School leaver sails ahead with apprenticeship
School’s almost out for summer, and that means thousands of Year 12 students throughout City of Logan will be soul searching about the next step in their future journeys.
If the workplace is the preferred direction, the good news is there are plenty of employers invested in supporting local school leavers with jobs, apprenticeships and traineeships.
Crestmead’s Shayla Mulcahy may live nowhere near the beach, but is sailing ahead with her career dreams as one of 12 females chosen recently for apprenticeships with Gold Coast luxury motor yacht builder Riviera.
Shayla, a graduate of Park Ridge State High School, heard the company was looking for school-based apprentices so she applied mid-way through Year 12, moving on to full-time employment when she graduated high school.
‘I’ve always had a passion for the timber industry – especially solid timber – and loved being out in the water on cruise ships,’ Shayla says.
‘Their timber and composite machinery caught my eye, I did some work experience with the company, and fell in love with it right away.
‘My career goal is to become one of the best CNC operators/timber machinists at Riviera and work my way up, go into management, and possibly into the engineering side of CNC.’
Shayla has learnt interesting skills she never dreamt of before landing her apprenticeship.
‘I am now able to run a range of different machines from laser cutters to routers CNCs, as well as learning how to program them.
‘I enjoy the precision and quality of the work we do, and how proud I am to see the finished product in the motor yachts – they’re simply magnificent.
‘I also enjoy the independence of running my own machine.’
Shayla is studying for her apprenticeship through the yacht manufacturer’s own Riviera Academy of Excellence training program, which covers 10 trades ranging from Diesel Fitting, Fabrication, and Marine Craft Construction, through to French Polishing and Upholstery.
Riviera Apprentice and Training Manager Keira Badke says applications are open all through the year, and strongly encourages other females to consider a career in the luxury motor yacht industry.
‘We had a record intake of females in January this year, so we’re hoping to grow on that success again in 2025,’ Keira says.
“Historically, boat building has been seen as a male industry, but with the broad range of apprenticeships we now offer, that has very much changed.
Shayla says the team she works with is like a family.
‘I absolutely love going in every day,’ Shayla says.
At any given time, Riviera is training about 150 apprentices from first to fourth year craftsmen and women, and has employed many job seekers from Logan over the years in its 950-strong team.
Photo at top: Apprentice Shayla Mulcahy, of Crestmead, loves her work building luxury boats.