NorthTec Gets Building Apprentice On Track

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Building apprentice credits NorthTec programme for getting him on track to a great career

Building apprentice Daniel Miles freely admits he used to have a bad attitude. After leaving school at 15 he had the chance to work with a construction contractor but blew the opportunity. “I had a really bad attitude. I didn’t get on with the boys. I screwed it up for myself really.”

After doing a military training course he managed to change his approach.

“It was awesome. I think it should be compulsory. It teaches you self-motivation. Everything on the ‘outside’ seems so much easier afterwards. When you’re there you just have to do it. You get woken up at 4:30am and you’re on the go until 10pm – that makes waking up to go to work and doing a 10-hour day feel easy!”

Daniel knew that he wanted to be a builder, however, so he signed up on NorthTec’s 20-week Elementary Construction programme in Silverdale. “I was at a loose end. I’ve always wanted to be a chippie so I thought I’d give the course a crack. It was a great programme and Bruce Davey was a really good tutor.”

Having completed the programme and learnt some new skills he went back to contractor who’d fired him previously and asked for another chance. “He’s such an awesome boss. I knew that I didn’t really want to work for anyone else.”

There were a few anxious moments prior to fronting up to his former boss, however. “I was really nervous. I told him that I was after an apprenticeship. He laughed and said that he’d kind of expected me to come back. He rang Bruce for a reference and I started work. My boss was impressed with my work and signed me up as an apprentice in March.”

Daniel now combines working on high-class residential buildings with studying theory at a night class once a week. “I’ve just about got half of my theory done. I get paid wages and I’ve bought a few tools now. I’m pretty motivated – I’m keen for some big dollars!”

The building industry is definitely where it’s at for Daniel. “I like being outdoors and using my creativity to solve problems and figure out how to make things work. The other guys are great too. They teach me tricks and methods for doing things.”

While he’s still got a lot to learn before he’s qualified, Daniel feels that he’s already on the path to being more of an asset to his boss. “I’m thinking that I might ask for a raise next year, now and that I have more experience and some of my own tools – hopefully I’m a more valuable employee.”

NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

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