| 119 T T Rosa Watson Giving apprentices a sound start Jason has carved out a name at the high-end and architecturally designed space, covering the wider Nelson and Tasman region. “We definitely need a lot more of them coming through, as this results in more qualified carpenters. I always try to have at least one or two apprentices at a time.” Jason Frater Builders Ltd BUILDING A building firm at the top of the South Island is providing a valuable training base for apprentices to gain early experience in a range of technical and bespoke builds. Based in Motueka, Jason Frater Builders is a small boutique company whose apprentice, Bailey Sherratt, picked up second place at this year’s Registered Master Builders Apprentice of the Year awards for the Upper South Island region. “We were really thrilled for Bailey, it was very well deserved,” Jason says. “Bailey has a real natural talent for building and a great attitude. He has a passion for the building industry as a whole, which is great to see.” Bailey had been encouraged to enter by his assessor from the Building Academy, and will complete his apprenticeship mid-way through next year. He’s not the first apprentice from the company to make the awards, with one picking up third place in a previous year. The key to attracting and retaining apprentices was to create a workplace environment where they feel happy and supported, Jason says. Providing that encouragement and demonstrating quality workmanship, along with having a great rapport with sub-trades, suppliers, and both architects and clients is also very important, he adds. Jason enjoys taking on apprentices and teaching them the skills to become a good carpenter, and to be compliant with all regulations, and says the apprenticeship scheme is a good way to get more people into the industry. “We definitely need a lot more of them coming through, as this results in more qualified carpenters. I always try to have at least one or two apprentices at a time.” Jason started his company back in 2001 and has since carved out a name at the high-end and architecturally designed space, covering the wider Nelson and Tasman region. “We pride ourselves on building beautiful homes and creative spaces, all with an exceptional level of workmanship. We are well skilled in all types of construction and specialise in providing excellent solutions when the location or the terrain is particularly challenging. “We enjoy working alongside architects and clients and love seeing their vision come to life at the end of the build.” A recent project completed this year was a 325sqm home, a full timber construction with everything from the flooring to the framing and the raftered roof being crafted by hand. The exterior was clad in Abodo vertical weatherboard interlocking system with hidden fixings, and the exterior timber joinery was also crafted by hand. The home features 450sqm of Tonka decking surrounding the home on all four sides, making the most of the beautiful, coastal semi-sloping site. “It was a real carpenter’s build. Everything was done by hand.” It made it a longer process, but it was something that the clients had prioritised, he says. The company is looking forward to another excellent year with some exciting projects on the horizon. Proudly supporting Jason Frater Builders Ltd Call our office today Phone: (03) 541 8665 Proud to support Jason Frater Builders Ltd Acid & Sealing Patios & Driveways Floor Placing & Finishing Decorative Concrete Cutting Truck and Digger Concrete Floor Cutting Commercial & Residential Foundations
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