I’ve got a question for you…
As a Construction Worker, when you hear the word ‘Tradie’ used in the media or on a TV/Online or Radio ad - do you feel like it’s referring to you?
‘Tradie’ has become a term that’s used as a “catch all” phrase to describe anyone who wears hi-vis to work.
BUT…
if you work in Construction you’ll know most of the guys (and girls) on your site don’t identify with the word ‘TRADIE’ at all!
I had this realisation (a little while ago now) when the “hi-vis riots” took place during Victoria’s C0VID Lockdowns.
Most media reporting during that particular week described “1000’s of Tradies descending on Melbourne’s CBD” protesting against the imposed lockdown/vaccination restrictions at the time.
Protests that would eventually culminate in occupying and shutting down the entire Westgate Bridge to hold an all day rave party...
“Fkn Sick bro!!”
But the majority of these hi-vis, anti-vax trippers weren’t ‘Tradies’ in my eyes…
They were just disenchanted workers (mostly blokes to be fair) who were employed at the sh*t end of the Construction Industry. ‘The sh*t end’ being the people at the frontline who do the actual physical work to build the job.
They might technically be Carpenters, Concreter's, Steel Fixers, Plumbers, Sparky’s, Crane Crew, Operators or Labourer’s even… but they’re not ‘Tradies’ as the media were reporting.
Most guys working in construction don’t see themselves as “Tradie’s”.
Not in the way commercial media would define a “Tradie” that’s for sure.
The media's definition of a Tradie probably lands somewhere between those 2 weirdos they use for the "bits and pits" ad and Scotty Cam on The Block.
Now full disclosure here…
I do work in Construction as a Construction Worker but I don’t have a specific Trade.
Yep, I’m one of those blokes ;)
Taking this important fact into account I thought I’d better do some more due diligence and ask someone who actually has a trade qualification. Someone who should “technically” identify as a Tradie by definition.
So I asked my brother who is a qualified Sparky. He’s an (A-Grade) Electrician working for Downer Group…
Me: “Mate when you hear the word Tradie do you feel like it’s referring directly to you?”
My Brother: “Ha ha no way!”
Me: “So what or who do you think of when you hear that word then?”
My Brother: “Oh to be honest probably a 21-22 year old carpenter who works in domestic and drives a kitted out Ranger or something… thanks to Ford Finance.”
I thought that last bit was pretty funny tbh… ha ha
Over next few weeks I continued this experiment with my hard-hitting line of questioning.
This time with guys at work to see if my hypothesis had legs?
Amazingly – just about everyone I was working with responded in a similar way to my brother (minus the Ford Finance bit).
When when they heard the word “Tradie” it made them think of a young Chippy that does domestic.
Either way they ALL said that they (themselves) definitely did not identify as a Tradie.
So if only Domestic Chippy’s are Tradies – what about the rest of us poor b@stards…?
I think it's pretty straight fwd to be honest - we're Construction Workers.
If you put on a Hard Hat and work primarily on Commercial or Civil jobs - particularly bigger projects you’re a Construction Worker… aren’t you?
AND… (unlike Tradie’s) Construction Workers DON’T DO any of the following:
We DON’T look forward to going to work
We DON’T take our dog to work
We DON’T post selfies of ourselves at work (with f*king tools in our hands)
We DON’T work for Sh*t Money
#jobdone #jobdoneright #tradielife
No… on a Construction Site you have to leave all that positivity, optimism and job satisfaction stuff at the front gate!
……………….
Anyway, that’s my 2 cents but I’d love to know what YOU think a “Tradie” is?
Let me know what you think (in as much detail as you like) in the comments below:
Thanks for reading and remember as always…
“Have a good safe day”
Cheers
Stu
PS: In the meantime if you know any domestic chippies looking to take on a mature age apprentice – shoot them my details ;)
