For trades and industrial roles, a strong resume is simple:
- Clear role history. List your jobs in reverse order with the site type, what you did and the equipment or systems you worked on, so a hiring manager can place your experience at a glance.
- Tickets/licences easy to find. Put your current tickets, licences and checks near the top where they can be scanned in seconds, not buried at the bottom of the page.
- Safety mindset obvious. Show that you work to JSAs, pre-starts, permits and hazard reporting—this is often the first thing employers screen for in industrial roles.
- Availability and roster preferences included. State when you can start and what rosters you will work, so recruiters know straight away whether you fit the assignment.
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If you’re new to labour hire and how assignments work, read: how labour hire works (Australia, jobseekers)
Key takeaways
- Make tickets/licences easy to scan near the top. Recruiters often filter on tickets first, so a clear list up front can be the difference between a call back and a pass.
- Show site readiness: availability, roster tolerance, and reliable attendance. For assignment work these practical details matter as much as your trade skills.
- Use short bullets that show safety behaviours and what you actually did on site. Concrete actions read better than generic claims and are easier to verify in an interview.
- Keep it simple: clear role history, relevant projects/shutdowns, and references. A clean, scannable layout beats a long, dense document.
The resume template (copy/paste)
NAME SURNAME Location: (Suburb, State) Phone: Email: LinkedIn (optional): ROLE TARGET E.g. Boilermaker / Mechanical Fitter / Forklift Operator / Shutdown TA / Supervisor SUMMARY (3–5 lines) - Years of experience: - Industries/sites worked on: - Key strengths (safety, shutdowns, maintenance, troubleshooting, team leadership): - Availability (immediate / notice period) and preferred roster: TICKETS, LICENCES & CHECKS (make this easy to scan) - Driver licence: (C / HR / HC etc) - White Card: (yes/no) - High Risk Work Licence (if applicable): (e.g. LF / DG / WP / RB etc) - Working at Heights: (yes/no, expiry if known) - Confined Spaces: (yes/no, expiry if known) - First Aid/CPR (if applicable): (yes/no) - Other site-required tickets: (list) - Medical / D&A (if recent and relevant): (optional) SAFETY (short but specific) - Commitment to following JSA/SWMS, pre-starts, permit-to-work and hazard reporting. - Experience working to site safety systems and shutdown procedures. KEY SKILLS (8–12 bullets) - (Example) Preventative and breakdown maintenance - (Example) Isolation/LOTO procedures (as applicable) - (Example) Reading drawings and work packs - (Example) Hand and power tools / precision measurement - (Example) Forklift/EWP operations (if applicable) EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (reverse chronological) Company | Role | Location | Dates - 3–6 bullets that show what you did and what changed because you were there. - Include site types (mine, plant, workshop), equipment, and safety systems. Company | Role | Location | Dates - Bullet points... PROJECTS / SHUTDOWNS (if relevant) Shutdown/Project | Site | Dates | Role - Scope completed (clear, measurable) - Team size / hours / key systems TOOLS / SYSTEMS (optional) - (Examples) CMMS, SAP, Maximo, handheld timekeeping, permit systems EDUCATION / QUALIFICATIONS - Trade certificate / qualification: - Other training: REFERENCES - Available on request (or list 2 referees if asked in the job ad)
Treat the template as a starting structure, not a form to fill in word for word. Keep the sections that apply to your trade, delete the ones that do not, and tailor the summary and key skills to the specific role you are applying for.
Example bullet points (copy and customise)
Use these as a guide for tone and detail, then swap in your own sites, equipment and outcomes. Strong bullets say what you did, how you did it safely, and what changed as a result.
Boilermaker / Welder
- Fabricated and repaired structural components to drawings and work packs, completing jobs safely and to schedule.
- Performed shutdown maintenance work with strict permit-to-work and isolation requirements.
- Maintained housekeeping standards and reported hazards/near misses.
Mechanical Fitter
- Completed preventative and breakdown maintenance on rotating equipment, supporting uptime and reducing repeat failures.
- Conducted inspections, measurements and alignment work using precision tools.
- Worked effectively with supervisors, planners and operations during tight outage windows.
Forklift / Warehouse Operator
- Operated forklifts safely in high-traffic warehouse environments and maintained accurate pick/pack documentation.
- Completed cycle counts and supported dispatch targets while meeting quality requirements.
- Followed safety procedures, used PPE correctly, and reported hazards promptly.
Shutdown TA / Trades Assistant
- Supported shutdown activities with a strong safety focus, following direction and maintaining site standards.
- Assisted with tool management, materials handling and housekeeping to keep work fronts productive.
- Demonstrated reliable attendance and flexibility across roster changes.
Supervisor / Leading Hand
- Led crews to deliver work safely and on schedule; ran pre-starts and communicated daily priorities.
- Supported onboarding of new starters and reinforced safety expectations and standards.
- Escalated issues early to protect critical path work.
What employers look for (for industrial/trades roles)
Most hiring managers want to see:
- Reliability and attendance. On site, someone who turns up on time every shift is worth a great deal, so make a consistent track record easy to see.
- Safety mindset. Evidence that you follow procedures, wear PPE and report hazards reassures an employer you will fit their safety systems from day one.
- Site readiness (tickets/licences). Current, relevant tickets mean you can start without delay, which is often the deciding factor for short-notice assignments.
- Relevant experience and tools familiarity. Naming the equipment, systems and site types you have worked with helps a manager picture you doing the job.
- Clarity on roster and availability. Being upfront about when and how you can work saves everyone time and signals you understand how assignment work runs.
Related pages (optional)
Next step
Search jobs and apply: jobs.programmed.com.au
General information only: this article provides general information and is not legal advice.
