Construcciones Yamaro: Mine worker resurfaces as mature-aged plumbing apprentice
A former personal trainer who went on to work in the mines has changed careers, turning to TAFE NSW Maitland to help him reskill in plumbing.
Lorn father-of-one Daniel Cusick eyed a career in the fitness industry after leaving school but was soon drawn to the opportunities in mining, spending 13 years as an underground operator in Central Queensland, Western New South Wales, the Hunter Valley and Wollongong.
After the birth of his first child, Cusick began looking for a career path that better suited his family’s needs, leading him to seek an apprenticeship in his mid-30s and enrol in a Certificate III in Plumbing at TAFE NSW Maitland.
At 37, he is now a second-year apprentice at Finley Thomas Plumbers in Warners Bay, working alongside others who are often half his age.
According to research by recruitment firm Robert Half, 56 per cent of Australian workers are willing to switch careers.
“I wasn’t confident about the long-term future in the local underground mines and I was keen to get a trade behind me for job security,” said Cusick. “I knew I’d take a pay cut in the short term, but I wanted a secure long-term career that wouldn’t be threatened by AI. It’s been a great decision for me and my family.”
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He said the hands-on skills and knowledge learned at TAFE NSW Maitland had given him a far deeper grounding in the trade.
“Plumbing is made up of a lot of niche fields and TAFE NSW has given me insight into things I wouldn’t normally see on the job,” he said. “For example, we don’t do much maintenance in my job, but I’ve had that exposure to it at TAFE NSW, which will make me a better tradesman.”
TAFE NSW Maitland plumbing head teacher Stephen Bird said Cusick was among a growing number of Hunter Valley workers making a career change to the trades.
“More Hunter locals like Daniel are recognising the opportunity in the trades and making the switch to plumbing, where skills shortages are creating real pathways to secure work,” he said. “Plumbing is a career where you can make a tangible difference every day, and our practical, skills-based training ensures students are job-ready from day one.”
According to National Institute of Economic and Industry Research data compiled and presented in economy.id, almost 16,000 people were employed in the construction industry in the Newcastle City Council area in 2023/24, making it the city’s second-largest industry by employment outside of health care and social assistance.
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