S'porean recalls snake encounters, 12-hour shifts while on working holiday in Australia: 'Not for the faint of heart'
When Shawnzie Lim jumped on the opportunity to embark on a working holiday in Australia, she did not expect to find herself cleaning the roof of a two-storey shed - and without a harness too.
"The roof of the shed was pretty high and my legs were lowkey [sic] shaking while I was working," the 30-year-old told Stomp, recalling how her job as a grain handler was "not for the faint of heart".
Ms Lim also worked 12-hour shifts for 10 consecutive days, shovelling grain and cleaning silos used to store grain. She shed "tears of joy" when the work finally ended.
'A leap of faith'
These were just some of the many experiences Ms Lim had after leaving her job as a personal trainer for a working holiday – an extended trip that allows travellers aged 18 to 30 to earn money through short-term employment while abroad.
Ms Lim, who discovered the working holiday scheme through a friend, said that it was something she had wanted to do since she was 18.
"I came to Australia to try out different jobs that I won't be able to experience in Singapore, and also use this opportunity to earn some money to fund my travels in Australia," said Ms Lim.
"I thought that I should take this leap of faith and give it a go before it's too late."
Her TikTok post about the experience of working as a grain handler has gone viral, amassing over 225,300 views and 7,000 likes at press time, with many netizens asking if her company had vacancies.
She first moved to Australia in March, taking on jobs at a carrot farm, an event planning company, and a glamping site from March to April. She then spent the next three months as a quality control officer at a fruit packaging shed, and landed her most recent gig as a grain handler from Sept to Nov.
As part of a team of grain handlers that included four Australians and 20 backpackers from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and Wales, Ms Lim and her colleagues were paid around S$6,000 a month pre-harvest, and up to $9,000 a month during the harvest season, when work was busier.
A working holiday visa costs around $570 and allows travellers to stay up to 12 months in the country.
Back-breaking work
"The biggest challenge was how physically demanding the job was," Ms Lim said, recalling that the job requires them to work for long hours under the sun.
"You can clock up to 30,000 steps a day. Having to climb up and down the bunkers and shovelling piles of grain can also be super tiring."
A typical day at work started at 6.30am, with tasks like shovelling and receiving grain from trucks, as well as cleaning and preparing bunkers, silos, and sheds. The day usually ended around 6pm, depending on the workload.
It was also common to encounter poisonous snakes and spiders, as well as rabbits and mice.
"Making so many international friends gives you real insight on life in other countries and also makes you appreciate life in Singapore," said Ms Lim.
Family and friends have been supportive
Family and friends remain supportive of Ms Lim, who is considering extending her visa for a second year.
"Sometimes, I wish they were here with me to experience all the great things I've seen and done," she said, recounting how former clients have also expressed interest in signing up for a working holiday.
"While I don't see myself long-term in this field, it was really fun to get to experience this - and many other jobs in Australia that I tried - and gain an appreciation for the work that others do."
