24-year-old roof plumber, Sam Carter, began his career in construction as a roof plumber by doing “little jobs” for his dad. Nominated for the Emerging Youth Award at the Heritage Awards, Sam shares his pathway into the construction industry and offers some advice for those looking at starting out in the industry as a heritage roofer.
How Sam began working as a heritage roofer
“I was desperate to get out of the classroom,” laughs Sam. “I’m more of a hands-on learner and I’ve always had an interest in construction. I started working for my dad [at Carter Roofing] when I was quite young. I was about 14 when I started doing little jobs.
“Then I did Saturday jobs and worked full time for him during the school holidays. I never really wanted to do anything else. I spent my gap year doing voluntary national service for the Finnish army because my mum’s from there, so I thought briefly about going into the Australian army, but roofing pays a bit better!”
With his interest in roofing established and his dream to work with his dad set, Sam set about getting qualified as a roof plumber. He took on an apprenticeship with his dad, which he completed in three and a half years. He attributes his interest and success in roof plumbing on heritage-listed buildings to this ability to learn skills and knowledge on the job.
“I was an apprentice for three and a half years and I did a leadwork course in Sydney. Then I did a specialist course in New Zealand about European metal roofing. All of the rest of the slating stuff, I’ve learned through my dad.”
A day as a roofer
Sam says it’s hard to describe a ‘typical day’ as a heritage roofer. The range of work in roof jobs and roofing projects in Perth is one of the things he loves about it.
“My dad says he learns something new every day,” Sam says. “What the day looks like really depends on the job. We normally start around 6.30 and work till about 4. We start by taking off all the tiles, stacking them into good piles and bad piles if we’re saving them, and go from there, but it depends on the job.
“We work in some great locations, with good views, but the best bit is driving away when the scaffolding is down and knowing you’ve changed the whole look of a building. You’ve brought it back to life.”
Working on heritage-listed buildings
Which brings us to Sam’s work on heritage-listed buildings, for which he’s been nominated for the Emerging Youth Award at the Western Australian Heritage Awards, proving that high standards and attention to detail are just as important as years of experience.
“Heritage means bringing an old building back to its former glory,” Sam explains. “What I find special about heritage work is using all the old tools, and how it’s always been done the same way. The more you do it, the more you find a love for it. When you work on a heritage job, you find the customers are very happy when they see what we’ve done and how the building’s been brought back to itself.”
Passion for the job
Sam’s passion for working on heritage buildings shines through. But that’s not the only thing he loves about the job. Asked whether roof plumbing is a good career, he gives an enthusiastic yes.
“It’s a really good work environment,” he says. “All the boys I work with have a lot of time for everyone, even if they’re just starting out. We’re all good mates as well as work colleagues.
“I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. I just want to keep getting better at what I do and work my way up and hopefully take over the company one day.”
A career for life
Sam’s skill set certainly lends itself to his ambition. As well as his roof plumber’s apprenticeship, he’s been trained in slating, tiling, lead work and copper zinc and European metal roofing and cladding.
“It’s good to have a good knowledge of everything,” he says. “It makes you future proof.”
Looking for a career in the construction industry?
So is roof plumbing a good career? “Definitely. If you’re going to work hard, you’re going to get on and have no problems. But if you’re looking to do the bare minimum, it’s not the place for you. Everyone needs to pull their own weight.”
If you’re interested in a career in roofing or any other part of the construction industry, 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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