A FIFO worker has revealed the hidden costs of working in WA’s mining industry, issuing a strong warning to those considering working in the industry.
Perth-based scaffolder Jake Shermand claims the industry places “golden handcuffs” on fly-in-fly-out workers, with people not knowing what they’re getting themselves into until it’s too late.
He shared the warning on TikTok video captioned “FIFO is a scam?”, explaining how workers get addicted to high salaries and are unable to quit when they realise they won’t find a job that pays a similar wage with the skills they possess.
“FIFO is a trap that a lot of people fall into – that I fell into,” he began.
“If you’ve never really made decent money in your life and then you get your first FIFO job, you are going to be over the f****** moon.
“You are making bank and happy, but the slippery slope with that is once you get used to that money nowhere is going to pay you the same money when you’ve got no skills.”
The British expat, who moved from the UK in search of a better quality of life more than three years ago, urged fly-in-fly-out workers to diversify their skillset, before its too late.
“My advice to you, if you’re looking to get into the FIFO industry to make money, use it to make some money and upskill yourself,” he encouraged.
“Retrain, diversify into something else — because so many people come into the FIFO industry, never making decent money, then they start making decent money and now they can’t leave.”
The 31-year-old went on to suggest that the real cost of the job only becomes apparent when people leave the industry and are forced to take a lower paying job that can’t sustain the life of luxury they’ve built on a FIFO wage.
“So they bought the jet ski and the house – now you’re stuck working on these s***** mine sites for the rest of your days.
“Don’t get caught in the trap. Make the decent money and do something smart with it.”
But not everyone agrees, with the video that’s been viewed over 250,000 times garnering a mixed response in the comments.
One user was quick to back up his arguments, commenting: “Completely agree with you mate. Have a goal before you get in, once you’ve reached that goal get out. It is a miserable existence long term doing FIFO”.
Another user said: “This is absolutely correct. FIFO is a place to build your starting capital, by working long and dangerous days away from everything you love in your life”.
Others disagreed, with one person saying: “It’s not a trap. I worked construction all my life, 5 1/2 days a week. I now work 6 months a year making bank and loving life.”
“Sounds like every other normal working job in the world,” another comment read.