Invoice2go’s Tradie of the Year Awards featured on channel 9

In case you missed it, Channel 9’s A Current Affair featured our inaugural Aussie Tradie of the Year Awards. 

While the country may have slowed down during COVID-19, Aussie tradies have stayed on the tools and have kept the country ticking over. However, even though their work has been deemed essential, they don’t always get the proper credit they deserve.

We’re striving to change that.

Our tradie roots run deep. As a company founded by a family of tradespeople, the Aussie trades industries are part of Invoice2go’s heritage. 

During this challenging time for many businesses, we felt it was especially important to champion our tradies and highlight the irreplaceable value they add to their communities.

As soon as we opened up for submissions for our inaugural Tradie of the Year Awards back in March 2020, we were flooded with inspiring entries from men and women, young and old. Our expert judging panel, which included Rob Palmer from Better Homes and Gardens and Dancing With The Stars, had their work cut out for them.

After carefully reviewing all entries, we announced the winners of this first-ever ceremony on our Advice2go for Aussie Tradies Facebook group. Our champions were handpicked not just for mastery of their trade, but also for their dedication to their communities. 

Giving brilliance to the home and to the community

Take our Community Tradie of the Year Winner, Jacob Pierce, for example. This 31-year-old sparky has already been in the trades over a decade. He now defines himself as a tradie by day and mental health warrior by night. 

His story is one of turning darkness into light. 3 years ago, at a drunken buck’s night party, he fell over the edge of a balcony of a high rise apartment building, plummeting 22 stories. Miraculously, he survived and made a full recovery despite multiple injuries and a lengthy physical and emotional recovery period.  

Now, he continues to run his own company, Pierce Technologies. But beyond that, he dedicates himself wholeheartedly to raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention with the organization, ALIVE. 

He’s collected more than $90,000 for the org through fundraising events that included him walking hundreds of kilometres across New South Wales and Victoria. 

Staying on the tools and going the extra mile

Similarly, our Male Tradie of the Year Winner, Clint Pierce, is more than just an average plumber. Hailing from Broken Hill, this tradie regularly drives 400 kilometres into the bush to serve customers that don’t have immediate access to plumbing services.

His love of his trade and desire to help others shines through when he talks. Of course, he enjoys the satisfaction of a job well done. But he’s also keen on giving comfort and peace of mind to his customers – many of whom are elderly or live alone in rural areas.

Clint looks out for the next generation of tradies. He has two apprentices that he’s getting skilled up – something he’s especially proud of. He wants to increase job opportunities outside of mining for young people in the area.

From pizza maker to tiling ace

Sharing in Clint’s joy of working in the trades, Zakir Mozafari, of Rapid Tiling & Waterproofing, shows the power a career change can have one’s happiness. This New to the Trades award winner was tired of the monotony of working in a pizza shop.

Now, he enjoys more dynamic work in the trades. He spends his days outdoors and takes on new challenges with each job. He has a good laugh each day with his team, and the workday passes quickly. Boredom at work is a thing of the past.

Finding the flexibility and freedom to live life on her terms

There are countless reasons why people go into the trades. For our Female Tradie of the Year, Kerryn Robinson of D&K Enterprises, it was a combination of economic necessity and a desire to have more freedom and flexibility in her lifestyle.

Kerryn worked hard to build a successful cleaning business. Now, she can focus more on what’s most important to her in life. She volunteers at her local church, spends more time with her family, and rides her horse in her free time. Her continual efforts and positivity have made a substantial impact on her community.   

As our very own Nat Brown says in A Current Affair’s video feature: just because there was a pandemic on didn’t mean that plumbing didn’t break or roofs didn’t need to be fixed. It’s essential for us at Invoice2go, a Bill.com company, to ensure these hard-working tradies get the credit they deserve. 

We’re pleased to say there’s no sign that the trades industry is slowing down. Business has remained robust for many. Despite COVID-19 or any other challenges that may arise, tradies will undoubtedly continue to serve their communities and be some of the hardest-working and most diverse individuals across all of Australia.

Thank you, tradies! To stay up to date on other upcoming events, join our Advice2go for Aussie tradies Facebook group. Each week we post new content to help you grow your business.