From stacking shelves to shaping a future in the shipyard

Just a few months ago, Cayde Duffy was stacking shelves at his local Woolworths, wondering where his working life was heading.

Today, he spends his working days at one of Tasmania’s leading shipbuilders, surrounded by welders, fitters, electricians and fabricators constructing vessels that are shipped all over the world. As a general workhand, Cayde is picking up new skills every day and recently watched one of the massive boats he’d worked on launch into the water for the first time.

For the 22-year-old Hobart local, the role has opened up a future he hadn’t even imagined.

“I’m enjoying it all, really,” Cayde said. “The eight hours that I’m here just go so fast and I love it all. There are so many people with a lot of experience who are really passionate about their trade. It’s just really cool to be around.”

The chance to work at Richardson Devine Marine (RDM) came through an unexpected recommendation and was one Cayde was keen to make the most of.

“We were looking for general labourers and hadn’t had much luck,” RDM Manager Matt Crawford recalled. “One of the guys out on the workshop floor spotted Cayde at Woolies and suggested he give Work & Training a call. A couple of weeks later he’s out there working.”

For RDM, attracting applicants isn’t the issue. Entry-level roles can receive hundreds of responses. The challenge is finding the right people, a process the shipyard says Work & Training has helped simplify.

“We’re an ageing industry,” Matt said. “There’s a massive skills shortage in aluminium welding and fabrication. We need to bring as many young people through as we can. We offer entry-level roles and can then assess work ethic and interest. Anyone who’s interested in advancing and going further has an opportunity to do so.”

Since day one, Cayde has approached every day as a chance to learn – soaking up the experience around him and developing an interest in the industry that extends beyond his workday. While he’s still finding his feet in the industry, Cayde has already made a strong impression and is a potential candidate for further training.

“If he eventually wants to become a welder or fabricator, there’s no reason why that can’t happen,” Matt said. “He’s got great work ethic, great energy and it’s really nice to have a positive person around the shed. We’ll definitely be looking to help him go down whichever track he chooses.”

Seeing the finished vessel leave the shipyard and launch into the sea gave Cayde a new appreciation for the work taking place around him.

“That was amazing to see,” he said. “I’d been watching that boat being built for the first month, loading stuff onto it and hauling things off. Then to finally see it float off. You can understand why it’s worth all the work and all the hours that go into it. I can’t imagine how that feels for the blokes who worked on it for months and months.”

For a young man from a tough upbringing, getting a foot in the door at Richardson Devine Marine has opened Cayde’s eyes to possibilities he had never imagined.

“I’ve just been stoked to get a look in. I feel like I can be myself at work now. Customer service just takes it out of you. You get ground down and mentally you lose a bit of hope. Now I feel like my eyes are open again. I’m realising there’s so much more out there for me.”