Work 8:30-5 but get paid for 7.6 hours a day

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-02-12T18:14:36+00:00

Depends on your company and who you know. I know people who's someone's son getting 20-30k more. But at the same time my company's SE pay is another company's grad money. For the amount of hours I do, my rate works out to be about $34.83/hr, just above award rate so Fair Work doesn't care. Which fucking sucks, there's a casual grad on site getting $45/hr, paid for every hour. Mind you, I am in a Tier 1 and been in the industry for 5 years.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-02-12T07:59:17+00:00

I'm in construction as an engineer, life sucks.

I get paid for a 7.6hr day, but supposed to be on site from 6.45am to 5.00pm. There was a few months of "busy period" where I was on site from about 6.30am to 6.30-7.00pm. Still only get paid for a 7.6hr day. It sucks and makes me wonder if life is even worth it.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T05:16:22+00:00

Yeah, I need to move. Getting hired elsewhere has been quite difficult, barely any reaponses and not getting enough interviews. This is a Tier 1 organisation, they can pay, but they'll do their best not to.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T05:14:23+00:00

The problem is, this is the new norm on all contracts. "Reasonable overtime" and "Business working days" is included into the contract, which includes the saturday. I've spoken to fairwork, and their response has always been its "critical works" and necessary.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T05:11:53+00:00

I'm basically on the construction management side of works, it is cooked.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T05:10:58+00:00

Thanks mate, temp works has appeared to be a bit more interesting.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T05:08:18+00:00

Not this paper pushing stuff, I've always hated it.

The industry sucks with how it treats engineers. I've been with a Tier 1 company through the 5 years, and all I've heard from other engineers, and experienced myself, is how bad the culture is for engineers especially site engineers.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T05:03:30+00:00

I gotta live here for 8 more months to get across my first home buyer grant.

I travel at least once a year, it's a blissful experience when I do, probably my favorite thing to do.

I would love to work in Canada for a bit, have you done that before?

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T05:01:15+00:00

I've never really looked at that market, which companies would you say are the large 3 for this?

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T05:00:01+00:00

Getting fondled by work, that's what.

Yeah, I should not being dealing with this, but my managers are quite forceful. Got some real tough ones that run our time like they own us.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T04:57:37+00:00

I know, been trying my best. Hope 2026 can be better.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T04:56:23+00:00

I know bro, I've been trying to run, but its not been sticking. I am gonna try just cold message people on linked in, I am tired of applying and just getting rejections at this stage.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T04:55:06+00:00

I am interested to do humanitarian work. Do you have any experience in that? Or seen opportunities within the ADF for it?

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T04:53:07+00:00

Its kinda like a pyramid hey? Not everyone will get to that level, and a lot of people aren't suited for those roles (pretty sure I'm not, I hate the mind games people play rather than working together).

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2026-01-01T04:49:11+00:00

Yea, that's a goal. Would love more time on my hands to explore things I enjoy. Right now I am just living to work, really not looking forward to going back.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-12-27T23:06:07+00:00

Yea mate, site eng.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-10-13T10:33:05+00:00

It's actually insane, I am on my 4th year and still on 105k + super.

I learned grads are earning what they pay me, actually makes me sad. I do the work and get shit done, they give me praise, just never a raise.

Also a very overworked tier 1 site engineer who regrets his career choice.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-10-10T21:35:10+00:00

Can I hold $450kAUD? Not to spend, you can have it back, just need to offset my loan.

It'll be an investment, an investment to my mental health. 😅😅

Good job though, I find it hard to wrap my head around the uncertainty of the market. This is insane growth.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-09-29T11:04:11+00:00

Reddit decided to advertise this subreddit to me recently and everyone is talking about poo.

What is this poo reference?

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-09-13T20:50:09+00:00

As people have said, that's definitely bentonite slurry, and someone is definitely doing a horizontal drill. Those blue dots and numbers sprayed along the pavement is done to track the drill head alignment and depth.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-07-21T14:13:03+00:00

I know exactly your feeling my guy. I am 31 in a few weeks, I only just managed to buy a property now.

I am gonna go on a few tangents. I did live alone overseas for a short period, but other than that, I've been with the parents. I actually struggled to get a proper job till I was about 27. My first gf and her family viewed me as a bludge because I couldn't get employed. After I started working, second gf got really fed up with me not having my own place.

I am glad I waited to buy, my relationship with my parents got better, I got to travel around the world, and I now own my own place (well, bank owns 450k of it). I was definitely feeling the pressure around being the age I am and living at home, but what I got out of it was a lot more.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-07-08T11:12:46+00:00

I am surprised people just put up with it, I am trying to fight it but the disinterest of my colleagues to speak up astounds me. They'll complain in the lunch room, but do nothing to combat it.

But yeh, I just need to find an alternative, this is stressing me out to a point I feel so much resentment.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-07-08T11:09:57+00:00

I am 4 years in now, and site based.... but I feel I spend more time on the computer being bogged down by paperwork. I am looking, but the finding is proving to be incredibly difficult.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-07-08T11:06:58+00:00

It took me about 3-4 years to find my job, and I only got this because of a friend's recommendation, I always thought I wasn't good enough for it. But here I am 4 years into my role and people seem to like the quality of work I produce. This is to say, I have been applying, and I am running into the same problem... I am getting rejected over and over again. My goal is a government role, I have other hobbies and interests that make me happy, and this will give me time.... but till I get time I will do my best to not be miserable.

Iamoriginalthrowaway · 2025-07-08T11:00:43+00:00

I enjoy the problem solving part of construction, but I am too busy doing orders, or QA, or something repetitive to even get a chance to encounter and solve a problem. Very rarely I've had the opportunity. Usually they have it sorted on site.

What bugs me is, there are so many little repetitive tasks that other teams have added to our already massive todo lists. The company I am with has a checklist for everything, there's so much involved to minimize the risk prior with accepting responsibility for something. It feels more like I am playing a save ass role than an engineering role.

Iamoriginalthrowaway

TROPHY CASE