Fourth-year shopfitting apprentice Luca Mascaro has excelled not only on the worksite, but its his work in the classroom that has him turning heads.
Luca’s journey to studying Cert III in Shopfitting at Melbourne Polytechnic was fairly straightforward.
“In year 12 I was initially planning on doing engineering for uni,” he said.
“But during lockdowns, I said ‘y’know what? Stuff this – I don’t want the pressure’.
“And I realised if I was going into engineering I’d most likely end up doing more computer work which isn’t what I wanted to do.”
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Luca’s “old man” was a project manager at Southern Cross Commercial Projects, and helped him secure an apprenticeship with the company.
Joining up
Of course, Luca’s time on-site learning shopfitting has really come in handy when it comes to his studies.
“To be honest, everything we do on-site is what we do in the course,” he said.
“That’s carried through right until now – I guess with TAFE there’s been a focus on the step-by-step processes.
“Whereas on-site, there’s just a pure focus on installs or de-fits.”
Luca’s talents earned him a spot on the Victorian WorldSkills team last year, however not for shopfitting.
“I did it for joinery which isn’t what I do for work,” he said.
“It was a bit left of field for sure. The kind of joinery I do is a bit more artisanal or complex compared to everyday joinery.”
Competing in WorldSkills can vary from skill to skill, but naturally joiners were tasked with building something that involved, well … joinery.
“They’d make you build staircases or small tables in previous years,” Luca explained.
“But last year, they had us make a window frame with complex joinery.
“It was pretty much a window frame with mitred half laps, bridal joints that had curves and arches in them, and they were interlinked unto themselves with no screws or anything.
“In order to get full marks you had to have no gaps at all.”
Despite entering a competition surrounded by some of the nation’s most talented joiners, Luca took first place.
“It’s going to sound a bit silly, but I thought it was a bit funny that as a shopfitter – who doesn’t really do much joinery – to manage to win against seven other joiners,” he joked.
“They had an Olympics-style closing ceremony, it was pretty good having my name called for first place.”
Unfortunately, joinery wasn’t included in WorldSkills Australia’s national team bound for Lyon, France last year for the international competition.
But Luca took it like a champ, not knowing another international trip was on the horizon.
“It was a bit of a gut punch, but at the same time I guess I’m the undefeated champion,” he said.
Hello Tokyo
Luca will head to Japan early this year to showcase his skill at World Wood Day (yes, it’s a real day).
The rigorous application process saw Luca submit some of his best work to a panel, as well as a proposed blueprint for what he’d create in Japan if given the opportunity.
Despite accidentally submitting his final drawings a week late, he was invited to hop over the pond and show Japan what he’s got.
“I’ve sent off a materials cutting list of what I’ll need to complete my proposed project,” he said.
Late last year Luca also received the prestigious David Provan & Sons Annual Award for Carpentry, Joinery and Cabinet Making.
“I had a day off work and one of the admin people at Melb Poly called me to say I had won the award,” Luca said.
“I answered ‘I’ve won what?!’ It caught me off guard, but it was great to receive that award.”
Luca was nominated by Melbourne Polytechnic teachers for the award, which is the cherry on top of what’s been an unexpectedly exciting time at TAFE.
“When I first got into the gig, I thought I’d do my apprenticeship – become qualified – and that’d be it,” he said.
“I didn’t think there’d be all these side quests, but I’m always willing to give them a crack and see what happens.”