Industry Expert - OTEN/Rotary Career Interview Series - Electrical Contracting

Background

I started my apprenticeship with a company my father worked for, he was an electro mechanic and I used to do a little bit of weekend work with him and I rather enjoyed the work.

So I completed my apprenticeship and the TAFE course.

I was seconded to go over to Tasmania for a small period of time.‘Came back, worked for the company again.’

I then moved on to Wormald’s – which was doing fire alarms, as a supervisor and after that I decided I would like to start up my own electrical contracting business, which I‘ve  now done and have been doing for the last 35 years or so.

 

Current Industry Context

CURRENT INDUSTRY IS CHARGING AHEAD. There’s a lot of different sort of work out there now. More computerised, but until they can get away without any hard wiring, I’ve always got a job.

Industry Advice And Tips

If you’re going to enter the industry today I believe the best thing is to DO ADDITIONAL COURSES if you can. ‘especially in the electronic side of it. Maybe the alarm side and specialising in something like that.

And if you are going to to an apprenticeship with a company, I’d try and GET AN APPRENTICESHIP WITH A COMPANY THAT DOES A VARIED STYLE OF WORK, not just the one style of work.

Networking

I was well known in the Strathfield area, doing my electrical contracting, but I felt that it would be something that I could do to give back to the community, so I joined Rotary.

I knew a lot of people in Rotary, but having known them, THEY HAVE CONTACTS THAT HAVE CONTACTS, that have contacts. So I believed that it’s a good thing to get to know as many people as you can.
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