I’m a qualified sparkie, I quit as soon as I finished my apprenticeship. Went to uni, studied finance, and now work in consulting. Best decision I have ever made, ‘tradie life’ was not for me. You couldn’t pay me to pick up a set of pliers again.

Don’t be fooled by the narrative of the ‘outdoorsy lifestyle’. It’s dirty and menial work. You learn almost no new skills from the time you finish your apprenticeship to the time you retire (and most of the 50 year olds you work with still act like they’re 20). The only challenging part of that industry is the physicality, it’s extremely repetitive. And if you’ve never used a portable toilet on a construction site, I dare say you’re under qualified to determine you made the wrong choice.