Its a pretty awful job, you spend a lot of time crawling through roofs in summer. Most sparkies I know get out of it as soon as they can it plays havoc on your back, its not a job you can do after 40. You can make big money in the mines but there's also an increased risk of physical harm, and you're away from family a lot. Even if you're doing new constructions you have to travel to the new construction area, and that means a lot of driving. (This is in australia but probably the same everywhere).