Jaz, my first job out of school was a panel beating apprenticeship, got the ticket then walked. I did other things for a bit, then returned to it for a 12 month stint to save for a backpacking trip. In '89 in Sydney I was pulling about $1700 a week, fixing smash during normal hours and a days overtime bogging up rust for rego checks.
Is that how far the conditions have deteriorated??