Family legacy in the pipeline
Growing up, Connor Taylor watched his dad build a plumbing business from the ground up. Now, he’s getting ready to play his own part in its future.
After years wielding knives as a butcher, Connor decided it was time for a change – swapping the coolroom for a toolbelt and joining the family trade.
"I decided to venture into plumbing, for the fact that I liked getting out and about outdoors,” began Connor.
“That's the best thing about plumbing – you're not in the same place every day, which is really good."
The 25-year-old from Toowoomba enrolled in the Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420) in 2023 when his father’s plumbing business was looking for staff.
Connor is one of several students featured in TAFE Queensland's new Make Your Great Happen campaign, with his journey from butcher to plumber highlighting the opportunities that come with embracing a career pivot.
Having previously completed a meat retailing qualification after high school, Connor had some concerns about returning to the classroom as a mature-age student, but they quickly disappeared.
"You come in not knowing what to expect, but you'd be very surprised how many mature-age students are here,” Connor shared.
“They've all got their own stories about what they did prior and why they've decided to do this."
Connor’s plumbing apprenticeship combines block training at TAFE Queensland with on-the-job experience – giving him the opportunity to learn from both his dad and other experienced industry professionals.
"The teachers here at TAFE Queensland have a lot of industry experience. They've either owned their own businesses or they've worked in the industry for a long time. They're very specialised in what they teach," said Connor.
"They’re always emphasising that they're here to help. We're kind of the future of this industry, so they just want the best for us. You see how passionate they are for the future of the industry."
Connor is in his fourth and final year of his apprenticeship and is excited to become a fully qualified plumber and assist his father in a greater capacity.
"I've grown up my whole life looking in from the outside at Dad running his business – building it up from nothing. So it's a massive drive to be a part of that," Connor said.
He's also excited about the possibilities the trade qualification will unlock.
"With this plumbing qualification, you have a broad range of avenues that you can get into. There's anything from new houses, maintenance, commercial, and you cover all of it within this course."
“You have the option when you come out to really focus on what part you want to specialise in,” he reflected.
Not surprisingly, Connor hasn’t ruled out further study upon graduating as a plumber, especially given his plans to eventually take over the family business.
"After you finish your certificate III, you have the option to continue with your certificate IV, which is what you need to get your contractor's licence and be able to work for yourself. It's definitely something I'll be looking into," Connor shared.
When asked what he’d say to others considering a similar career change, Connor had plenty of encouragement ‘on tap’.
"Once I left school, I was very money-focused, whereas now I really feel like it's all about how passionate you are about what you do,” Connor said.
"The biggest thing I've learned throughout this journey is that you're a lot more capable than what you think you are.
“You can achieve anything you put your mind to, and as long as you have a crack, you've got your foot in the door already," finished Connor.