DON’T LEAVE IT TO THE PAINTER!

Our apprentice column provides an opportunity for PAC members to share their views, experiences and ideas, while providing insight for builders who employ them.

This issue, we speak to former apprentice Regan Morris, a newly qualified builder, about what motivated him to take a carpentry apprenticeship, what motivates him now, and what advice he’d give anyone starting an apprenticeship

Regan didn’t always know he wanted to be a builder but, from an early age, he knew he would take a trade. It was just a matter of narrowing it down, explains Regan.

“My dad is a qualified diesel and petrol mechanic, so I always knew a trade could provide a good future. Also, when I was a teenager, my parents had a house built and my dad was a hammer-hand on the build. I was pretty interested in everything that went into making our house and had the idea then that I’d like to be capable of building my own one day. But I also enjoyed engineering at high school and liked the idea of being a metal fabricator.”

By the end of high school, Regan still wasn’t sure exactly what trade path he would take. He had narrowed it down to an engineering apprenticeship or something in building and construction. With those options in mind, Regan took a gap year and a labouring job for a brick-laying company, to give himself time to work out what path to take.

LABOUR OF LOVE

“I enjoyed the bricklaying. Working on different sites showed me that different building companies have various approaches to how they do things. That was a very valuable insight.

“Towards the end of that year, I got a call out of the blue from Thistle Builders, who offered me an apprenticeship. I’m still not sure what prompted that offer, but I think they must have seen me laying bricks on a couple of their sites and figured I had what it takes to be a good apprentice. It’s only now I realise how lucky I was to be offered that opportunity.”

To clarify why he feels so lucky, Regan explains he’s somewhat of a perfectionist and would prefer to do a few things to a high standard than lots of things to an ‘OK’ standard.

“When I did engineering in high school, we were working to 0.1mm tolerances. Adjusting to building to millimetre tolerances was a shift in thinking. I still prefer to get it as close to perfect as I can.

“I’m very fortunate that the company I work for  builds nice houses that have been architecturally designed. This means there is a lot of thinking involved on site and it is important to get a good finish, which fits my mentality very well.”

In Regan’s experience, spending the time to get things right on site isn’t always done. There is a particular phrase that on one hand makes him laugh, and on the other motivates him to do better.

GET IT RIGHT!

“It’s a bit of a joke in the trade to say ‘the painters will fix that’ as a way of saying ‘that’ll do’ about your own work. And as a joke, it is pretty funny. But I was taught to take the phrase seriously. If someone is fixing the work you’ve done, then that’s not good enough.

“If I tried to get away with sub-par work, my workmates would pull me up on it and I wouldn’t want it any other way. To do things well can take time. You might need to do the research on how a particular product is meant to be used, or you might need to check up on regulations, but it will pay off with a quality result.”

As a natural progression of wanting to expand his knowledge and hone his skills, Regan has long-term aims in the industry.

“I’m a believer in bettering yourself. So that’s my biggest aim – to get better at what I do. My goal originally was to become a qualified builder and I’m thrilled to have done that. Now I’d like to work my way up to running jobs – to be a foreman, who is still on the tools. After I’ve built my knowledge up, I’d potentially want to work in a management role and ultimately to run my own business.”

GRAB EVERY OPPORTUNITY

Regan has two key pieces of advice for anyone in an apprenticeship now: take any opportunities offered to you and use any criticism of your work to improve your skills.

“As an apprentice, you’re likely to face a new scenario almost every day, so you have to have a willingness to learn. I think you always benefit from taking opportunities that advance your learning. For example, when my boss suggested I enter the Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge, I really wasn’t sure. But I’m very pleased I did, because it really helped me to see where I was at compared to other apprentices. But be aware – it is a challenge, so you’re expected to step up!”

As Regan further explains, stepping up and out of your comfort zone can be daunting, but the rewards are worth it.

“I got a decent result in the competition the first year, then went away and worked on my skills, streamlined my thinking process, and ended up with third place in the national competition the following year, which I was really happy with. I’d encourage every apprentice to enter a competition like this.”

Regan says PlaceMakers Apprentice of the Month competition is also worth getting involved in.

“The PAC competition provides a good platform to give apprentices a bit of encouragement through the prizes on offer,” says Regan.

“Having dedicated pages in Under Construction also helps to boost recognition of our views and experiences within the industry.”

GROW THROUGH CRITICISM

“Criticism can be hard because it’s not always delivered in the right way. But criticism is also often your friend, because it helps you pick up on the things you could do better,” says Regan.

“It’s also never going to go away. Everyone has a different way of doing things, and on the building site they are probably going to tell you all about it! If you can listen to other people’s opinions, and take their advice and add that to your own knowledge, then I believe the combination will make you a better builder, which is ultimately the main goal.”