SHE BUILDS BRO

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 month’s question is:

Q:What motivated you to start your apprenticeship and what impact has it had on your life?

Building her own home and posting on her popular Instagram account and website are just two of the things Chelsea Roper is using her hard-won building skills for.

Before Chelsea Roper started her apprenticeship, she went looking online for female builders for inspiration and couldn’t find any.

“That’s why I started up my Instagram and website – She Builds Bro. It wasn’t completely new to me, because as part of my previous job I ran the social media platforms for three companies in the automotive industry. Though to be fair, none were as successful as ‘She Builds Bro’ has become.”

Since then, the use of social media by female builders has grown.

“There are more and more women builders showcasing their builds online,” says Chelsea. “We’re a bit of a community now. Plus, it seems that building companies in general have more of a social media presence than they used to.”

Chelsea believes authenticity is key to She Builds Bro’s success. “I think it’s because I keep it real. If I’ve had a bad day, such as struggling to get architraves on a renovation right, I don’t hide that, I share it with people. Not only is it honest, but it’s also helpful as I tend to receive good advice in response.

People are also really supportive, reminding me that everyone was a beginner at some stage, so not to get too down about it.” In addition to building a community and being able to share advice, Chelsea has found that logging her work online can be used to help chart her training. “

Every three months, the BCITO advisor comes around and I show them my work, from start to finish, just by sharing She Builds Bro. They can see the whole journey.”

When asked what she likes most about being a builder, Chelsea has plenty of answers.

“There’s a bunch of things I love about being a builder. I’m not stuck in an office, which in summer also results in a mean tan. I also love that my job is my gym – I’m much fitter and stronger than I used to be without going to the gym now. There are always new challenges to overcome, which keeps things interesting.

“However, the biggest benefit has to be that I’m able to build my own home. That’s one of the main reasons I started the apprenticeship – my partner is a builder and we planned to build our own house and I really wanted to properly contribute.

Four years ago, before I started, I wouldn’t have dreamed I’d have learned so much while building other people’s houses. Now I get to take what I’ve learned and make it work for our own home.”

Asked if there are challenges in building your own home as an apprentice builder, with your partner, Chelsea says there’s more than one, and it’s not just about the building.

“It’s been challenging applying all the new skills I’ve learned in my apprenticeship, but nothing is as rewarding as building a home with your partner– even if we have had to learn a lot about communication!”