Need Work - Go to Oz

Australia Boom Pays Men Without Degree More Than Bernanke


Travis Marks, a 24-year-old with no college degree, is hitting pay dirt as Australia's mining bonanza fuels demand for workers. Already making triple the nation's average salary, he expects to get even richer.

"With what's going on in the industry, there's lots of big jobs coming up," said Marks, who earns A$220,000 ($227,150) a year -- more than Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's $199,700. His job as a rigger for a company providing construction and maintenance services to the resources industry is "a really good way to get ahead as a young bloke," he said.

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Guys that were asking for A$150,000 in November are asking for A$180,000 and getting it," said Damien Lee, general manager of Professional Recruitment Australia, which supplies workers to companies including Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL), Leighton Contractors and Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (RDSA)

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Two coal-seam gas projects, expected to cost more than A$30 billion, are proceeding near Gladstone, a port in Queensland. Santos Ltd. (STO), Australia's third-largest oil producer, and BG Group Plc (BG/), the U.K.'s third-biggest gas producer, will start hiring the first of more than 10,000 construction workers needed for the projects later this year.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said in February the resource industry could be short 36,000 workers in the next four years and the government will have to introduce measures to encourage older Australians and parents to rejoin the workforce. She also plans to relax restrictions on skilled migration.

a great lifestyle if you want a divorce

Is this for real? Will they take anyone with some serious experience? How hard is it to get a green card? Anyone know if they're hiring foreigners? What about electricians? I'll be doing some research later today of course, but would appreciate anyone in the know.

I may be moving soon.

That's awesome! It should be no surprise that these guys make a fortune, especially in the more advanced specialties like rigging. I'm assuming that 24 yr/old with no college degree that they interviewed has around 7-8 years of full-time experience and probably works 80+ hours/week.

^^ And pretty much working in the middle of nowhere.

Australia doesnt have green cards but depending on your skill set and age there are a bunch of ways you can work there.

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/

those high paying jobs tend to be hyped up a little bit, they arent simple to get but they are out there... generally they are in the middle of nowhere, they work fly in fly out - 7 days on, 5 days off (mine sites) up to 3 weeks on 3 weeks off (offshore). its probably no different than getting a job on a rig in the gulf...

the rest of the economy is over inflated because of the resource sector.

There were a couple of guys I played WoW with in a similar situation in Canada. If you want an idea of how exciting life is there, they basically worked, drank, and played WoW.

Hey...that doesn't sound bad.

these are like those oil jobs in the middle east right? where they looked for skilled labor (experienced construction guys) and pay 6 figures.

granted there's less chance of being caught in a riot hung and burned alive, but still it has to be just as hard work too.

if the market pays it then thats what they are worth.

OZ is notoriously hard to immigrate to and assimilate into professions. especially things that require board exams (like medicine and dentistry).

sounds like a playstation and a keg are all that's required.

Originally Posted by SkinnyGoomba

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That's awesome! It should be no surprise that these guys make a fortune, especially in the more advanced specialties like rigging. I'm assuming that 24 yr/old with no college degree that they interviewed has around 7-8 years of full-time experience and probably works 80+ hours/week.

I would not consider "rigging" an advanced specialty. Of course it would require some experience to do it safely. However it ammounts to making hookup for cranes and such and possibly working on loading and transporting equipment. Nothing needing an advanced degree.

Originally Posted by HgaleK

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Is this for real? Will they take anyone with some serious experience? How hard is it to get a green card? Anyone know if they're hiring foreigners? What about electricians? I'll be doing some research later today of course, but would appreciate anyone in the know.

I may be moving soon.
Pretty sure the same goes for Canada. In the major resource regions, if you can find accommodations there are thousands of jobs - foreign or not. But the problem is housing is very hard to find. A lot of people here end up living in trailors, or their trucks.

I had a friend (Canadian) who lived/worked out of Brisbane Aus. He had some rig experience from here, and got tonnes of work down there. Pretty nice lifestyle working 2 weeks on 2 weeks off in Brisbane. Much better then the lifestyle you get here in Canada. 2 weeks on, then 2 weeks off where you're still in the middle of ****ing nowhere.

Thanks, but I'll pass.

No doubt those jobs are out there. Much of it is risk premium.

Originally Posted by Charley

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I would not consider "rigging" an advanced specialty. Of course it would require some experience to do it safely. However it ammounts to making hookup for cranes and such and possibly working on loading and transporting equipment. Nothing needing an advanced degree.

Right, experienced is a better word for it. I consider it along the lines of being a crane operator, which doesnt require and advanced degree but does require focus and experience to avoid killing people or damaging equipment.

That's pretty nice. While the posting would be a slog, you'd surely get a little time off and if I were stuck in America with no great prospects, Australia would be a paradise. The weather is great, the girls look great, everybody has a good time, the only complaint is boredom from living on a heavily populated island paradise. ( &lt;3 Australia)