COUNTRY APPRENTICES THAT GO THAT EXTRA YARD

Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers (LVML) encourage interested members of the public to consider pursuing a career in the landscaping industry which offers a broad range of job options, skills and lifestyle choices. If you wish to make landscaping your career or are considering a career change, contact us for further advice, support and information via our website, www.landscapingvictoria.com.au

One of the Registered Training Organisations that LVML works with is Holmesglen Glen Waverley Campus. Holmesglen offer many Certificate III options in fields such as Landscape Construction and Diplomas in Horticulture and Landscape Design, just to name a few.

With thanks to the Landscape Construction staff and Apprentice Central at Holmesglen, this article profiles some of their current students who travel to the Glen Waverley Campus from Country Victoria each week.

All show their keen dedication to their careers in the landscaping industry.

At Holmesglen Glen Waverley, we are always looking for that apprentice who is willing to make the extra effort without looking for a pat on the back.

BEN WALLACE

Ben came from a farming background and travelled in from Sale every week to attend trade school. Ben was always on time and never fell behind with his theory or practical assessments. He set a great example to the other apprentices. Ben has now successfully completed his apprenticeship.

JIM LEGIONE

Jim comes in from Wonthaggi on a weekly basis, although he does like to leave a little early at times to miss the car park which is the Monash Freeway. Travelling from Wonthaggi each week shows great commitment.

TOM MILLER

Tom is a standout Country Apprentice. He commenced trade school in 2017 at Holmesglen Waverley as a first year landscape apprentice while working for a Gippsland based landscape business. Initially, he was asked to do his training on site as living in Inverloch might have been an issue. Not for Tom.

He soon realised that he was missing out on not just on practical activities but the interaction with his peers at TAFE. This was a key part of why Tom insisted on attending on a weekly basis.

Driving up from Inverloch is a fair effort but Tom always arrived on time and with a great attitude.

He is well liked by his fellow apprentices and loves coming up with a one liner every now and again. Tom loves a challenge but has never won a Kahoot quiz in class, he will probably tell us otherwise when we see him next!

At Trade school Tom gets involved in group projects, goes about his work with a minimum of fuss and his theory and practical work has regularly been of a high standard.

Out of work, Tom has been involved with the Inverloch Football Club, getting away on weekends four-wheel driving with his mates and, of course, living down on the coast the beach and surf is never far away.

Tom has only a couple of units to complete here at Holmesglen before he becomes fully qualified.

All the landscape staff will miss him when he leaves. We hope to see him set up his own business further down the track, become a LVML member and hopefully he can send an apprentice or two our way.

If Tom, Jim and Ben sound like they have the kind of careers and lifestyle that you might be interested in, contact LVML via their website for more information on your move into Landscaping.