I left the circus to pursue stomach-churning career and earn SIX figure salary – but it’s not for the faint-hearted
A WOMAN has told how she left the circus to pursue a stomach-churning career and now earns a six-figure salary.
Toni Cartwright from Brisbane, Australia, traded gymnastic rings for a construction job that is not for the faint-hearted.
Originally, after finishing school the woman said she was set to be an acrobatic aerial circus arts performer.
However, after her passion dried up she decided to take her unique skills to the building site and scored a job as a rigger.
But as time progressed, the 29-year-old wanted more of a challenge and has now been pictured in the seat of a crane as she towers about the city’s skyline.
Toni told 7Life her life did not pan out as she thought it would.
She said: “My life got thrown on its head.
“I simply dove head first and followed opportunities that presented themselves from that point on.”
Through her rigging certificate, Toni was able to progress from a machine operator to steering cranes.
And she now manoeuvres tower cranes – the large lifting structures typically seen in cities that can reach heights of more than 260ft.
Crane operators also have to frighteningly climb multiple ladders, which tend to sway in the wind as they reach the operator’s cab.
According to Seek, crane operators in Australia can earn up to $135,000 a year.
Toni claimed the role wasn’t for the faint hearted but her experience with heights in acrobatics helped her secure the gig.
She said: “The builder could have picked any other crane operator but he wanted someone in the seat that would just operate instead of trying to run the site… and that is exactly what he got.”
Toni has since documented her career on TikTok to showcase the perks of her job.
She said: “I absolutely love that I work so hard here all day and then as soon as I come down and leave the site I don’t have to take any work home with me.
“The only thing I have to think about when I get home is what I’m going to eat the next day.
“I love that I can shut down and not have to mark reports or do what other people have to do when they’re home after work.”
Toni hoped her social media content would inspire others to get into the building game.
She said: “I think that it is mostly viewed as educational, eye-opening and aspiring to so many individuals.
“If any of my content educates, uplifts or inspires any males or females, then that far outweighs the few negative keyboard warriors.”
Another TikToker has shared how he made his first £100,000 after a simple career change.