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Confusing? We thought so! So we decided to lay it all out and answer the question, is an engineer a tradie?

Let’s dive in.

What’s the difference between an engineer and an engineering tradie?

An engineer isn’t a tradie but a tradie can be an engineer. In fact, there are various kinds of engineers and a tradesperson is, well, a tradie that’s oozing with skills. Let’s look at the similarities and differences between an engineer and an engineering tradesperson:

• • Both offer a wide variety of job opportunities – whether you want to do the blueprints or you love getting your hands dirty, pursuing engineering or engineering trades is a great pathway for success.
  • Working intensely with your hands for hundreds of hours a year is also a plus for both career choices as you are constantly exposed to new and challenging opportunities.
  • Great pay! Need we say more?
  • Although both have tangible results, engineers are required to think about theoretical matters as well as practical ones, while tradespeople focus on the process and application of it.
  • Engineers have to graduate from a university, whereas tradespeople will do an apprenticeship and go to a tertiary trades collage instead. 
  • The career path of an engineering graduate is fixed; which means, they can become masters of their crafts. On the other hand, engineering tradies can concentrate on a number of fields depending on where their interests head as they progress through their career.

Which One’s for You?

It’s amazing to know that both are perfectly crafted professions mustered for every endeavor you chose to take, both require physical strength and stamina.

A lot of tradies will start out their apprenticeship and find their interests move towards an engineering trade. This means they want to use their skills to build, fabricate or maintain fixed or mobile equipment, machines, structures or plant.

When a tradie has been working as a trades assistant for long enough, they might qualify for a specific qualification in their engineering trade of choice. A lot of tradies might also like to diversify their qualifications. In other words, they will start out with a Fabrication Trade Boilermaking qualification and decide they want a second qualification in Fabrication Trade Sheet Metal Working, for example.

The good news is, Trade Skills Australia offers a diverse selection of skills assessment and recognition services for qualifications in fabrication and mechanical engineering through RPL. From boilermaking to welding to even becoming a certified mobile plant mechanic, you name it.

Let’s take a look at specific engineering trades qualifications.

Certificate III in Engineering Fabrication Trade (Boilermaking) – Boilermakers typically assemble, install, and repair boilers, closed vats, and other large vessels or containers that hold liquids and gases. 

Certificate III in Engineering Fabrication Trade (Welding) – Welders, also known as structural steel and welding trades workers, work with iron and steel. They cut, shape, join, and solder metals together for projects both large and small. They may also repair large structures like ships or buildings or smaller products like watches or furniture.

Certificate III in Engineering Fabrication Trade (Sheet Metal Working) – Their job involves using specifications and equipment like hammers, grinders and torches to shape the metal and then assembling it through welding and bolting.

Certificate III in Engineering Fabrication Trade (Surface Finishing) – This qualification covers chemical and mechanical surface preparation, including abrasive blasting to Australian Standard 1627 and protective coating application and inspection to Australian Standard 3894.

Certificate III in Engineering Fabrication Trade (General) – This qualification covers a broad skill set for a candidate’s that consider themselves to be a “jack of all trades” but do not specialise in a specific skill set within their fabrication environment.

Certificate III in Engineering Mechanical Trade (Fitting) – This qualification is for Candidates that typically work in manufacturing or engineering plants where they manufacture and install mechanical machinery and equipment, as well as maintaining and keeping existing equipment operational. Mechanical Fitters work in such areas as oil and gas, manufacturing, marine, mining and maintenance.

Certificate III in Engineering Mechanical Trade (Machining) – A machining specialist studies drawings and specifications to determine suitable material, method, sequence of operations and machine settings on a variety of material shaping machines. They also fit fabricated components into assemblies, use precision measuring equipment to check for accuracy and tolerances, shape cutting tools and perform maintenance tasks on the machines.

Certificate III in Engineering Mechanical Trade (General) – This qualification covers a broad skill set for a candidate’s that consider themselves to be a “jack of all trades” but do not specialise in a specific skill set within their mechanical engineering environment.

Certificate III in Engineering – Fixed and Mobile Plant Mechanic – The skills associated with this qualification are intended to apply to a wide range of trade work including manufacturing, assembly and commissioning of mobile and stationary plant, servicing, diagnosis and rectification of faults, condition monitoring and preventative maintenance.

