Diesel mechanics are high on the list of trades for which there's a shortage for the Chch rebuild.I don't know what the wages on offer are like - but they're trying desperately to recruit overseas.With some of the trades directly involved in building works, there's a lot of pressure coming down from CERA, Insurers, EQC etc, to stop wage rates escalating due to demand.But some specialist trades should be reasonably immune to that pressure.
davidgb,
May 25, 12:25pm
I work in IT but very mechanically inclined. I have always wanted to be a mechanic. I wonder how hard it is to get into the trade!
cuda.340,
May 25, 8:12pm
you gave up being a hvac tech which generally pay $34-40hr, to be a mechanic paying $22!. i'd have to be guessing here that you weren't qualified to be a HVAC tech huh!
russ18,
May 25, 8:20pm
Not everyone finds self employment works for them, it can be a lot easier post mortgage, kiddies etc.
cuda.340,
May 25, 8:27pm
true that. i gave up being self employed for a job on wages where i don't have to look for work, chase down non payers, get sick days & 5 weeks holiday per year, have someone else pay my phone bill, supply my vehical & pay its running costs. 5 o'clock comes round & my time is my time!
mugenb20b,
May 25, 9:45pm
Good question. You are right, I'm not a qualified HVAC tech. But, I had a business partner who was a qualified fridgie and I employed a sparkie for heat pump jobs. I have been making up to $3k a week, but I also had weeks when I only made $500. In the 5 years of having a business, I made reasonably good money and managed to buy a house.
However, I decided to close down the business for a number of reasons, the main one being is wanting a different lifestyle for my family. Yes, I'm getting paid less now, but I'm gaining more living and working where I am. There is also a potential of buying a slice of the garage in the next few years as the owners are approaching retirement. Also, I managed to buy a second house here, kids go to a much better school, which is literally right next to our house, we do less driving and we are a part of a small but very strong community.
jason18,
May 25, 9:52pm
Damn thats small money. I am self employed. I have weeks where I only get a small amount and other weeks where I earn heaps of $$$. I try to stick to a set weekly budget anything else goes into savings to help out with the small weeks. I would hate to have a full time job.
lookoutas,
May 25, 9:58pm
Pretty much me too cuda. Someone questioned the charge-out rate - it should be 3 times the paid wage. Or the wage should be 1/3 of the charge-out.
grangies,
May 25, 10:28pm
When I was in Auckland, spray painting, mainly late model smash repairs, I was on $25 per hour plus a car.
This was nearly 10 years ago and my boss recently told me I'd be on about $30 per hour plus a car if I was still there.
Like all Automotive jobs, spray painting wages can vary a lot. It all depends on the type of work you are doing, and your efficiency at it.
For example. The shop at where I was on $25 per hour had other painters on $17 and $20, and the foreman on $27.
soph001,
May 25, 11:35pm
Husband was a qualified car mechanic, on $18/hr. He's now a first year apprentice diesel mechanic on $22.50. Go figure.
mm12345,
May 26, 12:55am
Just as a matter of interest, how much of the course can he "RPL" from past qualifications/experience.
It's also interesting because modern petrol engines are becoming increasingly complex/critical, to the point that there's not so much difference between a direct injection petrol engine and a common-rail diesel engine.
bigfatmat1,
May 26, 1:47am
1/3 of the qualifications cross over. Not a lot really. Big part of diesel is air systems
bigfatmat1,
May 26, 1:47am
soph001 is your husband at CVC!
joe-996,
May 26, 2:53am
was on $30 in NZ as supervisor now in WA $65 is pretty common here for a HD Fitter. no wonder 150 kiwis leave nz every day to come over here, my first job offer over here 2 years ago was a starting rate of 130k
soph001,
May 27, 8:51am
I don't know what CVC is, so I'm gonna say no. And yes, about 1/3 units cross over.
rob_man,
May 27, 9:13am
It used to be roughly half the charge out was the pay rate, but that got distorted by increased gouging by local government, commercial property values, ACC levies, an extra weeks holiday, OSH compliance etc etc.
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