80 | BUILDING Nailing It Apprentice winner follows his dream Kelly Deeks National Registered Master Builders Apprentice of the Year Jarred Badham is a career changer who had always wanted to be a builder. Jarred was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force for seven years before deciding to follow his dream into building. Joining Palmerston North-based construction firm Nailing It in 2019, Jarred began his apprenticeship under the watchful eye of company director Stewart Buchanan. Jarred set a goal of completing his competency-based apprenticeship in two years and achieved it. Stewart has an eye for quality apprentices and a knack for training them, with Nailing It builder Ryan Smith-Piling finishing third in the national Apprentice of the Year competition in 2014. “Ryan still works for me and has been with me for about 11 years,” Stewart says. “I’ve always been hands on, spending a fair bit of time on the tools where you get to pass your knowledge on by working one-on-one. My apprentices are working in a relaxed and happy environment where they don’t feel like they’re under pressure and they’re not too scared to make a mistake. It makes a better learning environment.” Stewart gets a real kick out of seeing his apprentices achieve well in life and go on to build houses of their own, and is always on hand to guide them, particularly when it comes to property development. When Jarred landed at Nailing It, he came with a load of life experience and professional qualifications. “He had experience of an engineering workshop with those practical skills, measuring, cutting, reading plans, which all transferred to the building trade. Also he had a bit if life experience, so I wasn’t dealing with any of those issues you get with kids straight out of school, He knew who he was and what he was about, and he had a family to support and a mortgage to pay.” Jarred’s entry to the regional competition was focused around a spec home project which was build by Heartwood Homes, the company he now owns in partnership with Stewart. “We formed the company, bought the section, then started planning the build,” Jarred says. “I got to see everything working behind the scenes, rather than just turning up to work and taking it for granted. We designed and built a well finished home with high end fittings and appliances, large living areas, and two big bathrooms with walk in wet floor showers.” This home sold in August, and Heartwood Homes second spec home will soon be ready for market. For the national competition, Jarred’s entry focused on two transportable homes he build with another apprentice for another of Stewart’s companies, Caliber Homes. “This was another aspect of building and valuable learning for an apprentice,” Jarred says. “The homes are built up off the floor, and we came across a few different things we don’t normally run into when building homes on site. They had timber floors, and one of the homes had a raked ceiling which I hadn’t done before.” This was one of the first projects Jarred had taken charge of, so it was his first time running a building site, looking after staff, and organising subcontractors. He says being named Apprentice of the Year and being recognised for the effort he has put into his apprenticeship is an awesome feeling. “Sometimes I have that thought that I should have started building straight out of school. But I did really enjoy working on helicopters and things.” p 06 356 7000 e info@resonant.co.nz w resonant.co.nz 71 Pitt Street Palmerston North 4410 Palmerston North Consulting Engineers Surveyors & Planners Call us today to discuss how we can help you achieve the best results for your project THERE I S NO SUBST I TUTE FOR E XPERI ENCE SPEC I AL I STS IN JO INERY, K I TCHENS , BU I LD ING , FR AMES & TRUSSES , T IMBER MERCHANTS K I T C H E N S J O I N E R Y F R A M E S & T R U S S E S B U I L D I N G T I M B E R M E R C H A N T S 60 Aorangi St, Feilding P 06 323 4388 E office@hrjones.co.nz W hrjones.co.nz Whether matching existing windows and doors for older homes and buildings or a complete new project, we will work closely with you, your design team and builders for a well resolved, quality lasting result. PROUD TO SUPPORT NAILING IT
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