Certificate IV in Engineering – This qualification is also suitable for Candidates that have held a leadership role within the metal, engineering, manufacturing, and associated industries.

There is quite a resemblance between engineering and engineering trade. However, studying its major differences would help you choose the right career. As mentioned earlier, engineers are required to go to a university, pick their engineering pathways and complete their study with a degree, while engineer tradespeople follow their career pathway through an apprenticeship.

Engineers tend to focus on the theoretical side of the job, while engineer tradespeople focus on the application and the practical side of the job. Engineers and engineering tradespeople are highly valued for the work they do.

We now know the similarities and differences between the two, and its long-term career pathways. Trade Skills Australia’s highest objective is to use skills recognition and assessment to assist trades people and international engineering tradies to become more employablein Australia..

Help us help you. Take the next step towards a full qualification.

Contact us today to learn more about the prior learning assessment process and the potential to take your work to the next level.

Is it time to get the job you want with the qualification you need? Contact us and find out how we can help you today!

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Trade Skills Australia is the ONLY company in Australia that is 100% dedicated to helping skilled trades workers get the qualifications they need via RPL.

While there are some companies that offer similar services, we don’t outsource any part of the RPL process because we are a Registered Training Organisation, we don’t need to outsource.

We use the RPL process so that trades workers who have been in the industry for over 5 years can get the qualifications they need for the skills they have!

Ever wondered what makes Trade Skills Australia one of the highest rated RPL providers in Australia?

Let’s get into it! 

We are NOT brokers

Many of our competitors are brokers, meaning they assist their clients in obtaining a qualification from their network of RTO’s, but they don’t provide that service themselves. 
Trade Skills Australia is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), meaning that we provide the entire service, not just referring you to the right people (we are the right people!).

The person you speak to on day one will be the person guiding you through the entire experience, and if our reviews are anything to go by, we do a top notch job of it. 

We stay on top of current qualifications

Our team is constantly doing research and ensuring that all of the qualifications we provide are current, and nationally recognised.

We would never let someone use their hard earned money trying to get a qualification that is the wrong qualification, no longer current or useful to them.

You never have to worry about going through the process only to find you have a useless qualification you can’t do anything with.

We have Australia’s largest network of international liaisons

We liaise directly with organisations all over the world to help qualified trades people from other countries get the equivalent qualification in Australia.

You can view our full network of liaisons on our website, but we liaise with organisations in Ghana, Canada, The Caribbean and Germany, just to name a few. 

If you need to get your current international qualification recognised in Australia, we are the team to help you do it!

Don’t just take our word for it!

We have a huge collection of positive reviews from our network of previous clients (38, 5-star reviews and counting).

Added bonus (just for you)

We’ll make sure you never get stuck paying for a qualification you can’t use, because we are constantly monitoring the industry and updating the certifications we provide.

Bottomline

Our knowledgeable staff are here to help you go after the career you want.

We make the entire process as pain free as we possibly can for each and every one of our candidates by breaking down the barriers between you and the qualifications you need.

Ready to take the plunge? Click here to get started.

Head to our Articles page for 7 reasons why tradies don’t finish their apprenticeships or info on how changes to visas will help Australia’s skills gap…. and more!

Trade Skills Australia RTO Code: 45637 is a Registered Training Organisation dedicated to providing intensive skills assessment services to non-qualified but skilled engineering trades workers. We help national and international tradies gain better employment opportunities in Australia. Get the qualification you need for the job you want with Trades Skills Australia. Contact us to find out how.

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A recent Australian Construction Report showed that an average of 33 workers are seriously injured each day. The majority of workers are involved in cases of falls from height, vehicle collision, and electrocution. In this dangerous workplace, it’s up to management and coworkers to ensure the health and safety of everyone on site. In line with that, everyone must be aware of the various safety tools and tips to be safe and stay productive at work.

Construction safety tools have a significant role in ensuring worker’s safety at work. That is why more companies are working to develop and improve construction safety for better production.

Best Safety Tools For Construction Sites

Take a close look at the best safety tools in construction sites. These are the newest construction safety innovations that will be launched soon!

1. Construction safety halo

The Illumagear halo light is usually placed from a laborer’s head or on top of their hat. This tool is a totally game-changing lighting system that is incomparable, reliable, and more convenient than anything else in the market.

