HIA The right apprentice can be a Apprentices great advantage to your business and give you the chance to train someone exactly the way you want. HIA Apprentices has or can source residential trade apprentices within easy reach of your business. Our experienced sta will ensure you get an apprentice with skills and interests that meet your business needs. Visit www.hia.com.au/ products-services/apprentices early times. Simon says although he was thrown doing what he loves – building people’s into work such as renovations and extensions, it dreams. took him about 18 months for things to really click ‘I really love being able to transform a – not to mention getting used to those frosty early house for someone. To see the client go winter starts in Canberra. through this process where there’s dust By his third year everything started coming and dirt everywhere and it comes up to what together, and the lessons from Owen Scott on they’ve envisaged, I think that’s why I love attention to detail, discipline and learning from his being a builder,’ he says. mistakes were sinking in. Simon sees building techniques changing Simon recalls the first time Owen gave him the in the industry with more elements pre-cast and responsibility to build a deck. ‘I think that’s where manufactured off-site, and commercial methods ‘I KNOW PEOPLE WHO trust and confidence started,’ he says. being applied in the residential sector. SAY I WISH I COULD The highlights of his final year included ‘You look at 3D printing. That could completely HAVE DONE THAT. WELL successfully building a Japanese-style outdoor area change the industry. Modular homes are already YOU CAN BUT THERE’S and granny flat. starting to happen,’ he says. OBVIOUSLY SACRIFICES Simon says his boss had drilled into him the Already he has worked with a range of diverse YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE’ importance of being methodical and attention to materials such as plastics, foam, renders, brick, detail. You get that right at a foundation stage and floating slabs, steel and aluminium. you’re away. Carry that through and your build is He’ll never be able to look at his own home in the going to be of a high standard,’ he says. same way as before his apprenticeship. Simon says his goal continued to be building his ‘I put in a kitchen before I became an apprentice work speed without sacrificing quality. and I look back now and go “no, I’ve got to rip that Owen says Simon was always hungry to learn out and start again”,’ he says. and is a good communicator but coming from a Employing his own apprentices is definitely part different work culture was a challenge. of his business plan. ‘That’s what you’ve got to ‘Getting him to have confidence and learn from do in this industry, and I think you get a lot out of his mistakes was a big thing. Once he got through seeing young people coming through the system,’ that he was fantastic,’ he says. he says. He says Simon’s maturity showed in his reliability, And the not so young too. Simon would the way he earned respect and the fact that he was encourage anyone to do what he has done as a a good listener. mature apprentice ‘if that’s what you’re into, your ‘Knowing that he’s there to better himself and passion’. have a change in career, that’s a pretty big call ‘I know people who say I wish I could have done on Simon’s behalf and I was happy to see him that. Well you can but there’s obviously sacrifices succeed,’ Owen says. you’ve got to make,’ he says. Simon is now working towards his builder’s And those 6am winter wake-ups are just part of licence so he can eventually start his own business the routine now. SEPTEMBER 2018 HOUSING 91