learning Simon Russell isn’t your average apprentice.For a start he’s a 41-year-old family man froma background far removed from the building industry. But that hasn’t stopped the former new tricksStory: Ian Bushnellpublic servant from Canberra resurrecting his teenagedream of being a capeteand collecting a prestigiousnational award in the process: the 2018 HIA JimBrookes Australian Apprentice of the Year award partnered by Stratco. Presented to him in Singapore in May at the HIA– Following his CSR Australian Housing Awards, the award capped a five-year journey, which had its risks but proved teenage dream, that you can change your life if ready to make the Simon Russell commitment. Three years ago Simon swapped environmental proves it’s never policy at the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) too late for a for a building site, retrieving his original career career change. aspirations as a 17-year-old. These had come to nothing when he couldn’t find a host employer in his home town of Shepparton, in northern Victoria. Instead he followed his parents’ advice to try university instead, gaining a degree in environmental policy at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). But the hankering for the tools never really left him and after about eight years at the MDBA the father of three found himself questioning his future there. ‘As a family we decided to stay in Canberra, it’s the perfect place to raise kids. So I said to myself “I better make some changes now before it’s too late”,’ Simon says. Nevertheless, with kids and a mortgage it took a couple of years before he finally made the break, with the full backing of his wife. ‘She’s been a massive support, she said go for it. Financially it was a backward step but one we were prepared to take for happiness and doing what you want,’ Simon says. Owen says Simon was always hungry to learn and is a good communicator He found a host, The Smart Housing Building Group in Fyshwick, and approached HIA for advice. ‘I wanted HIA involved because of the support and employment security they provide,’ he says. ‘They facilitate the training and I thought that was a good idea, particularly when you’re not sure of the industry yourself. I was pretty keen to have that support. I think that’s a massive benefit particularly when builders are so busy already.’ Simon was nominated for the award by his host and now current employer Owen Scott for displaying great communication on site, taking pride in his work and always completing jobs to a high standard. But it wasn’t a seamless transition from the public service desk to worksite. ‘It was a massive shock. I didn’t even know what to wear. I didn’t have a clue,’ he says about his first day working on a pergola. One of the biggest challenges was feeling the competitive pressure of working with much younger apprentices whose hand skills were superior and who have grown up around the trade, but Simon believes his maturity helped him negotiate those 90 HOUSING SEPTEMBER 2018 BUSINESS • APPRENTICES & TRAINING