ITAB apprentice finds balance between two worlds as Reservist

Builder Isaac Graham likes the fact he can be building a house on Friday, and the next day firing the Army’s latest weapons on a range nearby.

“You get the best of both worlds being a builder and a reservist, and you have a lot of fun and learn a lot along the way, ” says Isaac who grew up in Oamaru, North Otago, and has lived in Dunedin since 2017. He is now in the fourth and final year of his building apprenticeship with Naylor Love Dunedin and competed in the 2019 New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge. “I’ve worked on a range of builds from small renovations to pre-cast concrete construction and everything in between over a short period. I enjoy the complexity and challenge of making new match with old, but also the process of seeing a new build from start to finish.”

In his spare time, Isaac is a private with B Company, 2/4 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) in Dunedin. He originally learned about the Army Reserves during a company asbestos awareness training in 2019. Sergeant Tim Burke came along as a guest speaker to talk about opportunities in the Army Reserves. “It sparked my interest as something I could do alongside my civilian career, so I put my name down and began learning more about it, and was very keen to get involved.” He initially looked into joining the Army out of high school but didn’t follow that path. “I didn’t realise being a reservist lets you follow other civilian career paths but still be involved in the NZ Defence Force. I enjoy the balance I have struck between the two worlds, and the enjoyment I get out of working at Naylor Love and training with the Army.” “I enjoy the unique opportunities the Army provides in terms of work and training that generally can’t be found elsewhere. I can be working in the office or on site during the week then out on the range or on exercise over the weekend. Being a reservist allows me the ability to pick and choose where my time is spent while still fulfilling my commitments.” “I’m always keen to put my hand up and help my unit and community, like recently with Southland flooding and COVID-19, but have not been required to deploy as of yet. Being out of work during Level 4, I was standby as part of the Army’s civil defence response.” Isaac was also the most junior member of 2/4 RNZIR to be selected to represent the battalion at this year’s Skill At Arms, an Army competition that tests soldiering skills. “I’ve made so many new mates within my platoon, plus a number of great friends from my basic training who are now spread around the country at other units. I always look forward to our Wednesday night trainings to catch up with everyone and get to know more and more faces.” Isaac says his employer and many of his work colleagues and managers have been very supportive of him joining the Army Reserves.

“Initially taking seven weeks to complete basic training is a huge ask of any employer, but they were more than willing to give me the time off to complete during the typically busy summer work period. Being a larger company, Naylor Love was luckily in more of a position to pick up the slack during my absence.” “Throughout the year I am able to separate the two roles of carpentry and soldiering fairly well, with trainings outside work hours or during weekends hardly affecting my commitments at work. I always find support when asking for leave to complete training such as the week-long Exercise Ypres in Tekapo this year, or the odd day here and there for travel.”

The Regional Manager of Naylor Love Dunedin, Jason Tutty, says his company recognised that the leadership skills that Isaac is developing as a reservist will be very beneficial to him as he progresses his construction career.

Isaac Graham enjoys the balance offered by the opportunity to have an apprenticeship in building while still being able to participate in the NZ Defence force as a Reservist.

To find out more about joining the Army Reserves, visit www.defencecareers.mil.nz

The Army Reserve is the part-time component of the New Zealand Army and has played a significant role throughout New Zealand’s history. With a mandate to round out and sustain the full-time force, the Army Reserve contributes internationally on operational deployments around the world and nationally to civil defence during natural disasters.