Students test drive construction trades video

Michael:

Good day, I'm Michael, I'm a Grafton High School student in year 11, and I'm doing a Cert II in Construction Pathways. So currently I'm on the rotation with Josh Ratali.And as a school-based traineeship, I'm going away once a week with Josh. We're working on a work site with him, and it's been a lot of fun. I've been getting involved in bathroom and toilet tiling with screening and grouting. They do get me involved heaps with all the tile work.

Cindy:

I'm Cindy I'm in year 11 at Grafton High and I'm currently doing a Construction Pathways Course Cert II.

Michael:

Cindy and I are both working underneath Micah who runs a GJ Gardner Homes Grafton business, and we get set assigned rotations through about a month's worth of work with him. And he sets us aside with a builder.

Cindy:

The rotation I'm currently on is cabinet making at Big River Kitchens with Brian Crispin and his team, andthat involves putting one of the flat packs together and loading it up on the truck, getting ready to send out and get fitted at houses. Yeah, I'm definitely most excited about getting back into carpentry with Cal and the boys, because I enjoyed that a lot when I did it last year for work experience.

Michael:

We're starting from such a young age and gaining the skills required to be a traineeship.

Cindy:

Even just gaining people skills from going to new sites and meeting new people every week,it's also like interacting with them and, yeah.It's like starting a new job every few weeks, yeah. Working with all the guys I don't notice too much of a difference. Gender’s not a big thing to me, so it's just like normal work. After my traineeship I definitely think I'll get a job in the industry and go from there. But yeah, I'm not quite sure what I'd want to try and get an apprenticeship in, but I'm not going to know until I experience all the rotations.

Michael:

So after my school based traineeship I'm very unclear what I do want to do. That's why I've taken this opportunity with Micah. And because I did want to get a hold of what it wouldbe like living the life a tradie. Not only am I just learning to be a tiler, I'm actually learning a lot of life skills along with it, and a lot of really good communication skills with meeting new people and joining a new business. And it isn't just, you know, I'm just tiling today,it's a job and you don't need to feel scared with it. It's actually very involving and it's very enjoyable if you do engage yourself.

End of transcript.