Plunging into a trades career

For Hannah Wigg, studying a plumbing pre-apprenticeship at VU Polytechnic has been just the fresh start she was looking for. She shares why now is a great time to be a woman in trades.

“For the last few years I have really wanted to learn a trade, so I was excited to jump in and do a pre-apprenticeship at VU. I’ve got four kids, so I’m a mum changing careers.

“I chose the Certificate II in Plumbing (Pre-apprenticeship) 22569VIC as it’s given me an opportunity to learn basic skills from the ground upwards – so I can go straight into a four-year apprenticeship after I finish this course, and hopefully start a career in a field I really enjoy.”

Hands-on skills & personalised support

I chose VU because it has really great facilities and there are big spaces to learn in. The teachers have been really supportive and awesome, and there are good class sizes, so it's a great environment to work in.

“The course is really hands-on and I've learnt heaps. I don't really have one favourite area – they've all been amazing, and it’s been really interesting to learn a whole range of skills. 

“I haven't used a lot of power tools in the past, so it’s been great to learn the basics, from using power tools to bigger machines.

“The change for me has been really good. It's completely different to my old work background, and it’s been really good to upskill and do a job that's hands-on.”

Great opportunities for women in trades

“It's an awesome time to get into a trade as a woman, because there's so much support out there at the moment. The government is pushing for women in trades, which is amazing.

“There are lots of career opportunities in plumbing. You have the flexibility to be able to work for yourself as a sole trader in an environment that fits around your life, or to go and work full-time for someone on commercial sites or domestic sites.

“My family are really supportive of my career change, especially my children. They’re super excited about it.

“Hopefully it will show my daughters that they can choose to go out and do a trade if they want. I want to show them that there are lots of different opportunities for women out there.”

Interested in a career in trades?

Get started in a career that sparks your passion. VU Polytechnic offers trades courses across building and construction, plumbing, electrotechnology, engineering and more. 

Explore our trades courses now.