Why Giving Young People a Chance Matters in the Trades

Why Giving Young People a Chance Matters in the Trades
The Future of the Trades Starts With Opportunity
This week we had a young bloke from TAFE spend some time with us onsite.
Like most young people entering the trades, he wasn’t turning up with years of experience.
He wasn’t expected to know everything.
He wasn’t expected to spray aluminium windows, mask an entire house or understand every part of the preparation process on day one.
What he did have was something far more important.
He was willing to learn.
And that is exactly where every tradesperson starts.
Watching him spend the week onsite got us thinking about something we feel strongly about.
As an industry, we need to be doing more to give young people opportunities.
Because the reality is simple.
Every experienced tradesperson working today was once the young kid standing in the corner trying to work out how everything worked.
Nobody starts with experience.
Somebody has to give them a chance first.
Every Tradesperson Was Once the New Kid
It’s easy to forget that.
When you see someone who has spent twenty or thirty years in the industry, it’s easy to assume they have always known what they are doing.
But they haven’t.
Every painter.
Every carpenter.
Every electrician.
Every plumber.
Every builder.
Every one of them started out knowing almost nothing.
At some point someone took the time to explain things.
Someone showed them how to hold a tool.
Someone explained how to work safely.
Someone taught them how to solve problems.
Someone gave them an opportunity.
Without that opportunity, many of those tradespeople would never have entered the industry in the first place.
Experience Has To Start Somewhere
One of the biggest challenges young people face today is being told they need experience before they can get a job.
The problem is obvious.
How do you gain experience if nobody gives you the opportunity to get started?
That first step can be incredibly difficult.
This is why work experience placements are so important.
It allows young people to:
See real job sites
Understand how the industry works
Learn workplace expectations
Develop confidence
Discover whether a trade is actually right for them
For many students, that first week onsite is the first time they truly understand what a trade career looks like.
Trades Need Young People
This isn’t just about helping young people.
The industry needs them too.
Across Australia there is ongoing discussion about skills shortages.
Many experienced tradespeople are approaching retirement.
At the same time, fewer young people are entering certain industries.
If we want strong trades in the future, we need young people learning those skills today.
That doesn’t happen in classrooms alone.
It happens onsite.
It happens through mentoring.
It happens through experience.
It happens when businesses are willing to invest a little time into the next generation.
Learning What Real Work Looks Like
There is a big difference between studying a trade and experiencing one firsthand.
Onsite work teaches lessons that simply can’t be learned from a textbook.
Things like:
Communication
Time management
Problem solving
Teamwork
Customer interaction
Workplace safety
These are skills that become incredibly valuable no matter what career path someone eventually chooses.
Building Confidence
One thing we often notice with younger people entering the workforce is that confidence grows quickly once they start participating.
The first day can be intimidating.
New environment.
New people.
New expectations.
But as the week progresses something changes.
Questions start getting asked.
Tasks start getting completed.
Confidence starts growing.
That confidence often extends well beyond the workplace.
The Value of Mentoring
One thing trades have always done well is passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
That transfer of knowledge is incredibly important.
Many trade skills are developed through observation and repetition.
You watch.
You listen.
You practice.
You improve.
Over time the things that once seemed difficult become second nature.
That process only happens when experienced tradespeople are willing to share what they know.
Not Everyone Learns the Same Way
School environments work well for some people.
Trades work well for others.
Many young people thrive when learning through practical experience.
Working with their hands.
Solving real-world problems.
Seeing immediate results from their efforts.
Work experience helps students discover where their strengths might actually be.
Sometimes a week onsite can provide more career clarity than months of uncertainty.
Why Work Experience Benefits Businesses Too
A lot of people see work experience as something businesses do purely to help students.
But there are benefits for businesses as well.
It creates opportunities to:
Identify future talent
Develop mentoring skills
Strengthen industry knowledge
Support local communities
Give back to the profession
It also reminds experienced tradespeople how far they have come.
Watching someone learn the basics often makes you appreciate your own experience even more.
The Importance of Attitude
One thing that can’t be taught is attitude.
Skills can be learned.
Experience can be gained.
Knowledge can be developed.
But attitude comes from the individual.
The young people who stand out are often the ones who:
Turn up on time
Ask questions
Listen carefully
Show respect
Take initiative
Those qualities often matter more than technical ability during the early stages.
The Trades Offer Incredible Opportunities
Sometimes young people only hear about university pathways.
But trades offer fantastic opportunities as well.
They provide:
Practical careers
Job satisfaction
Skill development
Business ownership opportunities
Long-term career growth
Many successful business owners started by learning a trade.
They began exactly where every apprentice and work experience student begins.
At the bottom.
Learning one day at a time.
Real Skills Have Real Value
One thing trades teach is the value of practical skills.
Being able to solve problems.
Build things.
Repair things.
Improve things.
Create things.
Those skills remain valuable throughout life.
They also provide a strong sense of achievement.
At the end of the day you can often physically see the results of your work.
That is something many people find extremely rewarding.
Why We Believe More Tradies Should Get Involved
We genuinely believe more tradespeople should consider giving young people a chance.
Not everyone can take on an apprentice immediately.
Not every business has the capacity for long-term commitments.
But many can provide:
Work experience placements
Site visits
Advice
Mentoring
Career guidance
Small opportunities can have a big impact.
Sometimes a single week onsite can completely change the direction of a young person’s future.
The Industry We Leave Behind
Every trade relies on knowledge being passed on.
If experienced tradespeople stop teaching, eventually those skills disappear.
That is why investing in younger generations matters.
It ensures:
Skills remain strong
Standards remain high
Knowledge continues
Industries remain healthy
The future of the trades depends on people being willing to teach what they know.
Giving Someone Their First Opportunity
For many young people, the hardest part is simply getting started.
That first opportunity can mean everything.
A chance to learn.
A chance to ask questions.
A chance to gain confidence.
A chance to discover a career path.
Nobody becomes experienced without first being inexperienced.
That is something every tradesperson understands.
Because every one of us started exactly the same way.
Looking Forward
Having a young TAFE student spend time with us this week was a good reminder of how important these opportunities really are.
The trades have given many of us fantastic careers.
They have allowed people to build businesses, support families and create meaningful futures.
If we want those opportunities to continue for future generations, we need to keep opening the door.
Not because young people know everything.
But because they don’t.
And that’s exactly how every successful tradesperson started.
Final Thoughts
We strongly believe every tradie should consider giving young people a chance.
Not every placement will turn into an apprenticeship.
Not every student will enter the industry.
But some will.
And those opportunities can genuinely change lives.
The future of the trades depends on the next generation learning from the current one.
That starts with experience.
That starts with mentorship.
And most importantly, it starts with somebody being willing to give a young person a go.
If you’re a young person considering a trade, keep showing up, keep asking questions and keep learning.
And if you’re an experienced tradesperson, consider opening the door for someone starting their journey.
You might be surprised by the difference it makes.