I think you are getting confused now, wtf has the auto industry...

I think you are getting confused now, wtf has the auto industry got to do with processing plants construction in the top end ? If you don't like your mechanic change him to a better one next time, or even better learn to do it yourself instead of whining about it then take it back to the same mechanic because you are afraid of losing your warranty. If you don't want to get your hands dirty then pay up, $125/hr is cheap considering the shop has overheads, employs cleaners, receptionists, parts manager,etc and that is after they pay the super, wc insurance , penalty rates, etc to their mechanic. Can you blame them if they add a small extra charge for labour not done or parts not required ?

I call BS on that, there was a percentage of "fitters" with no apprenticeships hired during the mining boom because companies had no choice as there was a shortage of them and clients required the contractors to hire x number of employees as part of the contract even when the job could have been done with half the numbers. They ended up hiring a few mechanically minded people to fill in the quota and mostly rellies or friends of the superintendents & supervisors families already on site who took wages of up to $250k/pa only to go onsite and be used as T/As , to sweep floors or as waterboys. But that went on with just about every occupation not just fitters.
That practice started around 2012 and finished around 2015 when the mining boom ended so now you have fat chance of getting a mining job even for tradies with a certificate but no mining experience verified by ERMS let alone for someone who didn't complete an apprenticeship.

Yes my post was in regards to Aus. because in case you were not aware of it yet that is where NTU is building the plant. Kind of pointless on me commenting on plant construction on other continents when the construction is happening in WA , that's the one in Australia not Washington USA. LOL