Ryan Munro

“If people are thinking about training to improve their skills they should just do it. What can go wrong? It’s not like they’re going to learn less.”

Ryan Munro
Apprentice Carpenter

Getting started

I work as an apprentice carpenter. Every day my team meets to fill out a daily hazard form, so my job includes some writing and reading. At the briefing, we identify all tasks we have to do that day and any associated hazards. I don’t find this sort of exercise very difficult to do.

For me the toughest part of my job are the calculations. I often have to figure out things like how much steel, concrete or space is needed for a job. I knew I needed to work on my ability in this area.

My story

I left school at the end of Year 12, with NCEA levels 1 and 2.

I have some good skills but I knew I had to improve my maths to help me do my job better. My spelling also needed a bit of work.

I heard about the Fletcher Construction BOOST programme at one of our weekly team Toolbox meetings. I had a look through the pamphlet we were given and knew it was just what I needed.

I spoke to a few of my workmates to see what they thought and they were really supportive. So I signed up.

Impact of training

I must admit at first I thought training might be just like school with a grumpy teacher at the front of a classroom. But it wasn’t. My tutor was awesome. We met once a week for about an hour. We got on well and he helped me to work through any problems with my apprenticeship.

I really wanted to improve my maths so that’s what we focused on. We did lots of practice examples from my actual job. I had to work pretty hard to get my head around trigonometry, but I cracked it.

Since I’ve been to training I’m definitely working quicker. I’m also doing things by myself rather than asking for help all the time.

It doesn’t take me as long to resolve problems now. It’s good to be able to do calculations myself using a pencil and piece of wood rather than a calculator.

I’m using what I learnt at training outside of work too. I recently needed to get from Auckland to Dargaville on a limited budget and calculated the gas I would use on this journey.

I’m using calculations when fixing stuff at home and I never would have guessed that training would help me improve my game of darts too.

BOOST has been really good for me. If people are thinking about training to improve their skills they should just do it. What can go wrong? It’s not like they’re going to learn less.

Richard Summerville

“My tutor was great. He was really supportive and helped me to get my apprenticeship bookwork signed off.”

Richard Summerville
Apprentice Carpenter

Getting started

I’m an apprentice carpenter. In my role I often need to do calculations, a bit of writing, but not a lot of reading.

Before I got started with BOOST I was doing OK at work, but I was getting a bit behind with my apprenticeship bookwork.

I heard about the programme from my foreman and at one of our weekly Toolbox meetings. It sounded like just what I needed.

My story

I left school at the end of year 12 (the old sixth form) with NCEA Level 2.

I’m OK at maths, but my spelling and reading definitely needed work.

Impact of training

My tutor was great. He was really supportive and helped me to get my apprenticeship assignments signed off.

He is big on spelling. I can now spell everyday words that I used to always spell wrong – like ‘machine’. Training’s been great for helping me write better emails and text messages outside of work.

I also improved my maths skills. My tutor taught me some good tips for calculations that we regularly use at work. They have been handy for working out things like triangles.

I appreciated having regular help with my bookwork. I was a bit worried about how I would go when training finished, but I’m managing to keep on top of it OK.

Apelu Saulo

“I’ve learnt a lot. My English has improved and I’ve been taught some hard words. I can now fill in the forms I need to do as part of my job.”

Apelu Saulo
Carpenter

Getting started

I was raised in Samoa and went to school there, so English isn’t my first language.

My English isn’t as good as people think it is when they first meet me. People often talk to me quickly and use long words because they think I will understand, but I don’t always.

My story

I left school at 17 with no qualifications.

At work, we have a briefing each morning. Before I attended the BOOST programme, I couldn’t always understand what was said at the meetings.

I would have to really pay attention when my foreman spoke, especially when he gave instructions on a job. I often had to talk to him afterwards to check what was said.

I’d say that listening and understanding are the two skills I needed to improve most to help me at work.

I also wanted to be able to fill in documents like our hazard identification and confined space forms.

Impact of training

I heard about BOOST from my foreman and we’ve had a good teacher who’s made learning easy. He explained everything clearly so I didn’t find it hard.

In fact, training’s been so good that I can’t pick a best part. I’ve learnt a lot.

My English has improved and I’ve been taught some hard words. I can now fill in the forms I need to do as part of my job.

I understand how to eliminate and isolate hazards and I’ve improved my maths.

I now understand the planning process better. I always had to ask questions before, but I don’t now.

Most importantly, I can now understand what the foreman and leading hand are saying in our daily briefing.

Training has been good for helping with understanding at home too. I use it for sharing information with my family and helping my kids with their homework.

It’s also helped me to use technology – I couldn’t before. I didn’t know how to use YouTube before I attended training. It is so easy for me now.

Everyone should go to a training course to help them improve. BOOST is an excellent programme because it gives you skills you can use at home, as well as work.

Rodney Mafileo

“Since I finished the BOOST programme I am using what I learnt all the time, especially my improved skills around language and communication.”

Rodney Mafileo
Site Team Leader

Getting started

I’m a site team leader for up to a dozen people – my team’s size changes to suit the size of the job we are working on.

For my role I need to be pretty good at reading, writing, maths and communication. I have to read well to understand instructions on plans and drawings.

I have to do a lot of writing too. Every morning I fill in the job plan for that day for my team. I regularly fill in forms like accident reports. And I often need to use maths for things like measuring how much concrete is needed on a job or figuring out how deep to drill. My team relies on me to get this sort of information right.

My story

I’m Tongan born and bred – Tongan is my native language, not English. I sat the equivalent of School Certificate but didn’t pass and left school at 18.

When I became a team leader, I found I wanted to improve my reading, writing and communication skills to help me do my job better.

I talked to my manager about my goals and he immediately signed me up for the BOOST programme.

My tutor was really helpful. We always used examples from my job, like reviewing our safety manual policy. Things made more sense to me that way.

It’s been great. I now know some new words to use when communicating with people. We also spent a lot of time working on language tense and my maths and writing techniques.

I have two brothers who did Fletcher’s BOOST programme at the same time as me. It’s been great to do it together and support one another. Together I think we’ll have quite an influence on the rest of our family members too.

Impact of training

Training has made a huge difference to the way I work. My language and communication skills have definitely improved.

I speak differently. I feel comfortable using bigger words now, not just basic ones – although it was quite a challenge at first.

I’ve learnt a lot about grammar and tense. I need to learn more but what I’ve got so far has been really good for me and my confidence.

I know some people are shy, so companies should recognise those people and approach them to suggest they go through training. They might just need a bit more support to get started, but they will be glad that they did.