Keeping it 100

Julian Parker (right) has gone from being an apprentice to setting up in business and taking on his own apprentice, Jayden. Hugo the dog sometimes joins them on new build jobs, where he can be set up for the day!

For Julian Parker, the goal was always crystal clear: to start up in business by the time he was 30. And now this former apprentice is training an apprentice of his own.

AUTHOR: KERRIE MORGAN

Julian Parker and his wife Shannon launched 100% Plumbing and Gas in Rotorua in 2020—just as New Zealand exited the first Covid-19 lockdown. “I knew I wanted it to happen that year but we had to decide whether to go ahead coming out of lockdown or wait until later in the year,” says Julian, who was only 28 at the time.

In the end, they took the plunge and Julian says the transition into running his own business has been daunting and exciting in equal measure. He believes the skills gained during his apprenticeship have helped him succeed in reaching his goal— from the practical plumbing and gasfitting know-how to problem solving and communication skills.

After completing his apprenticeship at Laser Plumbing Rotorua, Julian went on to work for four years at The Lewis Plumbing Company, a reputable Rotorua-based business, which gave him an extra boost of confidence, knowledge and experience. “I treated the business like it was my own,” he says, adding that he was given a lot of responsibility within the company and took pride in all the work he undertook there. While at Lewis Plumbing, he also ticked off a number of achievements, including winning Plumbing World’s inaugural Young Plumber of the Year Award in 2017.

Overseas experience

In 2018, he and Shannon took off for a year of overseas travel, backpacking through South America for six months before making their way to Europe. Their travels eventually led them to Austria, where Julian got a job working on the other side of the industry— for plumbing product manufacturing company KE KELIT—as a direct result of winning the Young Plumber of the Year award.

Not only was this a unique work opportunity, but it gave Julian an amazing European experience and an idea of what happens behind the scenes. The couple returned to New Zealand at the end of 2019, narrowly missing the start of the pandemic and a global shutdown.

Trainee to trainer

Three months after starting 100% Plumbing and Gas, Julian took the opportunity to share everything he’d learnt in his apprenticeship by taking on an apprentice of his own through Masterlink. He says he was determined to bring an apprentice on board who would be the perfect fit for his fledgling company—and Jayden ticked all the boxes.

In Julian’s own experience, the first year of the apprenticeship was the hardest. “It started off slow, but then ramped right up as I started to ‘get it’ and understand more, which gave me confidence.” His advice to anyone completing an apprenticeship: although it might start out tough, stick with it as it does get easier and is worth it in the end.

“It’s amazing to see how fast Jayden is coming along,” he says. “It’s also very rewarding.”

Julian and Jayden connected via the local Masterlink Regional Manager, but Julian advises anyone looking for an apprenticeship at a company to go about it the right way.

“Just sending an email or giving someone a phone call often isn’t enough,” he explains. “Go door knocking. Take the boss a coffee and actually go visit them—show them how keen you are.”

In less than 10 years, Julian has gone from being the apprentice knocking on the door of a plumbing company, to the owner of his own plumbing company, training an apprentice. The future looks bright for Julian, Shannon, Jayden and 100% Plumbing and Gas.

APPRENTICE TO BUSINESS OWNER:

Julian’s top tips

• The start of an apprenticeship can often be the hardest part—but stick with it! Once you gain knowledge, experience and confidence, it will become more straightforward. • Only you can get the most out of your apprenticeship, so aim high! • When looking for work experience—or a company to give you an apprenticeship—go door knocking.

Showing your face, rather than simply emailing or phoning, shows how keen you are. • Contacting Masterlink to become an apprentice candidate can make getting an apprenticeship a much less daunting task. It’s also a great way for employers to find suitable candidates. • Look at an apprenticeship as playing the long game.

You may not get paid much in the beginning, but in the long run you’ll have lots of opportunities and be able to earn more. • It may seem like a long time, but an apprenticeship actually goes by very quickly—so learn as much as you can, and get to know the industry and its people as much as possible. • Set a goal and go for it!