Peter Killick

Age: 35
Occupation: Manager, Southern Tasmania, Fairbrother Building Contractors.

From the time he was a boy in primary school Peter Killick wanted to be a builder. He left school at the end of Grade 10 and went straight into an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery with Devonport company Fairbrothers Building Contractors.

The Tasmanian Apprentice of the Year in 1986, Peter successfully completed his apprenticeship in 1987 and almost immediately was asked to take on positions of responsibility within the company as an estimator, and then later as a project manager and site supervisor.

In 1993 Peter set up a Hobart office for Fairbrothers and was given the role of managing the company's southern Tasmanian operations. He continues in that role today managing a staff of well over fifty people and running a division that turns over $25 million a year. Recently he was invited to become a director and a shareholder of the Company.

Peter, what does your role as a building and construction manager involve?

"The typical path is for our company to either negotiate or tender to construct or fit out a building. We assess the client's plan for the project, calculate what we believe it would cost to do the work and then put in a quote.

"I particularly enjoy revisiting the projects we have undertaken in the past. I get a great sense of achievement looking at a well constructed building and know that we did the job well."

In the last couple of years Peter has completed the Diploma of Front Line Management offered by the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers of Australia and found the part-time course extremely rewarding.

"While not all the content was new to me, it provided structured and practical insights into company management which will no doubt make me a more effective manager in what I believe is a fantastic industry."