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Most all are familiar with Tom Williams as “Tom the Chippie” on the radio, a knock out on the dance floor on Dancing With The Stars, a host on the television series The Mole and The Gladiators, and an avid traveller on The Great Outdoors, to name a few of his accomplishments. He claims that all of that stardom came at him by accident.

However, it is important to remember that this ladies man and talented famous actor actually began his career as a carpenter and still continues to pursue this passion and talent, when he has time. He also considers this his “real job” and would be willing to pick back up with it at any time. He states that he is a carpenter at heart and is proud to call himself a tradie. He actually just recently helped promote National Carpenters Day when the country’s best carpenter and top apprentice chippie was announced from six state finalists and presented with thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment.

Clearly, he is a big advocate and supporter for apprenticeships considering he held one himself, and is encouraging those following in his footsteps today. It might be hard to reach his level of success as far as fame goes, but being satisfied in a professional field is possible. For Williams, learning carpentry enabled him to afford his own home in Sydney’s pricey northern beaches, but it also provided him with the practical life skill of being able to build things with his own hands.

He began working for an advertising firm after graduating from College but “office life” was not for him so he pursed work in the outdoors doing a whole bunch of labouring around Sydney, working for builders on different sites, and so began Williams’ career as a chippie.

He spent seven years completing a carpentry and joinery course at TAFE, followed by a residential construction course and, in 2001, was declared a licensed builder. “I really just do stuff for myself,” he says. “I have completely renovated an apartment here in Sydney’s northern beaches where I live and am selling it because I’m buying an original home unrenovated in order to extend my skills.” Although he is enjoying the life of a famous, featured in the news, fan mail receiving star, he is confident that he will return working his trade in the future.

Image By Cayusa