By CASEY NEILL
SHARING the Victorian Apprentice of the Year title last week marked a turnaround in Rhonda Neil’s fortunes.
In February, thieves stole a trailer with $20,000 in tools from 24-year-old carpenter’s Dandenong North home.
“I’d spent all my money buying tools over the past four years, and it all got stolen on Valentine’s Day,” she said.
Ms Neil, who did her apprenticeship with Junction Village business Willright Nominees, and Brandon Betts were jointly presented the Master Builders Association of Victoria Apprentice of the Year Award on 9 May.
The title included $4000 worth of tools, workwear and vouchers.
Master Builders chief executive Radley de Silva said the pair exemplified the skills, work ethic and positive attitude required to be a successful tradesperson in the building and construction industry.
“This year was too close to call, causing our judges to award the first-ever joint State Apprentice of the Year Award,” he said.
Rhys Linnett from Springvale South won the Apprentice Bricklayer of the Year award and Ms Neil also won the Female Apprentice of the Year honour.
“I kind of knew about the female one a little bit, but the other one I had no idea and that was a massive shock,” Ms Neil said.
She completed her four-year carpentry apprenticeship three months ago and continues to be sub-contracted by Willright Nominees.
Boss Barney Patterson was “like a proud dad” after her win.
“I think he’s told every single person he knows,” she said.
“We do a lot of work at Wesley College. He put up a sign at Wesley on Monday. It was so embarrassing.”
Mr Patterson, who nominated Ms Neil for the award, said he had no regrets about taking on a female apprentice.
“She’s the first female I’ve employed and she’s one of the best apprentices I’ve ever had,” he said.
“She’s a great worker, thinks outside the square and is capable of working on her own.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to employ a woman again.”
Ms Neil’s father, Ryan, cried when they called out her name for the top prize.
“We’ve been going through a lot of crap,” she said.
And it was her dad that set her on a path to carpentry.
“We used to build stuff in the shed when I was little,” she said.
She excelled at woodwork at high school and taught the craft at a school camp in America during a gap year in 2009.
“When I was travelling I still didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she said.
“I never really wanted to go to uni – I wasn’t too good at studying, but I was always handy.”
Ms Neil started her apprenticeship soon after returning to Australia. She said it wasn’t hard to fit in on work sites.
“I’ve always kind of been one of the boys,” she said.
“I played field hockey when I was younger and I played on the boys’ team instead of the girls’ team.
“If you can take it and give it back then you’ll be all right. If you’re going to get emotional then it’s never going to work.”
Her favourite part of the job is seeing clients’ reactions.
“Watching their faces light up truly makes me feel like I have achieved something great,” she said.
“To be able to create someone’s dream home or a place for them to make memories is very fulfilling.”
Ms Neil is in the running for the National Apprentice of the Year which is being presented at the Annual Excellence in Building and Construction Awards at Parliament House, Canberra, on 21 November.
