Australia is in the grips of a dire tradie shortage. The fuel crisis is about to make it worse

Exclusive: Australia is in the grips of a tradie shortage and the fuel crisis could make it worse as apprentices struggling to make ends meet consider leaving trades.

Average apprentice pay rates vary depending on the trade and an apprentice's age and years on the job, and most have been stung by fuel price hikes.

Tom Brooks, a 20-year-old second year plumbing apprentice from rural WA, makes about $650 a week and is already considering other avenues to make money.

READ MORE: Tradies hit hardest by fuel crisis forced to raise prices or go bust

About a third of his weekly wage goes to fuel and he expects that figure will rise in the weeks ahead.

"I'm traveling about 70km every day for work, so it adds up quick," he told nine.com.au.

"It's made budgeting for other things like food a lot harder."

Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Leach at mleach@nine.com.au

The servo closest to his home currently has diesel at $3.15 a litre.

If he drives a little further afield to the town where he works it's $3 a litre.

Brooks expects those prices to keep rising, even with local diesel limits in place.

Most servos in his area have a limit of 40 litres per person, but it can be as low as 20 litres per person at locations where supplies are running out.

He hasn't been able to get a full tank in weeks.

"It's been a bit of a 'buy where you can, when you can' thing," he said.

As the conflict in the Middle East drags on, the added financial strain could push some apprentices out of trades altogether.

Nearly 60 per cent of plumbing apprentices need help with the cost of getting to work or TAFE, according to a Rheem Australia survey conducted before the fuel crisis hit.

Three in five also struggle to cover living expenses such as rent, groceries and bills.

Those figures are likely higher now that petrol has surpassed $2.50 a litre and diesel is over $3 a litre in parts of Australia.

READ MORE: How many days does Australia have left of fuel?

"Everyone this crisis is probably thinking, 'I can't afford to be an apprentice anymore, so I'm just going to have to find another job to pay the bills,'" Brooks said.

"A lot of apprentices, I think, will just pack it in."

That could spell disaster for Australia's construction industry.

The construction industry is facing a critical shortage of workers, especially carpenters, electricians and plumbers.

That's concerning when the federal government has set a target to build 1.2 million homes over five years under the National Housing Accord.

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) said Australia needed more tradespeople for there to be any hope of hitting that ambitious construction target.

But the current shortage may actually worsen if the fuel crisis drags on much longer.

There is support available to keep struggling apprentices in trades.

READ MORE: The 39km-wide stretch of water threatening to throw the global economy into turmoil

Apprentices working in clean energy or housing construction are eligible for the Key Apprenticeship Program (KAP) Apprentice Incentive, which pays up to $10,000 for full-time apprentices or $5000 for part-timers.

Those training in a priority occupation may be eligible for the Australian Apprentice Training Support Payment (AATSP) of up to $2500.

The payments are spread out in instalments across three to four years.

Apprentices can also apply for Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans of up to $25,983, paid in monthly instalments.

There are also industry-specific options such as the Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grant, which Brooks received.

Even with financial support, some apprentices still struggle to make ends meet when the price of rent, groceries, bills and now fuel just keeps rising.

"I think all apprentices really feel a shitload of stress [about] cost of living at the moment," Brooks said.

"At some stage it just becomes impossible to be an apprentice and afford to live."

Some will push through with financial support from friends and family, while others – Brooks included – look for side hustles to supplement their wages.

Others will leave trades altogether to pursue higher-paying jobs.

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.

• Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
• Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
• Sign up to our breaking newsletter here