Aussies ditch their trades for ‘lifestyle’ careers

An influx of qualified tradesmen are leaving their high-paying trade jobs, putting their mental health first, in search of new careers that align with their interests and lifestyle preferences.

Australia’s leading premium 4WD tray and canopy manufacturer, Norweld, is pulling out all the stops to attract highly-skilled tradespeople for a variety of roles across its eight branch locations, proving that some work perks are more valuable than money.

Norweld’s fast-growing workforce already consists of skilled electricians, boilermakers, carpenters and fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers from mining sites around the country, all opting for jobs that promote better work-life balance.

Norweld Brisbane Leading Hand, Jake Mastrocola, was looking for a new career that aligned with his interests after 7-years as an electrician led to burnout.

“The nature of my job meant I was often working late nights and weekends, which was impacting my mental health,” Jake said.

“By chance I was doing electrical work at Norweld when I decided to apply for their tray and canopy fitter job.”

Attracted to the four-day-work-week on offer, and Norweld’s products which are highly regarded by 4WD, camping and fishing enthusiasts, it was a ‘no-brainer’ for Jake to leave his trade.

“Being an electrician no longer interested me, but I love four-wheel driving so it felt like a good fit. I’ve had the opportunity to work on some of the newest and biggest models of 4WDs which is really exciting and gives me a lot of work satisfaction, all while having more free time back.”

Norweld Cairns Salesperson, Ash Rooker, felt societal pressures from his peers and family to complete a trade even though it wasn’t his true passion.

“I left school part-way through year 12 to start an apprenticeship, but when an injury meant I couldn’t finish, I decided to pursue my love for cars and start a detailing business,” Ash said.

“The work was inconsistent so when an opportunity came up to work at Norweld I jumped at it. Being a Cairns local, everyone knows about Norweld, and the business has a good reputation for work-life balance while still offering development opportunities.”

Norweld Human Resources Manager, Rhiannon Woodbridge, said the company’s suite of employee benefits is proving popular with skilled tradespeople across the country.

“Many people that love off-roading, camping and fishing are already familiar with our products and history, so we attract a lot of candidates who want to switch to a career that aligns with their personal interests,” Rhiannon said.

“In Western Australia, where many tradies are used to high paying mining jobs, we’re already seeing a lot of interest from candidates that want to make a lifestyle switch, much like what we’ve been experiencing across the east coast.”

Norweld recruitment incentives include a development pathway program for its workshop employees, a four-day work week for most roles, attractive employee discounts and a focus on company culture.

“We know a lot of tradies work in environments that lead to poor mental health, which is why we foster a supportive work environment where every employee has regular wellbeing check-ins and a direct line of communication to the HR team.” Rhiannon said.

In the past two years, Norweld has more than doubled its workforce with continued growth meaning the company continues to invest in its recruitment efforts to meet demand.

The Cairns-founded company recently marked its 50-year anniversary with the opening of three new purpose-built facilities in Brisbane’s north, Newcastle and Perth, resulting in more than 55 new team members hired in 12 months.

Visit Norweld’s career page to view current opportunities.

About Norweld

Norweld is Australia’s largest manufacturer of aluminium vehicle trays and canopies. Founded in Cairns in 1971, Norweld now proudly operates locations across five states and exports its trays and canopies to international markets including North and South America, Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Built to thrive in Australia’s tough conditions, Norweld guarantees a lifetime, unconditional warranty on the design and workmanship of all products.