He is one of the leading young bricklayers in Australia, is only 22, runs his own business and has won numerous national and international skill competitions like the Golden Trowel Award in blocklaying. He registered his company Nigel J. Croke Bricklaying just 4 months ago and already has 4 other employees working on projects with him which vary from residential and commercial buildings, to schools and nursing homes.
Nigel Croke finished school with his Higher School Certificate at the age of 17. Although he was a good student, he started training as a bricklayer because he simply didn’t enjoy academic pursuits. Interviewed by a journalist of the Straits Times he accounts for the decision to become a bricklayer that “My mother told me I had to get a qualification. It was okay to leave school, but only if I got a skill”
After searching for an apprenticeship he got an offer from a bricklayer from Crookwell, New South Wales. His training took four years before he graduated with a certificate in bricklaying. During his apprenticeship he had to work four days a week and attend TAFE classes once a week. After graduating he moved the 237km to Sydney and started working on building sites but he wanted more. “I’ve found something I am good at, and in terms of income potential, there is much to be earned if I continue to work hard” Croke says as bricklaying in Australia offers you to start a career “full of opportunities”.
One advantage to an academic career was that he could already start earning money as an apprentice. In his first year he already earned around $1,080 per month after tax, which continued to rise to $4,800 a month when he finally got his Certificate 3 in Bricklaying.
His story reminded me a little bit of my friend’s Nathan, a bricklayer from the UK who came to Australia for working. He said: “If I had enough money yet to employ some people I would become seriously rich in Australia. You can calculate: one brick –one dollar”. Nathan is really diligent I suppose he can lay many bricks in one hour…
Image by kschlot1
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