What is the Highest Paying Trade? Warragul’s Best Opportunities in 2025

Trades are no longer just a fallback career path—they’re lucrative, highly skilled professions offering real financial freedom. If you’ve ever asked, “What is the highest paying trade?”, especially in a regional hotspot like Warragul, Victoria, you’re not alone. As the demand for qualified tradespeople continues to rise across Gippsland, understanding which vocations offer the best return on investment is crucial for school leavers, career changers, and even seasoned workers looking to upskill.

With Plumber Warragul, we’ll break down the top-paying trades in Australia, with a localised focus on Warragul. You’ll discover salary insights, local job demand, and pathways to land these high-paying roles—ensuring your next move is both strategic and profitable.

Trades vs. Degrees: A Local Reality Check

In Warragul and surrounding Baw Baw Shire towns like Drouin, Neerim South, and Yarragon, the growing housing developments and infrastructure projects have created a thriving demand for skilled trades. While universities churn out thousands of graduates each year, many end up in oversaturated markets. In contrast, trades offer quicker entry, hands-on training, and far less student debt.

According to TAFE Gippsland and JobOutlook.gov.au, several trades now rival or exceed the earning potential of traditional degree-based careers. But which trade tops the list?

The Highest Paying Trade in Australia (and Warragul)

🥇 Electricians (Specialised: High Voltage & Industrial)

Average Salary: $90,000 – $140,000+ AUD per year
Job Outlook: Strong growth
Licensing: A-Grade Electrical License (via Energy Safe Victoria)
Local Demand: High across Warragul and Gippsland

Electricians are consistently among the highest paid trades in Australia, and in Warragul, the demand is growing with the rise in renewable energy projects, infrastructure upgrades, and commercial builds.

Specialisations like industrial automation, high voltage systems, and solar panel installations command top dollar. Projects like the Logan Park Precinct revitalisation and housing estate developments near Sutton Street require advanced electrical work, making skilled sparkies indispensable.

Other Top Paying Trades in Warragul & Surrounds

🛠️ Plumbers (Commercial & Specialized Systems)

Salary Range: $80,000 – $130,000+
Plumbers aren’t just fixing leaky taps anymore. In Warragul’s booming construction sector, commercial plumbers are installing complex gas and water systems, rainwater harvesting units, and hydronic heating. Licensed plumbers with specialized certifications often subcontract for local council projects and real estate developers, pushing their earnings into six figures.

🧱 Boilermakers & Fabricators

Salary Range: $85,000 – $120,000+
Boilermakers are essential in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, which are strong in the Latrobe Valley and South Gippsland regions. These professionals design, weld, and assemble steel structures, working across dairy farms, processing plants, and infrastructure projects in Warragul and nearby Moe or Morwell.

🚧 Construction Managers / Site Supervisors (Trade Qualified)

Salary Range: $100,000 – $160,000+
While technically a step above the “traditional” trades, many site supervisors started as carpenters or bricklayers. In Warragul, with residential subdivisions growing near Lillico Road and Lardners Track, site managers with a trade background are in demand. Licenses like the Domestic Builder Unlimited (DB-U) give tradespeople the authority to run large projects and multiply their income.

🏗️ HVAC Technicians (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning)

Salary Range: $75,000 – $110,000+
With modern building codes and the drive toward energy efficiency, HVAC professionals are booming in both commercial and residential sectors. In Warragul’s climate, the need for efficient temperature control—especially with bushfire resilience retrofits—means qualified HVAC tradespeople are sought after.

Factors That Drive Trade Salaries in Warragul

Several factors influence trade wages in Warragul and the Gippsland region:

• Local Infrastructure Spending: The Baw Baw Shire Council’s capital works budget prioritizes roadworks, civic spaces, and public facilities—projects that rely heavily on licensed trades.
• Skilled Labour Shortages: A nationwide shortage of qualified tradies is especially acute in regional areas like Warragul. This scarcity drives up demand—and pay.
• Specialisation and Licensing: Trades that require additional certifications, like confined space entry or electrical instrumentation, tend to pay more.
• Union Membership and EBA Agreements: Unionized roles on government-backed projects often provide higher wages, additional benefits, and job security.

How to Start a High-Paying Trade in Warragul

Here’s how locals can break into these high-earning roles:

📘 Enrol in a TAFE Program

Institutions like TAFE Gippsland in Yallourn and Warragul offer apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship courses. Whether you’re 18 or 38, it’s never too late to start.

🧰 Secure an Apprenticeship

Look out for apprenticeship listings via JobActive, Seek, or local Facebook community job boards. Builders and contractors in Drouin and Warragul often seek motivated apprentices for carpentry, electrical, and plumbing roles.

🪪 Get Licensed

For top-tier salaries, licensure is essential. From Energy Safe Victoria for electricians to Victorian Building Authority (VBA) licenses for plumbers and builders—credentials are your ticket to top dollar.

📈 Upskill Regularly

Trades evolve. Keep up with certifications in sustainable construction, solar technology, and smart home systems to stay ahead of the curve (and your competitors).

The Local Advantage: Why Warragul is a Trade Hub

Warragul isn’t just a quiet country town anymore—it’s a fast-growing satellite community for Melbourne’s southeast corridor. Its population has grown by more than 20% in the past decade. That means more homes, more schools, more retail developments, and more tradie work.

New estates near Copelands Road, expansion projects near the Warragul Hospital, and a robust agricultural industry mean that electricians, plumbers, builders, and metalworkers are in constant demand.

For more, visit https://plumberwarragul.com.au/.

Final Thoughts: Which Trade Will You Choose?

If you’re still wondering “What is the highest paying trade?”, here’s the TL;DR: Electricians, especially with advanced or specialized credentials, consistently top the income charts. But that’s not your only option.

From boilermakers to HVAC technicians, plumbers to site managers, Warragul offers a booming trade ecosystem where motivated, skilled workers can earn impressive incomes without a university degree.

In 2025 and beyond, with the right skills and a bit of grit, you can carve out a career in Warragul that pays more than just the bills—it can fund your future.