When Adelaide Foreman Brenton Carter joined Higgins as a painting apprentice, he wasn't sure whether the industry was suited to him.
Fast forward to 2022. Brenton has completed his apprenticeship with accolades and is now helping to develop our new painting apprentice in Adelaide.
Brenton Carter at the 2022 Master Painter Awards Ceremony receiving 2020 Apprentice of the Year Award
Brenton reflected on the early stages of his career, as well as what it means to help a new generation of painters thrive at Higgins.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your apprenticeship?
In years two and three the team gave me the autonomy to start running smaller jobs by myself, which was a great challenge that forced me to get stronger in some of the key operational areas needed to run safe and productive worksites - like performing risk assessments and safety toolboxes.
Time management was an Achilles' Heel of mine, though I found doing something as little as turning up to work 15-30 minutes early to review the hazards and risks before starting could really help with that.
How have you found the transition to working as a foreman?
It's been a really fun challenge for me. There's a great variety of jobs to tackle and I've learned that no two projects are ever the same.
Improving my time management skills during my apprenticeship has served me well now as there are added responsibilities that come with running all your own sites.
How does it feel to be working with a new painting apprentice?
I received a lot of guidance from the team when I first started, so being able to return the favour now and give some extra time to our new apprentice has felt good.
I'd love to attend the Master Painters Awards and see another Higgins team member win the Apprentice of the Year Award - with our current apprentice I think we've got a great shot!
Why do you enjoy working at Higgins?
There are probably two main reasons I'd say Higgins is a great place to work; the positive feedback and being able to transform a diverse range of facilities.
Receiving positive feedback from clients feels good on a personal level, but knowing that I am able to deliver on the professionalism that Higgins is known for, feels special.
Transforming a facility that hasn't received a repaint in 10-20 years is really exciting for me.
I love driving around the city and pointing out the projects I have worked on to my friends and family - hopefully, there is plenty more of those to come.
What does the future hold for you?
If you asked me the same question five years ago, I wouldn't have predicted I'd be where I am today.
In the last couple of years, I've challenged myself to keep developing in whatever I have been doing.
I'm not sure what job title I'll have, but I know that it will be at Higgins and I'm excited to see where it is.
Are you interested in a career at Higgins? Check out our opportunities today!