On: America's new millionaire class: Plumbers and HVAC...

[chadcmulligan]

My nephew is a fifo sparky for some mines, his base is 200K AUD, I don't know how much he makes in allowances on top. He's on call 24 hours though and just has to fly somewhere at a moments notice.

[allenrb → chadcmulligan]

What does “fifo” mean in this context? I’m thinking it is not “first in, first out”?

[tobtoh → allenrb]

Fly In Fly Out.

Typically, the workers fly out from a capital city to work/live at a remote mine site for several weeks, then they fly back for a couple of weeks rest, repeat.

[diffrabox → allenrb]

Fly in fly out. It's common in Australia for mining and oil & gas workers to live in a capital city but fly into the work site. Their roster might be a week on followed by a week off or similar.

[kristianp → chadcmulligan]

What would he make if he were working in the local city instead? Fifo truck drivers can almost make that.

[chadcmulligan → kristianp]

60-80K I'd guess is about usual for an electrician I think, maybe 100K

[wodenokoto → chadcmulligan]

That doesn’t exactly sound like your average electrician job. What is your point?

[bigfatkitten → wodenokoto]

Mining is about 14% of Australia's GDP. It is a very common career path for electricians, and many other trades.

[defrost → wodenokoto]

It's an extremely common trades path in Australia to work on minesites.

Not uncommon in Canada either.

The point was probably to meaningfully contribute to the conversation about trades and typical earnings.

It was a useful comment .. unlike, for example, yours.