What started as a way to fill a gap year after finishing school, Nathan Dowell found his love of carpentry, and hasn’t looked back since.
With careers in trade running through the family, Nathan Dowell may have seemed destined to become a carpenter.
With a short stint in Queensland working as a carpenter on major renovations, Nathan is now back in Melbourne and working as a lead hand carpenter at Nudg1e Constructions.
“I did my VCE exams and finished school, but I soon realised that going to university wasn’t for me,” Nathan said.
“I didn’t get into the exact course that I wanted, so I started working full time after I graduated.”
“I was initially interested in either physiotherapy or aerospace engineering.”
At a crossroads post school, Nathan decided to take a year off and pursue a trade while he made up his mind.
“I decided to enter into a trade for a year and thought if I enjoyed it enough, I’d stay, and if not, I would go to university,” Nathan said.
“I fell in love with the trade. I loved being a carpenter so I thought I’d keep it up.”
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Nudg1e Constructions undertake all forms of carpentry services, from large scale renovations, to new builds.
“We work from the ground up, and all the way through to when we hand the owners the keys,” Nathan said.
“We get a good scope of all carpentry works from decks to houses, to big complexes.”
Nathan shared how his favourite part of the job comes from the satisfaction of completing a job from start to finish.
“Seeing a house or complex be completed is a great feeling,” Nathan said.
Not one to shy away from heights, Nathan enjoys working on the roof.
“Doing trusses on a roof on a nice, hot summers day – I don’t think there is anything better,” he said.
“I love being outside and working, and when it’s hot, you get a good tan too.”
A good crew
Surrounded by a ‘good crew’, Nathan has a community of other tradies around his age at work.
“Most of us are in our twenties. We all get along well and work goes nice and smoothly,” he said.
“We all hang out outside of work, it’s a great crew to be in.”
Mentors
In the six years Nathan has been a carpenter, there have been two mentors that have steered him on the right path. Nathan stated how his boss Mitch Manning and Nigel Nunn helped him learn new skills and grow in the industry.
“When I moved up to Queensland for a bit, Mitch Manning really took me under his wing and taught me everything I know,” Nathan said.
“Nigel, who is the big boss at Nudg1e constructions has also helped me a lot throughout my apprenticeship.”
“I have really thrived being a qualified carpenter.”
Outside of working, Nathan enjoys dirt bike riding and basketball.
He also has an eye on starting his own building business one day.
“My next goal is to become a licensed builder,” he said.
“To have a successful business for years to come is my ultimate goal.”