28-year-old apprentice carpenter Andrew Sims didn’t come straight into the construction industry. Instead, he started a paramedical science degree at university, then considered joining the army. It was a suggestion from his sister, an architect, that propelled him into the construction industry. Now, as he approaches the completion of his apprenticeship, he shares his story with us.
From university to a mature age apprenticeship in carpentry
“I did university for one year but I failed a unit in my second semester. I was quite young at the time and I wasn’t taking it as seriously as I should have been,” he says. “When you leave school, you have to be accountable and I wasn’t being very accountable to myself. My ambition wasn’t there.
“Me and my sister actually got to work with each other a little bit and see each other on site which was very cool.”
On-site as a mature age apprentice carpenter
So what is life like on site? Was it hard to come in as a mature aged apprentice carpenter and take instructions from people younger than you?
“Luckily my main boss who barks orders at me - I’m not older than him,” Andrew laughs. “It’s a very good work culture. I get along with all the boys on site and the boss. It makes the work very enjoyable.
“I’ve definitely met some other mature age apprentices around the same age as me and a couple in their 30s, one blokes in his 40s. But the people who are younger than me still talk with respect. Nobody’s condescending or talks down.”
The benefits of being a mature age carpentry apprentice
Instead, it’s a job full of positives, with an inclusive working environment and lots to do. What’s the best bit?
“The job satisfaction when you get towards the end of a project and seeing someone in their new house or addition. People are normally stoked and you think I built that. I made a difference to that person,” Andrew enthuses.
“I like a physical job too, it keeps me fit. Keeps the weekend beers off!”
A day in the life of a mature age carpentry apprentice
We know it’s physical, but what does Andrew’s day to day life on-site consist of?
“My boss is a builder so he does everything from slab up to the finishing details. Obviously we don’t do the other trades, but any other aspect of building we do.
“We set up the form work, we do the house frame, the gyp rock, we do the roof, we have someone else to do the flashing and colorbond. We do the demolition. I really like doing just about everything. Which I love because every day is truly different.”
Learning to learn again
One constant in Andrew’s daily routine is the study he has to complete as part of his apprenticeship. Luckily, he’s made that fit into his life.
“My girlfriend is studying nursing at the moment, so she’s studying most nights. It forces me to study to match the time, which really helps.
“I have assignments to do with certain units of carpentry and there’s a practical side too. An assessor will come out, or my boss will observe me and tick the unit off. I’m definitely motivated to get qualified.”
The right skill-set
There wasn’t a huge amount of crossover between Andrew’s degree and carpentry, but that didn’t matter. Andrew had the right mindset to make a go of it. It’s that determination and ‘have a go’ attitude that he thinks you need to start an apprenticeship.
“I’m definitely a visual learner so working with someone and they show you how to do it once and then you have a go afterwards is the best way for me to learn. It’s all about having a good work ethic though. You’ve got to be there to work hard and have the right attitude. It’s not about knowing everything, it’s about wanting to be there.”
The future of a mature age apprentice carpenter
Andrew seems to have found a natural fit for himself on-site. What does the future hold?
“I’ve given it a bit of thought,” says Andrew when we ask him where he’d like to be in 10 years. “Eventually I’d like to have my own company or go into a site supervisor role.
“I don’t want to be on the tools forever, I think eventually owning my own company is what I want. The great thing about getting qualified within carpentry is it opens up so many doors into other pathways. There’s a lot of options."
Pathway into construction
It definitely sounds like Andrew’s got his future worked out. Is there a part of him that regrets not getting into construction straightaway, as soon as he finished school?
“Now I do say that I wish I’d gone in straight after school so that I’d be qualified by now. But when I was at uni, my work ethic wasn’t there. So I don’t think I would have been the quality of apprentice I am now when I was younger.”
If you’d like to find out more about getting into the construction industry as a mature age apprentice, or have any other questions, contact CTF to learn about pathways into the industry. There are a number of pathways and school-based traineeships available, as well as other routes and financial support.
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