Employer: Outer Northern Trade Training Centre

After working in the construction industry as a carpenter and licenced builder for 15 years, Thomas was excited to share his knowledge and skills with tradespeople of the future through teaching. Thomas teaches at the Outer Northern Trade Training Centre and delivers the Certificate II Building & Construction Pre-apprenticeship (Carpentry) as well as the Certificate I Construction Pathways. Thomas predominately works with students looking to enter a trade qualification after completing secondary school.   

Thomas works hard to ensure that his students have the best possible opportunities for success in obtaining employment. To prepare them more thoroughly for the workforce, he provides students with house-sized wall frames, roof structures and sub-floors, a departure from the standard practice of using small-scale models. Another initiative was to constantly change class teams, which creates working environments of mixed ability levels. Both initiatives have proven to rapidly escalate students’ skills.  

Thomas collaborated with plumbing and electrical trade colleagues to apply the same initiatives in their classrooms, resulting in a rapid improvement in student output. Thomas’s initiatives have been well received by industry partners, potential employers, and other educational organisations.