Student Profile

Daniel McLaren - Construction

“I’m at the end of my second year as an apprentice with Ken Topp Builders, so I come to block courses at NorthTec for two weeks twice a year. We also get four site visits a year where the tutors check that we’re accountable for the tasks we say we’ve done there.”

“I was initially going to be an engineer but I talked to a guy who said that building better lined up with my goals and aspirations, because I enjoy working outside and I want to become a business owner. I started building straight from school for another builder but I left in search of a more bespoke firm with bigger vision. Learning is a key component to where I want to go. I found Ken on the search and he had a vacancy at the time so he took me on, then suggested I do an apprenticeship. I jumped at the chance.”

“Ken employs a team of 17 but I work mostly on jobs just with one other guy, so I learn a lot because we get to do everything. Doing the block courses is great because the tutor breaks things down and gives us the why. I love knowing stuff and I’m good at retaining information so I enjoy the paperwork too. At the moment we’re learning about steel grades and concrete slabs. I love it. If you’re a labourer, you go to work to work, but I know the qualification is important to really get somewhere.”

“My growth has been in the extent of what I’ve learnt. On site we do a lot, including hanging doors and steps, but the block courses give us the opportunity to push past what we know, to make mistakes and to learn from them. On the job, mistakes matter so you tend to stay safe in what you tackle.”

“I continue to learn on site and I’m now in charge of safety and compliance. Because there are just two of us in our team and we do architectural builds, we’re working on the same house for months and it’s very satisfying knowing you’ve created most of that building.”

“I’m saving up to buy my own house to renovate and sell, so at the moment I’ve started doing my own jobs in the weekends to earn extra money. I also recently built a cabin and sold it so that was a big learning curve. I love the mix of physical effort and mental learning, so working as an apprentice for Ken is perfect for that.”

Lockie McLeod - Construction

 “I’m in the third year of my ITAB carpentry apprenticeship with md construction, mostly building new timber framed houses, alterations and additions, and some light commercial buildings. At NorthTec we have to complete unit standards and also attend two two-week block courses a year, for three years. We do both theory and practical projects.”

“The best part of our training is the theory because we get introduced to things that we may not get taught on site for quite some time – like door-locks, stairs and pitched roofing. The tutors teach us practical tricks plus they challenge us to build things like a ten sided flared out flower pot.”

“I directly experience the relevance of our training to what we do on the job. We’ve been introduced to a broad range of industry skills and we’re trained in how to problem solve. We also learn how to deal with clients, contractors and customers. Because the NorthTec workshops are so well equipped, we learn to competently use machinery like buzzers and digital thicknesses that we would rarely come across on site.”

“My skills were put to the test when I won the Northland Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge in 2016. We had to build a complex playhouse in eight hours. I then attended the national competition in Wellington where 11 of us from around New Zealand were competing. I didn’t receive a top 3 placing but won a big challenge where we had to design and build a push bike which is now on display at the New Zealand Certified Builders support office. We also had to give a 5 minute presentation on a job we had completed.”

“I really enjoy what I do and have the added interest of developing a vineyard near Dargaville so my construction skills come in handy for that too. At the moment I’m simply focussing on finishing each work project we have and will see what unfolds from there.” 

Louise Spraggon - Carpentry

Louise has continued to study since completing the NorthTec carpentry course, and she is steadily developing a wide base of skills to help her achieve her goals. “I want to teach eco-building, and set up a business utilising mud-brick techniques and arts practices.”

Before the NorthTec course, Louise had not done any woodwork. “I wanted to make sure the course would be value for money so I spoke with the tutor before enrolling. He was very encouraging and thorough in providing answers and documentation, so at 44 years old I gave myself a gap year to learn carpentry!”

“Moving from Auckland to an old villa between Whangarei and Dargaville, I wanted the skills to be able to renovate it. The rest of my classmates were young guys aged 17 to 25 and I thought they’d be way better than me, but I was motivated and interested in ways that they weren’t.

“This could be frustrating for me and for them sometimes but I think it was good for them that I was there. As a female I would have to think through ways of doing things sometimes, rather than relying on brute force.”

The course also gave Louise an entrée into architectural design. And for her practicum she worked two days a week for an eco-builder.

“The ultimate would be to have a property that was built of natural materials, offered courses in sustainable living, and had its own food sources. I want to lift the perception of building so it is seen as a contemporary craft that requires attention to detail, aesthetics, and mathematics. Having more women in the industry can help this happen.”

Louise is now well on the way to realising her business goals around sustainable building utilising mud-brick.