, from plumbing to woodwork to hairdressing.
Paul Di Martino, owner of Paul's Plumbing. Source: Supplied
“You’ve gotta want it. You’ve gotta have that discipline and just that drive to say, ‘that’s what I want, or that’s what I’m gonna have a crack at’.”
Dylan says it was his father’s push for quality over convenience during his apprenticeship that drove him to be one of the best.
“There’s always a demand for quality, so that’s always our focus point.”
Dylan Di Martino attributes his hard work ethic to his dad. Source: Supplied
Despite this, according to the Department of Employment, apprentices are in short supply. This has opened up a more diverse pool of applicants for these roles, including mature-aged apprentices. The rate of mature-aged tradies finishing their apprenticeships has increased by 12% in the past year.
One such apprentice is Juanita Crawford, an apprentice butcher at AC Butchery. “Australian apprenticeships allow people like myself to come in as a mature-minded apprentice acquire credits and qualifications that may further progress them and their job.”
Like Dylan, her apprenticeship is a jumping board for her to grow her own aspirations.
Juanita isn't the stereotypical apprentice. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
“I actually hope one day to have my own small business. Not really a small retail butcher shop, but I’ve got a little bit of experience in the markets… and wholesale farmers markets are a really good start.”
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