Heavy metal

high school with

Growing up on a farm in regional NSW gave Lachlan a love for anything hands-on and practical – so getting skilled up in a trade was a no-brainer.

After high school, he enrolled in a Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication Trade), during which tinkering with machines was just part of the coursework.

And even though heading to uni was never on his radar, his decision to stick with maths at high school is one he’s still grateful for today.

“It helps heaps with my job,” he says. “I’m always measuring and figuring out median distances on all the machines I make.”

Man of steel

Lachlan scored his current gig at BOSS Agriculture after proving himself invaluable during his apprenticeship there. Now, he spends his weekdays working with steel to produce agricultural machinery such as air seeders for farms, which requires him to be practical, mathematical and creative.

“The idea of both creativity and problem-solving excites me,” he says of his role. “I get to experience such a variety of different work in such a positive workplace!”

Lachlan’s diverse skill set, combined with an infectious love of his work, landed him the title of 2022 New South Wales Apprentice of the Year. Lachlan was also the 2022 Australian Apprentice of the Year finalist at the Australian Training Awards.

Apart from being a big believer in not dropping high school maths (“I’m so glad I didn’t!”), he’s also an advocate for VET pathways – particularly in regional areas where there’s huge industry demand for apprentices. “Take class seriously in high school,” he says.

“You want to enjoy it, but if you knuckle down and study hard, you can go anywhere in life!”

Yep, high school maths + an apprenticeship = winning career combination. –CassieSteel i get to experience a variety of work in such a positive workplace!”