Meet Greg Armstrong – Certificate IV in Building & Construction

At 25 years old, most people are still finding their feet and deciding on a profession. Gregory Armstrong is an exception. Greg is one of the trusted on-site supervisors at Devlin Mees builders, running his own crews and building specialist homes even at the proverbial beginning of his career.

I spoke to Greg out the front of a large, historic home in Kew, the latest project for him and the team in a long line of outstanding builds. The home has an eye-catching façade which is heritage listed, and inside are a swathe of builders working tirelessly to completely gut, renovate and refurbish the interior. Just to add a something extra special to the large property, there is a second story being added.  Greg oversees all the work on site, and the builders I could hear inside were working under his watchful eye. Its easy to see why he is in the position he is, as he spoke about this project and his work in general. It was all explained with great pride and integrity for what he does.

“It’s been a passion of mine since I was kid” He said.

“One day I thought it would be nice to build my own home, and it all just went from there.”

He went through all the same channels that you usually do as a young tradesperson. He started his pre-apprenticeship before moving on to a certificate III and become a fully qualified tradie. But not being satisfied with simply becoming qualified, Greg had his sights on the complex and meticulous tasks that are best tackled by those who love what they do.

“New houses are always easier, but I love the painstaking challenge of trying to renovate old homes” he explained whilst standing in the front yard of the Kew residence.

“Just seeing the clients face at the end when we’ve made their dream house what they want it to be is very rewarding”.

Greg realised that he could do more to further his knowledge and advance his career when found BAA. Naturally, he simply needed to do it.

For someone with Greg’s work ethic and eye for detail, BAA was a perfect choice. He enrolled, and was able to complete his certificate IV in building & construction.

He found the trainers to not only be approachable but incredibly resourceful, particularly during the trying times of a global pandemic. Whilst the certificate III was the foundation for his on-site skills, the further study has helped set up with Greg with extra knowledge he needs for the future.

It was the very personal learning experience that facilitated a more comprehensive educational journey than previous endeavours.

“It was definitely more thorough and the next step from my last study”, he said.

“But it was the easiest thing I ever did, thanks to the teachers who were always there to help”.

Even with the transition to online learning, Greg remarked on the student experience being extremely helpful and engaging.

His positive study experience at BAA even compelled him to consider a foray into further study to complete his diploma, but for now the team at Devlin Mees have made him a busy man. They saw the potential that’s very easy to see and have entrusted him with supervising some prestigious builds with very little oversight.

“I’m umming and ahhh-ing over whether or not to do my diploma, but I just have to get through this year first”.

For all intents and purposes, Greg is a man who has not only found his passion but elevated it through an exceptional attitude and education. Working on unique, heritage and high-end homes is something that seems to suit him perfectly, and with addition of some further study at BAA he has a big and bright future in the building game. At the house in Kew where we spoke, Greg explained that he was the first man on site at the beginning of day one and will be the last man closing the door when the job is done. Those people are rare indeed.

Its this work ethic and commitment that has him wanting to one day building his own dream home, and perhaps even a business. Building other peoples dreams is equally as important as building his own.

“We started this project in early 2021, and this will just about see me through until the end of the year – and there’s plenty more to do after that”.

However much there is to do, I’d be willing to bet that Greg will do just fine.

Looking to take the next step in your career in building and construction with a certificate or diploma? Contact our team at 1300 LEGEND (1300 534 363) or request a callback and we will get back to you with all the information you need.