Illumagear Halo Light lets the worker be spotted at a distance of over a quarter of a mile and provides 360 degrees of illumination all night long. The powerful light is helpful for the driver to spot the workers at a sufficient distance with enough time to slow down.

With its powerful lighting, it is surprisingly light enough not to weigh down the hardhat. The best thing about it is that illumagear fits many popular hardhats. Simply attach it to a hardhat, and everyone will see you coming.

2. Construction safety in reverse

Backing up heavy equipment is critical in construction sites. In fact, fatal accidents in construction sites are caused by being struck by a vehicle. A piece of heavy equipment backing up is dangerous because many blind spots forced drivers to be unaware of their surroundings.

The Track vision tools are specialised cameras for heavy equipment. Construction equipment needs a track vision system so that drivers can have a 115 point of view. It features the recording of video that is helpful in times of an accident. You do not need to rely on eyewitness accounts. 

3. Construction safety drone

Drones are not just used in some typical taping for movies or racing as a teens game. Drones are now used in a new comprehensive perspective for a construction site. You can check every nook of the construction site, even if you are miles away. You can check the braces on scaffolding so that you don’t need to send a man hanging to do so. It can improve situational awareness in the team because it gives so much information.

4. Construction safety phone

The CAT S60 Smartphone is not just matched from a different brand of phones we used. It is a recommended tool to see heat in the infrared spectrum, which can indicate a catastrophe.  

The construction safety phone of CAT 360 is said to be more innovative because it has an integrated FLIR thermal camera that gives the expected smartphone amenities. This smartphone features water resistance from five meters and is very useful on a construction job site.

5. Construction safety app

Equipchat is an AI tool that helps to manage the equipment status. This software assists in easily managing all maintenance schedules, hours of work, equipment, and so much more. There is also a recommended mobile app accessible to use in the office, trailer, or field.

Equipchat is designed to provide seamless reporting and data management in the construction industry. It features notification and alerts when problems arise, faster report modification, and an efficient scoreboard system.

Safety tools are vital, but knowledge in staying safe in a hazardous construction site is formidable.  

Construction safety tips

Here are the various ways you can ensure a safe construction site. 

1. Always wear correct protective gear

Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can lessen minor and major injury on the job site. PPE protects the workers from falling objects, inhaling dust, protecting the eyes, and so on. These will help workers to ensure safety and do their work productively. This should also include ear protection, helmet, knee pads, and hi-vis jackets, as well as safety goggles for facial protection.

2. Health and safety training

Training for health and safety must be done and prioritised before going on a respective job site. Construction workers must attend this program to increase awareness and become fully competent to avoid risks. The training also specialises in using first aid and how to conduct basic life-saving techniques if necessary so that everyone will be ready in case of an emergency. 

3. Correctly construct and maintain scaffolding

Constructing scaffolding is necessary and should not be done with shortcuts. It should be built on stable or flat ground with solid footing to prevent the risk of collapsing. Be sure to maintain and repair the damages of structure from time to time and ensure that all workers have passed through on training to build accurate and safe scaffolding. 

4. Display clear signs

Signs are beneficial and essential on a construction site. Thus, the use of highlighting every hazard with the help of posters is extremely efficient. This typically warns everyone to keep a distance from any under-construction area to prevent injuries. Signs are the most simple and effective measures of reducing accidents.

5. Inspect tools and equipment regularly

Prevention is better than the cure. Regular inspection of tools will prevent them malfunctioning, protecting the workers.. Workers rely on the use of tools to do their job effectively. If this equipment is unsafe or broken, it will likely cause accidents. It is both the responsibility of the workers and employer to maintain the tools and equipment with no defects to prevent all serious injuries.

6. Stimulate proper communication

Communication enables an employee to keep safe while at work. This strategy provides easy access to inform and warn everyone what is actually happening in their respective area.  Communicating to identify potential risks will reduce the possibility of arising massive injuries or worse, fatalities. Everyone must have a clear connection with one another to address the problem smoothly.

Is it time to do a risk assessment?

Every business or construction site needs to assess and undertake a risk assessment. . Managing risks at work is a regular procedure such as changing work practices, recommencing operations following a shutdown, responding to the workplace of incidence, and responding to any concerns raised by workers and other personnel. 

Risk assessment should be viewed periodically in managing environment changes over time with response to health and safety protocols in the workplace. All workers should participate and provide feedback during a risk assessment.  After all, maintaining a safe construction site is everyone’s duty.