Meet Miguel Rosado,

Miguel Rosado, who is originally from the sunny shores of Santa Marta, Colombia, was quickly able to learn about all of the practical aspects of being a carpenter with his Cert III in Carpentry and the ins and outs of working on major construction sites with his Diploma of Building and Construction at Orange College. He is currently working as a full-time carpenter on high-end residential projects, working on new homes and renovations all over Melbourne.

Miguel said “Everything that happens on site, happens in the class first”. As a result of all of the real-world links to industry Orange College brings to the class, there weren’t too many surprises when it came time to make the transition from studying to working. In particular, the experiences of the trainers really help students excel in the next stage of their journey after graduating.

He came to Melbourne after working in public relations for a government department back home. It was quite a sea change to go from the office and meetings to worksites and hands-on work, but Miguel has grabbed the opportunity, literally, with both hands.

One of the challenges that international students face is having working experience in Australia. To break into the workplace, Miguel recommends choosing construction as there are a lot of opportunities in that industry. Having completed a course at a well-recognized VET provider and some experience as a part-time labourer while still studying is crucial to getting your foot in the door for that first job.

Going forward, his vision is to develop his craft to become a real expert in every aspect of his trade and open his own small business. As a migrant nation, Australia’s productivity and overall standard of living benefits greatly from the entrepreneurial drive and energy of people just like Miguel.

Miguel also loves surfing both in Phillip Island, as coming from a coastal city in Colombia, being able to surf definitely makes Melbourne seem a bit more like home.